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Of mains distribution and aluminum wire

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iXod:
It has been well-known for decades that aluminum wire needs to be prepared and used only with approved cu/al components to avoid oxidation and Big Trouble.

But I note that many components are aluminum and accept copper wire without any preparation.

What is it about the aluminum used in components that means the installer doesn't have to use anti-oxidant goo when using copper wire?

Thanks.

David Hess:
The aluminum is plated with another solder friendly metal like copper, tin, or nickel.

coppercone2:
family friends shed almost/kinda caught on fire because of Aluminum wire. be careful.

imo not worth it. copper is still kinda janky

rhb:
Part of the issue with aluminum wire is creep.  This proved excessive in end use applications.  And aluminum in contact with steel will corrode in a heartbeat in the presence of water which is an issue in humid climates. I suspect that abrasion of very thin plating on steel hardware was the biggest cause of fires.

Aluminum wire it widely used in heavy gauges.  I just used 3/0 for the feed to my shop.  It's a 165 ft run, so I needed a large conductor.  Nothing was applied to the wire or the connectors.  But the connectors are not bare steel.

I'm not aware of any issue with aluminum and copper in contact.  But long ago I slid a steel cam follower into a VW crankcase I had just cleaned with a pressure washer.  Within a few hours corrosion had practically welded it in place.  It took considerable pounding with a heavy brass pipe and large hammer to get the cam follower free.  I was impressed.

rstofer:
Cold flow is the issue.  It is quite possible to make aluminum hard enough to prevent flow when we're talking about set-screw type terminals or bus bar.  It is not possible to make the wire that hard as you couldn't bend it during installation.  Aluminum bus bar has been the standard in unit substations for decades.  Copper is often available at significant additional extra expense.  The bus bar joints will be connected with standard hardware but with Belleville cupped washers to retain tension.

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