Looks like I need these:

No pretwisting? Really? Is that optional, or actually preferable?

Looks like they're pre-treated with antioxidant paste, which is handy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Twister Al/Cu

Edit: Never mind, looks like I found my own answer. I am curious about the pre-twisting, though. I'd think it's a more reliable connection, but given the different expansion coefficients, I wonder it it's wise if it's a Cu/Al mix?

Hi alan. Those wirenuts are still CSA rated, but they are not recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you can possibly find AL or ALR rated devices, use paste and a torque screwdriver, that's the way to go. Use AlumiConns
http://kinginnovation.bmobilized.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kinginnovation.com%2Fproducts%2Falumiconn%2F
for the grounds.

The old AL alloy gets brittle too fast when bent or squeezed too hard. Squeezed not hard enough and you get arcing. That's why the torque screwdriver. And why pretwisting is problematic. You can't twist away with wild abandon like you can with copper. Go gentle. If you don't pretwist, the instructions still say, turn the wirenut until the wires twist two times.

This post was edited by glennsparky on Mon, Apr 15, 13 at 3:34

No crimping for you. There's only one listed crimping system. You have to take the manufacturer's training before they will RENT you the crimper. It's mucho dinero per month.

Hi! I am no expert, but I know that my parent's house original wiring is aluminum, and the house was built in 1971. All of the all-aluminum connections, the aluminum-copper connections and the connections with a fixture's wiring have worked flawlessly with the Marrette 63 and Marrette 65. I bought some of the Ideal purple twisters for the kitchen chandelier, and it took about 4 months before the connection failed to the point it melted the wire nut.

Wow re the melting. Thanks for the tips. Ironic that I have a crimper now, but won't have copper to use it on.

Have you seen how much those torque screwdrivers cost? $200-$300 - wow.

This post was edited by alan_s_thefirst on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 0:15

There are two ways to solve the cable connector. First, You can get an "Right Angle F Adapter" at Radio Snack that will probably fix you right up.

They also make replacement cable wall plates that recess (often tilting downward) the jack. These are popular to install behind flat panel TVs. Just google recessed cable wall plate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Right Angle F Adapter at Radio Snack

Ignore that last one it was for the other thread.

"Have you seen how much those torque screwdrivers cost? $200-$300 - wow."
Use a small 1/4 inch drive inch-pound wrench and the correct hex drive adapter and bits.

The smaller wenches are a lot less expensive, and the adapters have no affect on torque readings.

You can even use 1/4 inch drive extensions to make reaching easier (I usually keep about a 3 inch one on my wrench).