Aluminum feeder cables alloys?

[jjhoward]

Are present day 200 amp & 100 amp SEU type cables an alluminum alloy? Does anyone know when those cables weren't produced with an aluminum alloy? There is a 10 story condo unit in FL that has Federal Pacific panels being swapped out of all the units (a good thing). But resdients are urging the prop. owners associtaion to replace the Aluminum feeds from the meter stacks to each panel with copper feeders. They had meg-ohm testing done on the feeders, they all tested just fine.
But I think if these folks knew those feeds are alloy cables not pure alluminum might relieve some of there angst. These units were installed ~45 yrs ago.
Any ideas when those 100 amp SEU cables were produced as an alloy or where they always an alloy??
Thank you for the history lesson.
Cheers;
Joe Howard

 

[retirede]

I thought all aluminum wire was some kind of alloy?

 

[electrofelon]

Found this:

Aluminum conductors consist of different alloys known as the AA-1350 series and
AA-8000 series. AA-1350 has a minimum aluminum content of 99.5 percent. In
the 1960s and 1970s, due to the high price of copper relative to aluminum, this
grade of aluminum began to be popularly used for household wiring. Due to low-
quality workmanship at connections and the physical differences between aluminum
and copper, high-resistance connections formed and became a fire hazard.
As a response, aluminum alloys were developed to have creep and elongation
properties more similar to copper. These AA-8000 series alloys are the only solid
or stranded aluminum conductors permitted to be used according to Article 310
of the 2014 National Electric Code*
. AA-8000 series alloys meet the requirements
of ASTM B800, Standard Specification for 8000 Series Aluminum Alloy Wire for
Electrical Purposes–Annealed and Intermediate Tempers.

 

[mbednarik]

Current code requires aluminum to be made with AA-8000 alloy, 310.3. It's been that alloy since 1972 according to the IAEI article, https://iaeimagazine.org/2015/novem... have required the,as being published in 1972).

 

[LarryFine]

Aluminum feeders have not had the problems associated with aluminum branch-circuit conductors.

 

[mtnelect]

From my prospective this aluminum problem started with HUD, when they required the use of aluminum wiring in residential low-cost federal housing. In order for local communities to qualify for federal subsidies.

 

[jjhoward]

Thank you gentlemen, a great brain trust here!! (As always)

 

[kwired]

From my prospective this aluminum problem started with HUD, when they required the use of aluminum wiring in residential low-cost federal housing. In order for local communities to qualify for federal subsidies.

Plus this started before the AA8000 alloy was what was being used. There might not have been as many problems if it were AA8000 alloy being used, though I think there is still more potential issues with a 12 or 10 AWG solid conductor wrapped around a screw termination than there is with a larger stranded conductor in a compression type connector with either alloy.

 

[kwired]

Are present day 200 amp & 100 amp SEU type cables an alluminum alloy? Does anyone know when those cables weren't produced with an aluminum alloy? There is a 10 story condo unit in FL that has Federal Pacific panels being swapped out of all the units (a good thing). But resdients are urging the prop. owners associtaion to replace the Aluminum feeds from the meter stacks to each panel with copper feeders. They had meg-ohm testing done on the feeders, they all tested just fine.
But I think if these folks knew those feeds are alloy cables not pure alluminum might relieve some of there angst. These units were installed ~45 yrs ago.
Any ideas when those 100 amp SEU cables were produced as an alloy or where they always an alloy??
Thank you for the history lesson.
Cheers;
Joe Howard

SE cables are available in both aluminum and copper. FPE panels were still being sold when the AA8000 series aluminum conductors became a thing so you really need to check out the cable that was used to determine which alloy you have there. Date alone might not be good enough, there probably was a time when both were available for purchase. I know for things like USE conductors there still was some not so long ago that were not necessarily AA8000 series, but that probably was more limited time until it was all AA8000 for SE cable.