Bud this thread was about NEW installations not something during
Watergate.
I was referring to the aa8000 alloy
It should be noted that most of the problems with the older wiring was
sloppy installation or homeowner intervention. That is witnessed by
the number that DIDN'T have any problems in the last 3 decades,
The National Fire Protection Association, in the NEC Digest, Spring
2004, repeated CPSC findings on aluminum wire:
"In 1974, the CPSC determined that hazards associated with aluminum wire
systems present "an unreasonable risk of injury or death" and later
filed suit against more than two dozen manufacturers of aluminum wire
and devices used in these systems.
"According to a report published by the CPSC, homes wired with aluminum
wire manufactured before 1972 ("old technology" aluminum wire) are 55
times more likely to have one or more connections reach Fire Hazard
Conditions than is a home wired with copper."
The NFPA, as you probably know, creates the National Electrical Code. In
2004 they, along with the CPSC, seem to still feel that aluminum wiring
poses a risk.
From alreduce.htm: "The aluminum-wired connections that fail tend to
progressively deteriorate at a slow rate, and after many years can reach
very high temperature while still remaining electrically functional in
the circuits."
One of the most significant findings of Wright-Malta was that aluminum
wire connections made in accordance with industry standards and
manufacturer recomendations can fail, possibly resulting in a fire. That
is why the CPSC moved to regulate the industry. "Sloppy installation" is
not required. And "sloppy installation" as a cause remains at the level
of opinion unless you have an investigative source.
BTW these are the Nationally Recognized Testing Labs
(NFPA and OSHA)
[list of laboratories]
I have doubts the NFPA recognizes this list. From the 2003 NEC Style
Manual: "Use of the terms "Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory" or
"NRTL" shall be avoided. .... [It] is an OSHA program for the
accreditation of laboratories that test products for the workplace and
is not to be applied generally in the NEC."
I have no idea what the relevance of the list of laboratories unless it
is to show that Wright-Malta isn't on it. But the list is of labs is
those recognized by OSHA to qualify a product as meeting a standard -
for electrical products it is typically a UL standard. That is not what
Wright-Malta was doing.
Incidentally, the longer story of of the CPSC involvement is that it was
alarmed by fires from aluminum wiring systems (including deaths)
contracted with Wright-Malta to make tests. Wright-Malta wound up doing
extensive tests of aluminum connections (extensive: "in 1982, there were
approximately 7,500 aluminum and aluminum-copper connections on
long-term test, plus (for comparison purposes) a substantial number of
copper-wired connections.") My understanding is that the CPSC
recommended a recall of aluminum wire. In the obvious court case that
resulted, the court ruled aluminum systems were not "consumer products"
and thus the CPSC did not have perview.
The CPSC must have considered the Wright-Malta test data to be extensive
enough and have enough validity to initiate an action against the
industry and withstand the court case that would obviously result.
The paper at the web page contested before,
http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/alreduce.htm
is based on the Wright-Malta test data extended to practical fixes for
existing wiring. From section 1H of the paper (which is about the new
alloy wire you are fond of):
"[The new] alloy aluminum wire may have lower probability of overheating
at the binding head screw connections. There is little improvement in
the probability of overheating in other types of terminations, however.
In particular, the alloy aluminum conductors show high failure rates in
tests with twist-on connectors [aka wire-nuts].
"The alloy wires have improved mechanical properties but may have
essentially the same electrically-insulating oxide surface film. As with
the "old technology" ("EC" grade) aluminum wire...."
The point about wire nuts and oxides is the one I made in my original post.
Bud--