Probably, it is not necessary to say that aluminum and copper wire cannot be twisted together. The thing is that these two metals have different electrochemical potentials that react, which leads to the oxidation of the contact, and, accordingly, over time, to its complete absence. Especially if the connection is outdoors or in a room with high humidity. But life presents us with unexpected situations, for example, old houses, where the electrical wiring was made with aluminum wire. What to do in this case, how to connect an aluminum wire to a copper one? The issue is actually serious, although today it is solved quite simply.
Methods for connecting aluminum wire to copper
There are several options for this connection, where special devices must be used without fail. Which? Let's look at the most convenient and popular today.
Bolted connection
Let's start with this connection option, as with the simplest and cheapest. To do this, you will need a bolt with a nut and a washer made of anodized steel. The connection method is quite simple.
- First, the aluminum end is put on the bolt, which is twisted around it in one turn.
- Next, the puck is put on.
- The third layer is copper, wound in one turn around the bolt.
- Then the nut is screwed on so that the connections become tight and reliable. In the event that the connection of copper and aluminum wires is made in a room where vibration is present, then one more nut must be screwed until it is fully pressed.
Everything, a safe connection of wires is made. Such a joint lasts a long time and does not create problems.
Terminal fixtures
In this category, there are several options that use different fixtures. One of these devices is the so-called nuts. These terminal blocks received such a name for their great resemblance to this fruit. Even such a small device has several models.
The simplest model is a nut, inside of which three plates are installed. That is, by inserting copper and aluminum wires between different plates, you create the conditions for their non-contact with each other, which is required for this type of connection. By the way, in such devices it is possible not to break the supply circuit of the electrical circuit. To do this, you just need to clean part of the supply wire from insulation, unscrew the two bolts on the nut, insert the bare area between the two plates there and tighten the bolts again. In this case, there is no break in the wire section.
The outlet wires will have to be removed from the insulation (meaning their ends) and inserted into holes perpendicular to the inlet channel, where they will be fixed between two other adjacent plates.
The more expensive nut model is a design that does not require wire cutting, that is, there is no need to remove the insulation from them. Because the plates are equipped with teeth, and when they are compressed with bolts, the teeth simply cut into the wire, piercing the insulation. Such a connection is quite reliable.
The third option for connecting aluminum wires to copper is to use Wago terminal blocks. These are fairly simple devices. To use them, you must first strip the ends 10-15 cm long, then insert them at their destination. Everything, the connection is ready. It should be noted that in such terminal blocks a special lubricant is used by the manufacturer inside. It is she who does not allow the aluminum and copper core to oxidize.
Attention! Experts recommend using Wago terminal blocks only in lighting networks. With a heavy load, the spring that supports the contacts heats up and loses its properties, which leads to a deterioration in the very contact between the plates and wires.
The fourth device is the usual terminal blocks. In fact, this is a standard bar with terminals. In order to connect copper and aluminum wires, it is necessary to strip their ends and insert them into adjacent terminals, where the ends are fixed with screws located on top of the terminal holes.
Rivets
In principle, this method of connecting aluminum and copper wires is very similar to bolted. Only here, instead of a bolt and nut, riveting is used, which belongs to the so-called one-piece joints. That is, after its assembly, it is impossible to disassemble such a device without failure of the fasteners. You will have to install a new rivet.
As for the production of work, here, as in the case of bolts and nuts, it is necessary to prepare the ends of the wires by cleaning them from insulation and bending them into rings. After that, one ring is put on the riveting, then an anodized steel washer, and after that the ring of the second wire. On one side, the rivet has a head, and on the other, it will be necessary to hit with a hammer to flatten the end, thus creating another hat on the opposite side of the fastener.
Of course, today no one will beat with a hammer, because there are special manual devices with which the riveting is crimped. This tool is very similar to pliers. It must be added that this connection of copper and aluminum wire is considered very reliable.
These are the methods of connecting electrical wires from different metals that can be used today in the process of repairing or laying electrical circuits. And here it does not matter whether the wire is connected to a stranded wire or a single-core one. All these methods clearly answer the question of how to connect, for example, aluminum and copper wiring.
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