ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion Building Codes for Electricians anti oxidant on aluminum conductors

Alan, great chemical explination, one thing though, "oxidation" refers to ALL reactions where something loses an electron to another thing, even if it doesn't involve oxygen! this is a convention dating back to when these types of reactions were first really theorized about.

As to Trumpy's greasy connections, any non-polar substance will prevent oxidation reactions, for instance sodium, which will BURN in water (well, produce hydrogen and enough heat to ignite said hydrogen) can be stored in oil, and kept lustrous i.e. not corode, it doesn't have to have any "special" anti oxident properties, even plain graphite would work.



-Will

Will, just shows you never stop learning stuff. I must have dived hundreds of times into my inorganic chemistry textbooks, 'Partington' and 'Mellor' continuously over the last 45 years. And blow me down, there it was all the time hiding in a paragraph under reduction and oxidation! [ redox ].

Alan

I too can see where this gets confusing. I would ask the EC to provide me paper work from the wire manufacture stating that the "goo" is not needed, and I would pass the job. Now if the connector people still want the goo, then the job might fail under 110.3(B)Again, I think the manufactures should get together and work their problems out, then notify, UL, IAEI, and contractors as to the correct way to install their products.

Aluminum wire manufacturers recommend goo but, don't require it because they don't make the connectors.
Connector manufacturers recommend it but don't require it because they don't make the wire.
Some connectors are supplied with goo in them because they were evaluated and listed that way.
The Code could be used to resolve the issue by making it a requirement.
Documenting the need fir the goo is a problem because when the terminal fails it leaves almost no evidence of the cause of failure.

as an inspector and a contractor I do not require it but I always use it. I am old enough to remember the nightmares
with AL conductors.