PSA: Stop using wire nuts on aluminum wire without anti-oxidant compound

For years I just twisted on wire nuts for aluminum connections like I did with copper. Last summer I had a callback from a house built in 1972 where a ceiling fan stopped working. When I opened the junction box, the wire nut was loose and the aluminum had corroded badly. Switched to using purple wire nuts with noalox paste ever since. It adds maybe 30 seconds per connection but I haven't had a single loose or hot joint since. Anyone else deal with aluminum wiring issues from older homes in your area?

2 comments

2 Comments

felix9823d agoMost Upvoted

Had an old house give me the same headache with a dimmer switch that kept flickering even after replacing it. Cleaning the aluminum with a wire brush before applying noalox fixed it right up and never had another issue.

singh.blair22d ago

An old timer taught me to twist aluminum wire counterclockwise before nutting it.

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