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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

O/T elec question

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vabill

11-11-2005 05:59:25




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i lost power to my house last night, all but one circuit. went out to the main disconnect below the meter and found the alum. wire had come loose from the allen screws that holds them. i tightened the allen screws and that fixed it for the night. my question is can i slip a small piece of copper between the wire and the allen screws. i know by tightening the allen screws it flattens and spreads the wire, by putting a piece of copper between the contacts im thinking it would hold it better. if not any other way to do this. thanks bill

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Short Round

11-11-2005 16:48:39




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
Paul and Charles have the correct answers, follow their advise. Make sure you have the correct size conector or lug and then use the special grease. One of the brands used here in the mid west is No Lux (not sure on the spelling) and make the conection tight but dont strip or break it. You may want to check any alum. connections every year or so. They do come loose from the constant heating up and cooling off.I have make thousands of these connection thru the years and I do know they do work loose. IBEW Electrician.

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dr.sportster

11-13-2005 05:20:50




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to Short Round, 11-11-2005 16:48:39  
What local are you in?



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Short Round

11-11-2005 17:03:10




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to Short Round, 11-11-2005 16:48:39  
I forgot to add, if you are replacing the lug (lugs) make sure they are rated for alum/cu connections. If you have any doubt hire a qualified electrician to do the job. After all it is your familys lives at stake here. As these connections have been known to become loose and begin to arc and cause fires.



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paul

11-11-2005 09:48:48




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
You need the proper connectors for aluminumn wire. Al likes to expand & shrink as it heats & cools. It also reacts poorly (rusts, oxidies, and/or breaks down itself or the other metal) if you end up using the wrong metal type in contact with Al.

Do not use copper. That will garentee problems inside of a year. They do not get along with each other at all, and like to spark & fizzle.

You do want a tube of the special grease that needs to be used with Al.

--->Paul

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MAC,IL

11-11-2005 08:40:12




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
Copper and alum are dissimilar metals and will cause more problems. An alum sleeve might work OK, but you shouldnt need anything but the electrical "grease" as I call it.



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old

11-11-2005 08:14:06




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
Putting cooper in there will cause you more problems then anything else. They don't like each other in a connection like that and will corede each other.



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dr.sportster

11-11-2005 06:13:10




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
That should not be needed if the lug is tight.What you need is a product called Penetrox or No-Al-ox.A grey paste that prevents arcing if it does get loose.Be careful not to tighten so much the lug breaks or strips.In larger buildings that have lots of aluminum wire and lugs they use a periodic retorquing of all lugs to the proper specs.In your case just tighten it back down.If it did not get tight you might put an additional piece of copper but an electrician would probably change out the lug and retighten.This copper might create an electrolysis effect.The penetrox is the important thing you need.

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Charles (in GA)

11-11-2005 06:12:48




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 Re: O/T elec question in reply to vabill, 11-11-2005 05:59:25  
You should use lots of anti-corrosive past intended for electrical connections, and you should NOT use copper wire in the same connection with the aluminum. Unless the wire is smaller than the allowable sizes for the connection (and it should be marked with tiny stamped numbers or on a label somewhere), there should not be any need for anything in the connection, except the wire.

Charles



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