Aluminum conduit in corrosive environment

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rjv0858

Member
Location
Erie pa
Occupation
Journeyman electrician
I understand in the code book under pool feeders it says no aluminum conduit allowed , can anyone please explain why this is? Is it only for feeder circuits not branch circuits?
 
augie47

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
IMO, that would be a corrosive area. If so:
(B) Wiring Methods. Wiring methods in the areas described in 680.14(A) shall be listed and identified for use in such areas. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid poly vinyl chloride conduit, and reinforced thermosetting resin conduit shall be considered to be resistant to the corrosive environment specified in 680.14(A).
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
augie47 said:
IMO, that would be a corrosive area. If so:
(B) Wiring Methods. Wiring methods in the areas described in 680.14(A) shall be listed and identified for use in such areas. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid poly vinyl chloride conduit, and reinforced thermosetting resin conduit shall be considered to be resistant to the corrosive environment specified in 680.14(A).
Click to expand...
Rigid metal conduit includes rigid aluminum conduit, so you have to look to 344.10(A)(3).
 
R

Rjv0858

Member
Location
Erie pa
Occupation
Journeyman electrician
augie47 said:
IMO, that would be a corrosive area. If so:
(B) Wiring Methods. Wiring methods in the areas described in 680.14(A) shall be listed and identified for use in such areas. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid poly vinyl chloride conduit, and reinforced thermosetting resin conduit shall be considered to be resistant to the corrosive environment specified in 680.14(A).
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree with you, I wonder if that means that list is the only kind of conduit that can be used.
don_resqcapt19 said:
Rigid metal conduit includes rigid aluminum conduit, so you have to look to 344.10(A)(3).
Click to expand...
380.25 (b) clearly states no aluminum conduit in the poop are subject to corrosion?
 
R

Rjv0858

Member
Location
Erie pa
Occupation
Journeyman electrician
Rjv0858 said:
I absolutely agree with you, I wonder if that means that list is the only kind of conduit that can be used.

380.25 (b) clearly states no aluminum conduit in the poop are subject to corrosion?
Click to expand...
**** Pool area lol
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Rjv0858 said:
I absolutely agree with you, I wonder if that means that list is the only kind of conduit that can be used.

380.25 (b) clearly states no aluminum conduit in the poop are subject to corrosion?
Click to expand...
Simply pointing out that "rigid conduit" includes more than the typical galvanized steel conduit.

Also the rule you are citing only applies to conduit that contains feeder conductors.
 
R

Rjv0858

Member
Location
Erie pa
Occupation
Journeyman electrician
Ok great so if you read my original question that is what I was asking , but knowing that aluminum is not allowed for feeder circuits due to pool chemicals being corrosive to aluminum. Why would it be allowed for branch circuits??
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Rjv0858 said:
Ok great so if you read my original question that is what I was asking , but knowing that aluminum is not allowed for feeder circuits due to pool chemicals being corrosive to aluminum. Why would it be allowed for branch circuits??
Click to expand...
Its not, but based in the rules in 344 and not directly on those in 680.
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
see 344.20(A)(3) in the 2017 code.
The 2023 code will more directly address this issue.
680.14(A) Wiring Methods.
Wiring methods shall be suitable for use in corrosive environments. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit, reinforced thermosetting resin conduit, and liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit shall be considered suitable for use. Aluminum conduit and tubing shall not be permitted.
Click to expand...
 
L

LD498

Member
Location
Toronto
Occupation
Nil
Aluminum conduit is not permitted in the pool area because it is prone to corrosion. Aluminum conductors are not commonly used for smaller branch circuits up to about 30 amps, but they are commonly used for services, branch circuits, and feeders. The electricians always said that copper was the only option for pool pump wire material. Copper has lower resistance than aluminum, which is the other common wire material. The low resistance of copper reduces voltage drop. The more horsepower a motor has, the more electricity it requires.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
petersonra

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
LD498 said:
Aluminum conduit is not permitted in the pool area because it is prone to corrosion. Aluminum conductors are not commonly used for smaller branch circuits up to about 30 amps, but they are commonly used for services, branch circuits, and feeders. The electricians always said that copper was the only option for pool pump wire material. Copper has lower resistance than aluminum, which is the other common wire material. The low resistance of copper reduces voltage drop. The more horsepower a motor has, the more electricity it requires.
Click to expand...
you usually end up having to use a larger size wire if it is AL so the voltage drop ends up being similar.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top