Electrical engineering is often referred to as the science of contacts. Indeed, the work of an apartment wiring or a technical device diagram directly depends on the quality of the wiring. How to correctly connect two aluminum conductors to ensure reliable contact without violating electrical and fire safety rules?
Ensuring a safe connection of wires
Getting started with the installation of household electrical wiring, you should understand that the standards for electrical work, the connection of wires in the form of twisting is strictly prohibited. This type of installation is undesirable because at the point of contact between two cores, the cross-sectional area of the connection decreases, which leads to an increase in the transition resistance and local overheating of the wires.
It is believed that most fires occur precisely due to the use of twisting when installing wiring.
For reliable and safe connection of aluminum wires, it is recommended to use special clamps and terminal blocks. In them, the problem of contact and increased resistance is solved by using brass plates. For the installation of flexible aluminum conductors, it is preferable to use screw terminal blocks.
The use of such alternative wiring methods increases the cost of the work somewhat. But the costs are more than offset by the security of such a connection. In addition, the connection at the terminals or clamps can be easily disassembled to eliminate a possible malfunction, for maintenance or measurements.
Twisting of aluminum wires
If you nevertheless decide to use twisting aluminum wires, a number of conditions must be met. Such a connection can only be used in low-current circuits, for example, when installing children's games or models of electrical installations, as well as when conducting simple physical experiments with direct current. The use of even the most reliable twist when installing apartment electrical wiring is fraught with trouble.
First, you need to carefully release the ends of the wire from the insulation, taking care not to damage the cores themselves. After that, the wires need to be rubbed with sandpaper until they shine, which will help remove harmful oxides that are inherent in aluminum and worsen the contact.
It is recommended to wipe the clean section of the wire thoroughly with a cloth or cotton wool soaked in acetone.
Bend the prepared ends of the conductors at a right angle at a distance of about 8-10 wire diameters from the insulation. Run the wires behind each other. Using pliers with narrow jaws, thread the first core onto the second, making at least seven turns. Try to keep the turns as tight as possible to each other, without gaps. It remains to carefully wrap the resulting twist with insulating tape.
