Old Wiring, Don't Have Much Money

[DKAudio]

Well, I just found out that most of the house appears to be aluminum wire! I don't see how that can be since the house was built in 1954. All the wire that is cracking appears to be the aluminum stuff. Now what do I do? It is all in the flexible BX stuff. I assume it is stapled to the studs so I cannot replace it with romex without tearing into the walls. I am very frustrated.

[DKAudio]

Here is what I am dealing with, I tried to scratch off some on the neutral to see if it is copper color or still silver...

[HayZee518]

OK, data circuits have a section in the newer code books. data cable under floors in walls and above suspended ceilings fall under a special section in the book. I worked on a project where low voltage signals were sent to remote dimmers for wall washing and mood lighting. The dimmers were adjacent to the panelbox, the dimmer controls were about 100 feet away at a desk. wiring was 18-2 plenum rated wire. Job was inspected by a massachusetts qualified inspector.

[DKAudio]

Ok, thanks, any idea on my al. wiring? Do I have to tear into walls?

[HayZee518]

Aluminum wire that hasn't been touched a.ak.a. in the walls doesn't need to be serviced. Aluminum at the outlets needs to be addressed. copper-clad aluminum offers better conductivity at the outlets and switches and if the installer torqued the screws there should be no problem. also a suitable anti-oxidants should have been used. outlets should be marked al-cu. those without the al-cu shouln't be used with aluminum. Aluminum flexed too much can break within a cable sheath without any visible signs.

[kactuskid]

Why is the wiring cracking? Are you changing out switches and receptacles and it's cracking while tightening up the connections? You need to supply a bit more info about the problem to determine the way to go here. Are all your receptacles rated for aluminum?

[DKAudio]

Sorry for the delayed response. Turns out the wire is a clad, al and copper I believe. If I cut the wire it looks like a light copper color. None of the outlets, switches, nuts, overhead lights are AL rated. The insulation is cracked horribly. Every couple mm I can see wire through the insulation because it is cracked. I took some out (rewiring the bathroom as we speak) and the wire inside the armor is ok as expected. It is just horrible at all the electrical boxes where the wire has been bent many times over the past 50 years. I am most concerned with fishing the wire through external walls that contain insulation. All of the bx is attached to the studs with heavy duty staples so I cannot just pull that out. I want to do as little sheetrock rework as possible. Also, with my roof pitch I cannot even get to the outside walls, it is much too short. My roof pitches on all sides making the middle the high point. Any tips would be great. I got a 4' long flexible augor bit. I tried using it to drill horizontally through studs. I got through the first stud and then it went out the wall in the next room! I am opening that up today, major sheetrock rework there. Thanks

[HayZee518]

aluminum wire should have NEVER been accepted as a viable wiring method. You sir have a problem. It's either live with it or remove every bit of it and rewire with copper. copper clad aluminum is accepted but in the long run a poor substitute for the real thing. your choice leave it there or rewire the whole dwelling. copper used to be cheap - it is not now-a-days. hayzee