Sparkys... Splicing Copper to Aluminum... or..

[Snipe Hunter]

Putting in a new oven. The old one is close enough to where I can move the conductor to serve the new oven. The existing wire is aluminum. The instructions (GE) say this...


The new oven has an 8awg copper BX pigtail. I've never connected aluminum to copper.
Is this the right splice? Link
Anything special I need to know about an the enclosure? Can I use a 4-3/4" box?

[MstrCarpenter]

I thought all that was necessary was Noalox on the aluminum conductors, but Google said this is in the 2014 NEC "Splicing wire connectors are required to be marked for the material of the conductor and for their suitability where intermixed. Splicing wire connectors, such as twist-on wire connectors, are not suitable for splicing aluminum conductors or copper-clad aluminum to copper conductors unless it is so stated and marked as such on the unit container or an information sheet supplied with the unit container. The required marking is “AL-CU (intermixed-dry locations)” where intermixing (direct contact) occurs." I'm not sure if wire-nuts are labeled "AL-CU" and if so, just adding Noalox to the conductors will meet code. The aluminum conductors I deal with are usually secured under a lug screw and I just use the Noalox on both and tighten as much as possible.

[FS7]

Nothing too special required - just find a connector marked for Al-Cu connections. Ideal makes wire nuts (purple, I believe) for smaller applications. There are also screw terminal-type connectors.

Basically, if you find wire nuts or connectors that seem to be comically overpriced and mislabeled, those are almost certainly Al-Cu connectors.

I should note that the use of stranded aluminum for 220V circuits is still common and not a problem. Solid single-strand aluminum should be corrected. Stranded aluminum as used for electric dryers or ranges is not an issue.

[Snipe Hunter]

Nothing too special required - just find a connector marked for Al-Cu connections. Ideal makes wire nuts (purple, I believe) for smaller applications. There are also screw terminal-type connectors.

Basically, if you find wire nuts or connectors that seem to be comically overpriced and mislabeled, those are almost certainly Al-Cu connectors.

I should note that the use of stranded aluminum for 220V circuits is still common and not a problem. Solid single-strand aluminum should be corrected. Stranded aluminum as used for electric dryers or ranges is not an issue.

I have seen the same connectors selling from $11.00 to over $2000.00

I've seen the Ideal purple wire-nuts which would be great but nothing for #8.

This looks like it will do it but really looking for somebody who really knows this stuff to say "Yes", that's it. This

[Phil Thien]

Putting in a new oven. The old one is close enough to where I can move the conductor to serve the new oven. The existing wire is aluminum. The instructions (GE) say this...


The new oven has an 8awg copper BX pigtail. I've never connected aluminum to copper.
Is this the right splice? Link
Anything special I need to know about an the enclosure? Can I use a 4-3/4" box?

Not a sparky.

Stupid Q:  Is using products intended for direct-burial approved for non-direct-burial work?

[TDKPE]

Stupid Q:  Is using products intended for direct-burial approved for non-direct-burial work?

Far from stupid, as it's better to ask and know than it is to guess or just move forward blindly.

As stated already, UF is acceptable for indoor work, though it's tough to work with.

BUT, USE cable (direct bury service entrance) is not.  Aluminium SE (service entrance) cable used to be common for heavy 120/240V loads like ranges and clothes dryers, and is still acceptable for single-voltage branch circuits*, but the direct bury stuff is not allowed in a dwelling unit, and is normally switched to something else at a junction box before continuing on.

So UF is permitted indoors, anywhere NM is allowed in fact, but USE is not.  Both are direct bury rated.


*SER, which has a third insulated conductor for the neutral, is allowed for 120/240V loads.  No more bonding the frame to the (uninsulated) neutral, like in the old days with ranges and dryers.

[daddo]

Except for copper to copper wire connections, I use a film of noalox on all copper or aluminum connections to kearnies, lugs, breakers and stabs.

[Roly]

The connector you have will work fine for you but you don't need the double shrink tubing, the inner one normally melts a sealer to prevent any moisture getting to the connection.  Very hard to remove.    If you can get just the connector itself  LINK go that route.
 Another option is a split bolt made for copper/aluminum such as  LINK  .   This type of split bolt must have a separator between the copper and aluminum and be made of aluminum.  Old adage : you can surround copper with aluminum but cannot surround aluminum with copper. As stated I would clean the aluminum wire and a thin coat of no ox applied.   Don't over tighten the aluminum as it will tend to cold flow over time and loosen because it has much more expansion from heat than copper wire.     I would not use the wire nut type for this application because of load ( larger load and continuous )  What size is the aluminum wire ?   Note Lowes has the max and min wire sizes listed backwards.  Roly

[Phil Thien]

I’d find something like these;

http://www.elecdirect.com/lug-compressio...e-product1

[Phil Thien]

Phil

Yes, but why, usually the non burial equivalent is cheaper than the burial version.. unless you already have the device.

Not to be argumentative, but I don't think you can "technically" use it unless it is listed for use inside conduit.  Here, look at this thread:

https://www.mikeholt.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/001044.html

Honestly, wrestling 8-AWG wires with those splices wrapped in heat shrink tubing of that type, into a box, wouldn't be very fun.

What is needed is something like an Alumiconn, but they don't make them for 8-AWG I don't think.

I'd be making sure whatever product I'm going to use is going to be easy enough to stuff into a box.