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Warning about those old aluminum branch circuits in 70s houses
My boss told me to always pigtail with Al/Cu connectors, not just twist them together. I saw a melted outlet last week from someone who didn't listen. What's your go-to method for a safe repair?
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lucashart6mo ago
Check if the melted outlet was on a 15 or 20 amp circuit. I've seen more issues on kitchens and bathrooms where people overload stuff. Do you torque the connectors to spec with a proper screwdriver or just wing it?
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luna8245mo ago
My electrician buddy swears by torque screwdrivers for outlets.
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irismartinez5mo ago
luna824 said something about torque screwdrivers and that is honestly the BEST advice I have ever heard on this. I read an article once from a fire investigator who said most aluminum wire failures happen because the connections are too loose or too tight, not because of the wire itself. I used to just wing it with a regular screwdriver like lucashart asked, but after getting a torque driver last year I see a HUGE difference in how solid the connections feel. The spec for most outlets is 12-14 inch pounds and it really does matter, I had one outlet that felt tight by hand but the torque driver still let me give it a little more. Also make sure you are using those purple wire nuts or Al/Cu rated connectors like your boss said, the cheap Home Depot stuff won't cut it.
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