Re-termination of AL SER cable ends after removal for testing

[desk sparky]

Hello,

I'm a project manager for an electrical construction company, used to work in the field but now I'm in the office. At one of our new build dorm projects at a university we have apartment units with their own Square D homeline load centers. We have already installed the AL SER feeder cable onto the main lugs in all of the load centers. Now the AHJ is requiring us to do testing of the buss and feeders and is asking us to supply documentation from the cable manufacturers on how to properly re-terminate these feeders onto the lugs after testing. His concern is that with the brittle nature of AL conductors there might be specific instructions on re-terminating the prepared ends that have already been torqued down. I have searched the Southwire database, have found no reference for re-using the prepared cable ends. I've also searched for guidance on the main lug end for re-termination guidance but have come up empty. Our field foreman cannot guarantee enough extra length on these terminated cables to just cut the end off and re-do the termination. Any advice or guidance on where to look for this type of instruction or documentation is much appreciated, thank you!

Amy

 

[augie47]

Curious, What type of test is he wanting done that requires you to disconnect the feeders ??

 

[zbang]

And what's their authority to require the tests in the first place? Sounds they're out of line here.

 

[MattG0311]

Can you just turn the main off and the feeder breaker without determing the conductors?

 

[electrofelon]

Hello,

I'm a project manager for an electrical construction company, used to work in the field but now I'm in the office. At one of our new build dorm projects at a university we have apartment units with their own Square D homeline load centers. We have already installed the AL SER feeder cable onto the main lugs in all of the load centers. Now the AHJ is requiring us to do testing of the buss and feeders and is asking us to supply documentation from the cable manufacturers on how to properly re-terminate these feeders onto the lugs after testing. His concern is that with the brittle nature of AL conductors there might be specific instructions on re-terminating the prepared ends that have already been torqued down. I have searched the Southwire database, have found no reference for re-using the prepared cable ends. I've also searched for guidance on the main lug end for re-termination guidance but have come up empty. Our field foreman cannot guarantee enough extra length on these terminated cables to just cut the end off and re-do the termination. Any advice or guidance on where to look for this type of instruction or documentation is much appreciated, thank you!

Amy

Sounds like the solution is just terminate them as is and tell the nanny state wire cop inspector you cut off the old ends

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Since when do field electricians have to “test” bus bars? And what “test” does he want?
Is this a local Code?

And since when can you not remove AL conductors from a lug and re-terminate them?

I freely admit that I do not know everything, but both of those are new to me.

 

[MD Automation]

Just an fyi... there was a similar discussion here back in February...

Reinstalling Aluminum Wire

If you have to pull out Al wire from the lugs, and there isn't enough wire to re-strip to get a fresh end, should you try and reshape the ends where it is flattened out, or just tighten them back like they are?

forums.mikeholt.com

Not saying your question got answered there, but maybe worth a read for related thoughts.

 

[jim dungar]

If these are main lug panels why not just remove the lug iself, leaving the conductor terminated?

 

[desk sparky]

And what's their authority to require the tests in the first place? Sounds they're out of line here

Curious, What type of test is he wanting done that requires you to disconnect the feeders ??

Megger resistance test, and now it's sounding like we will only have to disconnect the ground and neutral from the main lugs. Breakers will be off so we don't need to remove the hot leg from the main lug, they can read through to the bus and get a clean reading as long as the breakers are off. No one involved has ever had to deal with independent commercial testing of residential single phase panels.

 

[desk sparky]

If these are main lug panels why not just remove the lug iself, leaving the conductor terminated?

And what's their authority to require the tests in the first place? Sounds they're out of line here.

Single phase testing wasn't in the contract spec, so I suspect the university will be paying for this as an extra or they'll negotiate with the GC. Still a major pain in the butt as we're trying to finish on time.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Single phase testing wasn't in the contract spec, so I suspect the university will be paying for this as an extra or they'll negotiate with the GC. Still a major pain in the butt as we're trying to finish on time.

I would make sure (in writing) I’m getting paid for it before I did it.