Aluminum wiring cause outlet to spark
We were called out to this home because the outlet started to
spark. This is a scary situation for any homeowner. This home was built in the
1960. I was wired with Aluminum wires.
The owner removed the outlet and smartly called us (Electricians)
into to look at the situation. This is a picture of the electrical box
when we arrived at the home. Aluminum wires look like modern wires
accept the metal is silver instead of gold. The wires are slightly thicker then
copper wire and much lighter. Aluminum is a
much softener wire then copper. If it
is handled incorrectly the wire can fatigue and break. It
also corrodes differently than copper. This is a problem when attaching AL wire
to electrical equipment that was designed for CU.
Aluminum wiring was only use for a short time in
the 1960 during a copper shortage. At that time it was a
cost effective solution for new houses. Now some 50 years later
we recommend that this wire be removed. The wire becomes more
dangerous as it ages. Al corrodes and
weeks much faster than CU. A 50
year old piece of Al wire can be broken by hand without any tools.
You can see here in this picture where the
Aluminum wire started to spark and almost caught fire. The outlet was never
designed to work with AL wiring. The screw terminal is a CU post. Outlets that you purchase at your local home
centers are normally stamped with the type of wire they work with on their yokes
(Frames). Not correctly matching the devices to the wire is just another of the many problem that home
with Aluminum wires face. 
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