Copper and aluminum?!?!!?

[till]

In looking at my wiring as I have been cleaning out the non-Airstream stuff I have noticed that the 12VDC wire is aluminum and the 110VAC stuff is copper. This seems very wierd. Is this normal for the year of production? It is a Califonia built trailer, for what it is worth, could it be a West Cost thing. I am glad to see the copper for the 110 plus this will make it easier to figure out what is what.

[RivetED]

Check to be sure it's aluminum, It may be 'tinned' copper strands. Scrape a bare spot or look at a cut end.

[john hd]

tedd

aluminum wire was popular during the period your trailer was built, other members have reported it in trailers from the same era.

just remember to make sure connections are clean and tight, adding an inhibitor to connections is an absoulute must! it can be had at most home centers and good hardware stores. no-ox, penatrox are a few brand names.

keep an eye out for discolored connections, a wire brush will help cleaning them up.

power utilities install millions of feet of aluminum wire a year with good service. aluminum wire is NOT a product of satan, just seems that way when a outlet quits working!

john

[TomW]

My '67 Overlander also uses solid aluminum wiring for the heater, and A/C thermostat wiring.

[Tin Hut]

My '67 has the alum. wiring as well. There's some websites you can find with a search that outlines the caution to be taken with the alum. Agree with the previous poster, you should check all of your connections to make sure they are clean and not increasing resistance and then heat. The websites you'll find also have pics on how to do simple copper/alum. pigtails to your outlets and lights to reduce the chance for a problem.