aluminum wire

[domnic]

What sections of the code address uses of ALUMINUM wire?

 

[480sparky]

What sections of the code address uses of ALUMINUM wire?

All of them.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

What sections of the code address uses of ALUMINUM wire?

What specifically are you looking for... There is T 310.16

 

[domnic]

Aluminum wire

Aluminum wire

Is there any were in the NEC THAT PROHIBITS the use of aluminum wire?

 

[cpal]

why do you ask??

Service
feeder
or branch circuit??

Inspector

Engineer
or
power company??

more info please!!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Is there any were in the NEC THAT PROHIBITS the use of aluminum wire?

Article 680 for one. There are a few places in the NEC that require copper. Is there a particular question

 

[LarryFine]

Within 18" of earth for made electrodes, too.

 

[domnic]

Aluminum wire

Aluminum wire

So i could wire my house or my office or a industrial building with aluminum wire per NEC ?

 

[480sparky]

So i could wire my house or my office or a industrial building with aluminum wire per NEC ?

Yes, as long as you install it according to 110.3(B).

But I think you'll have to pay a premium to find aluminum building wire, as well as AL-rated devices.

 

[glene77is]

So i could wire my house or my office or a industrial building with aluminum wire per NEC ?

I have a collection of Burned Aluminum Wire joints,
which I salvaged from burn jobs.

I should be honest and say that I also have one example of a burned copper repair I did. The HO was running a steady 50Amp load through some #12-2, and it eventually burned through. He thought I could just wire-nut / replace a six foot section with another peice of #12-2. LOL.

So, "WHY?" would you want to use Alum ?

 

[iwire]

So i could wire my house or my office or a industrial building with aluminum wire per NEC ?

Legally yes.

In reality probably not, I do not think anyone is making aluminum in sizes smaller than 8 AWG.

I have a collection of Burned Aluminum Wire joints, which I salvaged from burn jobs. .........

.....So, "WHY?" would you want to use Alum ?

Cost, we use a lot of it.

It is worth pointing out that the alloy used was was changed in the early 70s and likely your examples pre-date that change.

 

[domnic]

Aluminum wire

Aluminum wire

A student of mine asked me why the poco uses aluminum wire and we don't use it in our home, so we are researching aluminum wire the good and the bad. (THIS FORUM HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL) We still have a few questions.

1. When was aluminum wire introduced to the NEC?

2. Has aluminum wire ever been prohibited by the NEC?

3. Has anyone ever used COPALUM hydraulic splice kits?

4. Is the skin effect on aluminum wire the same as copper wire?

5. Is aluminum wire used in aircraft?

 

[macmikeman]

Dominic, if I am reading this right you are asking why not use aluminum nm cable? I have not seen any on the shelves at wholesale houses for years now. Question would be does anybody even make it anymore? If you had a railroad car full of the old stuff it would be no good now cause for one thing the temp rating would have to be 90 deg, which the old alum romex was not. I think the well deserved bad reputation the old alum romex got was enough to bury the idea of re-making and trying to re-push it on the market even with new and improved aluminum alloy.

 

[480sparky]

1. When was aluminum wire introduced to the NEC?

My 1911 has the ampacity of aluminum listed in Rule 18 as 84% that of copper of the same size & insulation.

 

[glene77is]

...Legally yes.
...do not think anyone is making aluminum in sizes smaller than 8 AWG.
...Cost, we use a lot of it.

...alloy used was was changed in the early 70s and likely your examples pre-date that change.

iWire,

All examples are from pre-70's construction,
just like me.