Still working on installing my exhaust fan. It required a dedicated 20A circuit so I ran #12 copper. The wiring from the unit appears to be #14 stranded. It's also silver colored but I don't know if that means it's aluminum. I need to connect one #12 wire to each of the #14s (so two wires per connector). What's the right connector to use for this?
Electrical – What’s the right connector for connecting #12 solid copper to #14 stranded
electricalexhaust-fanwiring
Related Solutions
Sometimes with stranded wire, they will tin the ends with solder. I would guess this is the case here since you're right that aluminum is not usually used. I think the only reason they do this is to keep the ends from fraying and keep it neat.
You can check for sure by stripping new ends.
I have never seen stranded aluminum, or anything less than 12awg used (most house wire is 14awg copper, which is a bit smaller). You can see in this picture the aluminum is slightly bigger:
I would also be very surprised to see aluminum wire since it requires special wire nuts (co/alr rated) and an anti-oxidant paste (eg, Noalox) to connect.
If it's just tinned copper, you can twist and wire nut to a regular standed wire, just treat it like a normal copper wire.
The National Electrical Code (NEC) does not require bathroom exhaust fans to be GFCI protected, however, there is this bit in Article 110.
110.3 Examination, Identification, Installation, and Use of Equipment.
(B) Installation and Use. Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling.
Which means you have to follow all of the manufacturers instructions while installing the fan. If you read the installation instructions that came with the fan, you might find something like this.
SUITABLE FOR USE OVER TUB OR SHOWER ENCLOSURE WHEN INSTALLED IN A GFCI PROTECTED BRANCH CIRCUIT.
Source
If you install this fan over a tub or shower, the fan must be GFCI protected according to the manufacturer.
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Best Answer
That must be one powerful fan to require a dedicated 20 amp line. WOW. The silver wire you see is probably a tinned copper wire. (solder on the end of a stranded copper wire). To connect a 12 and 14 AWG set of wires together, you should use a yellow wirenut. If in fact the tinned conductor is smaller than a 14 AWG, you could use an orange wirenut. If you look on the package of wirenuts, it will give you a chart of the number and size of conductors the specific color wirenut will work with.