RE- Re: al wire

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: RE- Re: al wire
From: Tesla List <mod1-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 22:02:10 -0600 (MDT)
Approved: mod1-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 20:21:35 GMT
From: Robert Michaels <robert.michaels-at-online.sme-dot-org>
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: RE- Re: al wire

        There's basically only one problem with aluminum wire --
        and that is the metal it's made from.

        Hey, other than that, you've got no problems.

        Actually it's not the metal it's made from, it's the metal
        which copper wire is made from:  Tying copper and aluminum
        wires together is like tying the tails of a dog and cat
        together.   Things may not be too unweidly at first, but
        after a while,  !-at-$^&(##!!!

        Not only does aluminum readily form an oxide in air, not
        only is that oxide an excellent insulator (unlike copper
        oxides), but copper and aluminum have differing rates of
        thermal expansion, and form an electochemical couple in
        the presence of moisture.

        But -- aluminum wire has been used in many buildings in
        conjunction with copper, and a surprising number of them have
        not yet burned down.  

        There are all sorts of lotions and cremes to be had at
        electrical supply houses to assist the bonding of aluminum
        and copper wire (and at pharmacies, too, for burns suffered
        in the fire).  There are also various fittings and couplings
        made of alloys said to be mutually compatible with aluminum
        and with copper.  The larger and better hardware stores and
        home centers will likely have some of these -- in those juris-
        dictions where it is still possible to wire a building with
        aluminum without risking a stretch in the hoosegow (I believe
        there is still one county -- somewhere in the Ozarks, 
        I think ...).

                                                Robert Michaels,
                                                
                                                Detroit, USA  (where
                                                men are tough enough
                                                to wire with alumimnum
                                                (!) )