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?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucashart1mo 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?

luna8241mo ago

My electrician buddy swears by torque screwdrivers for outlets.

irismartinez22d 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.