Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
Just $12.99 + $5 shipping, today only on Woot.com.
Great gift for those of us with polar disorders.
TJR
Great gift for those of us with polar disorders.
TJR
Christmast Present Idea Alert - Michelin Smart Jumper Cables with Automatic Polarity Adjustment
- Thread starter Thomas Rogers
- Start date
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Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
Richard L,
If they did, they would have sold out already...just due to the purchases for my extended family.
If they did, they would have sold out already...just due to the purchases for my extended family.
Roger Batts
Well-Known Member
I don't know about those. They're made with aluminum wire. Didn't that cause a lot of house fires back in the 70's?
Mark K 2
Well-Known Member
Eight gauge? Ewww.
Aluminum? Puke.
Good for a garden tractor or motorcycle.
Aluminum? Puke.
Good for a garden tractor or motorcycle.
Kevin Lang
Well-Known Member
Why aluminium? Not a great conductor, compared to copper....I guess it's cheaper.
But in perspective, more people get busted in my area for stealing aluminium than copper....they just die stealing the copper.
On topic, these seem eerily similar to the cables that my bud had in his 2000 XLS explorer, and due to their inherent impotence they were unable to allow my trac to jumpstart his ride.
But in perspective, more people get busted in my area for stealing aluminium than copper....they just die stealing the copper.
On topic, these seem eerily similar to the cables that my bud had in his 2000 XLS explorer, and due to their inherent impotence they were unable to allow my trac to jumpstart his ride.
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Aluminum home wiring did cause fires due to oxidation and thermal expansion and contraction.... both caused the fires....
In jumper cables it is used as it is lighter, cheaper and more flexable....
Todd Z
In jumper cables it is used as it is lighter, cheaper and more flexable....
Todd Z
Bill Barber
Well-Known Member
Todd
was the problem due to the wires getting loose in the connectors due to the above?
was the problem due to the wires getting loose in the connectors due to the above?
Bob McDonald
Well-Known Member
The real problem with aluminum wiring in houses was the improper use of the wrong switches and outlets. They were supposed to use fixtures made specifically for use with aluminum wires. When they (almost everyone) use the plain old regular (meaning the cheapest and made for copper only) fixtures, the oxidation mentioned by Todd occurred. That oxidation cause an increased resistance to current flow that resulted in too much heat that started the fires.
If all the right parts were used, the system worked fine. You just had to realize you needed to use one gauge bigger wire for the expected current use when you were using aluminum wire.
I had to deal with that stuff in my first home as it was built using aluminum wire.
If all the right parts were used, the system worked fine. You just had to realize you needed to use one gauge bigger wire for the expected current use when you were using aluminum wire.
I had to deal with that stuff in my first home as it was built using aluminum wire.
TomT
Well-Known Member
Uncle Bob is right. Used correctly aluminum wiring is safe but the problem was bad contractors and do-it-yourselfers would go to the hardware store and just buy the cheapest outlet or switch they could find regardless of it's proper use. For that reason alone aluminum wiring should have never been allowed but with the price of copper these days I'm afraid it might make a come back.
EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
There is a special paste now, for the connectors. You can use any components with the paste and proper tightening.
Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
Found out the hard way in our old house just what corrosion at the junction of two dissimilar metals can do. Lights in the house would flicker, and couldn't figure out why. The problem was the main line coming into the house. Don't remember what the splice was (between what kind of metal to what), but it required a special splice that would not corrode, because the two metals joined were a recipe for corrosion.
Seems like anytime we humans invent or try "something new" it takes some years to figure out what will go wrong, and how to then do it better.
TJR
Seems like anytime we humans invent or try "something new" it takes some years to figure out what will go wrong, and how to then do it better.
TJR
Wes Davis
Well-Known Member
Every house built in the 50's and prior has cast iron drain pipe. Every house built in the 50's and prior now has sewer backups caused by drain rot and tree roots. This is from an insurance adjusters point of view. God bless PVC.
Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
Me,
Had that same problem in the same house. Build in the 20s. Old sewer pipe to the main line under the street clogged with roots that infested the joints. Seemed like a collapsed/broken pipe, though due to concrete steps over the pipe setting.
Was quoted $17K by a shiester who wanted to replace the whole pipe from the house to the street.
I rented a jackhammer, cleared away a slab at the bottom of the steps and a couple of steps, then dug out the pipe and it was fine. Not collapsed or broken at all...just plugged with roots.
Rooter rooter cut out the roots with a knife-bit auger/snake, then twice a year application of root destroyer kept the problem at bay.
Always building a better mousetrap....PVC is the sh!t. Older and old-school is NOT necessarily better.
TJR
Had that same problem in the same house. Build in the 20s. Old sewer pipe to the main line under the street clogged with roots that infested the joints. Seemed like a collapsed/broken pipe, though due to concrete steps over the pipe setting.
Was quoted $17K by a shiester who wanted to replace the whole pipe from the house to the street.
I rented a jackhammer, cleared away a slab at the bottom of the steps and a couple of steps, then dug out the pipe and it was fine. Not collapsed or broken at all...just plugged with roots.
Rooter rooter cut out the roots with a knife-bit auger/snake, then twice a year application of root destroyer kept the problem at bay.
Always building a better mousetrap....PVC is the sh!t. Older and old-school is NOT necessarily better.
TJR
TomT
Well-Known Member
LOL. Old houses used to have all metal water pipes, either copper or galvanized and it was common practice for electricians to ground things to a water line, which was fine until a plumber came along and mixed in PVC. When I was with the fire department I made a few calls on people that were getting electrocuted (nothing serious) when they used a faucet. Usually it was right after they had plumbing work. That's the problem with old houses.
