Is it necessary or not to urgently change the aluminum wiring

There are several objective reasons for replacing the electrical wiring: an emergency situation occurred in the apartment with damage to the hidden electrical wiring; the electrical wiring was installed a long time ago, and the insulation is dilapidated and crumbling; the load has increased significantly in the apartment, and the old wiring is heating up. There may be a subjective reason - I want to make more powerful wiring in advance for the future. And if the old wiring is made with aluminum wire, then it is very desirable to change it to a wire with a copper core of the required section. How urgent to do this is up to the landlord. The main thing is not to bring the matter to an accident that can lead to a fire.

Reasons for replacing the wiring

An apartment's electrical network is not all about wires. The wires to the apartment go from the general electrical equipment board, pass through the installation boxes along the entrances, branch out into apartments on the floors, and in the apartment they are connected to sockets. And all this must be done according to the rules for the design and installation of electrical installations - PUE.

PHOTO: elektrikinfo.ru

According to information from professional electricians, the first technical argument in favor of updating the wiring is its age. It is believed that wires with aluminum conductors can be used safely for about 25 years. After this period, the insulation begins to crumble, and the structure of the metal is aging. And wires with copper conductors live much longer. In addition to the age indicator, copper outperforms aluminum in other characteristics. Copper has a lower specific resistance to electric current. This means that the copper cable will heat up less under load, which is a plus for extending the life of the insulation.

Aluminum metal, in contact with atmospheric air, is oxidized and covered with an electrically insulating oxide film. And this leads to the fact that the area of ​​the conductive surface is reduced and it is necessary to lay a cable of a larger cross-section. And the strength of an aluminum core is less than that of a copper one: a couple of bends - and the core breaks. Of course, an aluminum cable is cheaper than a copper one, but it is unwise to save on this.

PHOTO: skr.sh

The nature of our life is changing very quickly. Apartments are equipped with electrified appliances, the load on the cable increases, and the wear of the aluminum cable is accelerating. It is known that most of the household fires are caused by an accident in the apartment wiring. And at industrial facilities, the cause of a fire is often the illiterate design and operation of electrical wiring. It is already forbidden to lay aluminum cables in new houses. In new buildings, only double-insulated copper cable is laid. And almost always three-core (the third conductor connects the ground).

Any repair and reconstruction of electrical wiring in apartments should be entrusted only to professionals. The materials and installation elements used must be certified and manufactured by certified manufacturers.

PHOTO: static.tildacdn.com

Compromise option

Experts say that in Soviet times, aluminum was produced in strict accordance with GOST, and its mechanical characteristics were much higher: the core did not break after several bends. If the house is wired with such a cable, and it is in good condition, then it can be left. The problem of increasing the load due to the appearance of new household electrical appliances in the house is solved by installing a load priority relay. This device is installed in the circuit in cases where the input power is insufficient or the section of the wiring does not allow connecting several powerful household appliances at the same time. The device monitors the connected power and prevents several powerful household appliances from working at the same time. When the power consumption reaches the upper allowed limit, the relay starts to turn off the devices that are designated as non-priority in the network.

There is also a solution that will reduce costs and ensure the safe operation of the wiring. Usually, the electrical load in the apartment increases due to the purchase of electrical appliances for the kitchen. So, the hostess can often turn on 2-3 appliances at the same time: a microwave oven, an electric kettle, a mixer or something else. In this case, it is much wiser and cheaper to update the wiring only in the kitchen, not forgetting to put the required number of protective devices into the circuit. But only if in other parts of the apartment the aluminum wiring is in good condition. The time will come, and it will also need to be replaced.

PHOTO: electricavdome.ru

Conclusion

Repair is a troublesome and messy business, but necessary. And as for the replacement of the wiring, it should be combined with a major overhaul. After completing the installation work, it is necessary to check the performance of what has been done and only after that proceed to the finishing of the room.