Can copper tie wire be used to tie in aluminum wire?

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Multiple Choice

Can copper tie wire be used to tie in aluminum wire?

Directly tying copper wire to aluminum is not allowed. Copper and aluminum are dissimilar metals, so they form a galvanic pair that can corrode and loosen the connection over time. Aluminum also oxidizes quickly, and that oxide layer prevents a solid, low-resistance electrical contact, which can lead to heating and potential failure of the circuit. The safe way to connect aluminum to copper is to use connectors rated for AL-Cu connections and apply anti-oxidant compound; in many cases this means using CO/ALR devices or copper pigtails with AL-Cu rated connectors. So, a simple copper-to-aluminum splice without approved connectors is unsafe and improper.

Directly tying copper wire to aluminum is not allowed. Copper and aluminum are dissimilar metals, so they form a galvanic pair that can corrode and loosen the connection over time. Aluminum also oxidizes quickly, and that oxide layer prevents a solid, low-resistance electrical contact, which can lead to heating and potential failure of the circuit. The safe way to connect aluminum to copper is to use connectors rated for AL-Cu connections and apply anti-oxidant compound; in many cases this means using CO/ALR devices or copper pigtails with AL-Cu rated connectors. So, a simple copper-to-aluminum splice without approved connectors is unsafe and improper.

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