Aluminum conduit supported with steel strut straps and unistrut
- Thread starter zappy
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Probably not unless there was some other factor like they're in a corrosive environment.
yeah, it's a very corrosive environment. Do they make aluminum strut straps and aluminum unistrut?
curt swartz
Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Yes they do. If this an area that steel raceways are not suitable why would you consider using steel supporting hardware?
In normal installations steel and aluminum is mixed frequently.
It's an old installation from years ago my boss noticed it. He wants us to change the straps and the unistrut.
I guess it was mixed because maybe he ran out of aluminum straps and strut? So you're saying mixing aluminum and steel is done frequently? I can't understand why it would be done. If you running in aluminum, there's a reason.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I did one job that specified aluminum just because the engineer thought the labor would be cheaper.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
Not necessarily. Sometimes the reason is just 'that's what they had' or 'it was cheaper'. Particularly true of FMC, more than other types conduit. But with FMC aluminum is definitely mixed with steel hardware all the time.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
If it's an old installation, I'd only worry if you're already seeing corrosion.
drcampbell
Senior Member
- Location
- The Motor City, Michigan USA
- Occupation
- Registered Professional Engineer
If it's an old installation, you can see at a glance whether dissimilar-metal corrosion is a problem.
curt swartz
Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Think about die-cast aluminum fittings, aluminum hubs, steel MC fittings/straps with aluminum MC.
If the existing hardware is in good condition there is no reason to change it. If the hardware is badly corroded then a suitable replacement should be installed.
Die cast fittings are zinc.
Obviously he didn't have any field experience.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
FWIW aluminum with stainless fasteners is standard in the solar industry for array racking exposed to the elements. It even gets listed for grounding. I think someone is overreacting.
where I work is extremely corrosive in certain areas
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