AL vs CU cost analysis

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mstrlucky74

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NJ
Anyone ever do an analysis of the % diff between the two material and labor when substituting for a particular amperage....obviously have to upsize for AL?
 
Sorry should've been more clear. Scenario I'm referring to is when you have EMT and thhn copper conductors and want to switch to aluminum conductors. I often see a lot of value engineering requests for this.
 
I think that much of the potential savings depends on how high your labor rate is. Factoring in more or larger conduits, larger or more sets of conductors on parallel runs and more terminations can diminish your savings if you have very expensive labor rates.
 
Something I have noticed is that parallel 1/ 0 is about the cheapest ampacity you can get with the side benefit of being easier to work with as opposed to using a single larger cable.
 
The application conditions do have some impact.

If you were making a 1000 foot run underground in PVC - the need to increase the raceway a size probably doesn't impact labor as much as needing to increase GRC a size that is being installed 30'+ high in a high bay building, especially once you start to go beyond 2 inch trade size.
 
infinity said:
I think that much of the potential savings depends on how high your labor rate is. Factoring in more or larger conduits, larger or more sets of conductors on parallel runs and more terminations can diminish your savings if you have very expensive labor rates.
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Good point.
 
mstrlucky74 said:
Sorry should've been more clear. Scenario I'm referring to is when you have EMT and thhn copper conductors and want to switch to aluminum conductors. I often see a lot of value engineering requests for this.
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I only give back the savings of materials on these if it's my voluntary alternate.

If it is requested, I will look at the labor, and maybe offer some of the savings back
 
infinity said:
Do they use much aluminum in the UK?
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Aluminium but let that pass..................:p
The answer is no. For control panel wiring, VFDs, installations, etc. I can't say it is never used but I don't recall any instances of it.

The only places I've seen Al conductors used was the bus bars on high current rectifiers. I mean suites of 10kA and upwards.
And on extruded heat sinks for power semiconductors.
 
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