Aluminum wiring

[John Ethier]

I found what I suspect is aluminum branch circiut wiring, but I cannot confirm it. Should I report it as "suspected" aluminum and suggest further evaluation by licensed electrical contractor?

[John Ethier]

Here are some pictures.

[Larry D. Kage]

The first image looks like tinned copper.

I am not aware of any single strand aluminum wire with anything but TW insulated in a plastic jacket

More info here:

http://www.inspectapedia.com/aluminum/aluminum.htm
http://www.inspectapedia.com/aluminum/ALid16.jpg

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Yep, tinned-copper.

This should reported as well. The sheathing on this wiring deteriorates, exposing the conductor.

[John Ethier]

Thanks for the help and the links. I love inspectapedia. I have seen a lot of great info there.

[John Ethier]

Thanks you both again for enlightening me about the tinned copper wire. That maybe explains the other issue I found in the house. On that circuit, there was a segment of conduit that was energized. I thought that maybe if that was aluminum wire that maybe it came loose and was touching the conduit. But the light at the end of the circuit was still working, so that didn't really make sense. But if the sheathing has deteriorated to expose the conductor like Jeffrey described, that could maybe do it, right? But wouldn't that cause arcing?

This is only a practice inspection and it is a friend, so I may have the opportunity to remove the wire from the conduit to see what's going on in there. Thatnk you both again for you help. I am loving the NACHI community.

[Michael J. Merino]

Is the only way to tell it is tin clad copper by the cloth sheathing?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

It's probably the simplest, but certainly not the only. The cloth-covering is a dead give-away, but you can also see copper at the cut end of the conductor or in any nicks in the wiring.

[David P. OKeefe]

Ins't the tinned copper in bx also?

[Michael J. Merino]

Ironic, I just did an inspection, and wouldn't you know it, tin clad copper. I could see the copper through the nicks in the wiring. The cloth sheathing was deteriorated. Old panel with fuses.

[David P. OKeefe]

Originally Posted by mmerino

Ironic, I just did an inspection, and wouldn't you know it, tin clad copper. I could see the copper through the nicks in the wiring. The cloth sheathing was deteriorated. Old panel with fuses.

Sort of like this?