Aluminum Wiring

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Keri_WW

Keri_WW

Senior Member
Anyone here do commercial design and allow the use of aluminum or aluminum alloy? I've been designing for about 5 years and all of the engineers I've been under have blindly just gone with copper. I've heard of most of the downfalls of using aluminum, but have also heard of the improvements that have been made to the connectors etc.

I would like to be a good engineer one day, and don't personally have a problem with specifying aluminum. The price is also a plus. :wink:

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keri :D:D
 
Keri_WW said:
Anyone here do commercial design and allow the use of aluminum or aluminum alloy? I've been designing for about 5 years and all of the engineers I've been under have blindly just gone with copper. I've heard of most of the downfalls of using aluminum, but have also heard of the improvements that have been made to the connectors etc.

I would like to be a good engineer one day, and don't personally have a problem with specifying aluminum. The price is also a plus. :wink:

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keri :D:D
Click to expand...

if you are going to specify that ALL terminations be done with hypress,
no exceptions, it'll work ok. it's less tolerant of poor environmental conditions,
so you'll have more problems near salt water.

i've got a commercial account that got talked into using aluminum wire instead
of copper, and to cover their tushy, the electrical engineer stipulated hypress
MUST be used...

so what does the chucklebunny electrical contractor do? regular setscrew
lugs.... and he cuts the wire so tight there isn't enough to go back and put
the correct lugs on..... the only solution is to cut the leads back, and use
hypress butt splices, and 3m cold shrink tubing... :mad:
 
Keri_WW said:
Anyone here do commercial design and allow the use of aluminum or aluminum alloy? I've been designing for about 5 years and all of the engineers I've been under have blindly just gone with copper. I've heard of most of the downfalls of using aluminum, but have also heard of the improvements that have been made to the connectors etc.

I would like to be a good engineer one day, and don't personally have a problem with specifying aluminum. The price is also a plus. :wink:

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keri :D:D
Click to expand...

I am guilty of blindly specifying copper conductors as a general rule.

BUT ....

On tighter budget projects I have been known to allow Aluminum wiring from switchgear to panels. From panels to loads, I require copper. From switchgear to motor loads, I require copper.

Two reasons:

1) The price point becomes less of an issue at smaller gages (#12, #10).

2) A lot of equipment states in their installation manuals that the are to be wired ONLY with copper conductors.

Hopes this helps ... even if it's only a smidge! :roll:
 
i use aluminum for feeders and service conductors. never had a problem with it at all. if you strip and terminate it right you will never have any problems what so ever. dont let your helper terminate it he will use a razor knife and ring the conductor and it will fail. best way to strip is to use a lineman knife or pocket knife and pencil the insulation away. theres an illustration in the electricians handbook.
 
electricalperson said:
dont let your helper terminate it he will use a razor knife and ring the conductor and it will fail. best way to strip is to use a lineman knife or pocket knife and pencil the insulation away. theres an illustration in the electricians handbook.
Click to expand...

I've never once had or seen a failure from ringing a large sized conductor with a razor knife. I don't condone the practice but if you think ringing a 600 kcmil copper with a razor knife is going to damage it, I'd have to say you are out of your mind. :cool:
 
It still depends on the circumstances. If the circuit or feeder is heavily loaded, you will have a hot spot and possible trouble in the future. Why not do the work in a workmanlike manner, not to mention following the manufacturers instructions? :smile:
 
charlie said:
It still depends on the circumstances. If the circuit or feeder is heavily loaded, you will have a hot spot and possible trouble in the future. Why not do the work in a workmanlike manner, not to mention following the manufacturers instructions? :smile:
Click to expand...

i dont think peter d and workmanline manner go together:grin::grin::wink:
 
charlie said:
Why not do the work in a workmanlike manner, not to mention following the manufacturers instructions? :smile:
Click to expand...

I already said I do not condone the practice of "ringing" a conductor with a knife to strip it, nor do I do it that way myself. But, I have worked with many people who do use that method and it's not something that causes even the slightest bit of concern for me.
 
Keri_WW said:
Anyone here do commercial design and allow the use of aluminum or aluminum alloy? I've been designing for about 5 years and all of the engineers I've been under have blindly just gone with copper. I've heard of most of the downfalls of using aluminum, but have also heard of the improvements that have been made to the connectors etc.

I would like to be a good engineer one day, and don't personally have a problem with specifying aluminum. The price is also a plus. :wink:

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keri :D:D
Click to expand...

For the small stuff....these are the only way to go...http://www.kinginnovation.com/products/alumiconn.html

AL-AL and AL-CU

Just My 2 cents......its all I got............and Welcome to the Forum!
 
Keri_WW said:
Anyone here do commercial design and allow the use of aluminum or aluminum alloy? I've been designing for about 5 years and all of the engineers I've been under have blindly just gone with copper. I've heard of most of the downfalls of using aluminum, but have also heard of the improvements that have been made to the connectors etc.

I would like to be a good engineer one day, and don't personally have a problem with specifying aluminum. The price is also a plus. :wink:

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keri :D:D
Click to expand...

I do quite a bite of commercial estimating and installs for my company and no matter what job it?s on the Secondary and Sub feeders always get VEed so you being an Engineer that would be a smart thing to start to do so we don?t need to waste time on the set of plans doing the in copper because that?s what the engineer speced and then VE ing it to what?s actually done
 
peter d said:
I already said I do not condone the practice of "ringing" a conductor with a knife to strip it, nor do I do it that way myself. But, I have worked with many people who do use that method and it's not something that causes even the slightest bit of concern for me.
Click to expand...

what happens when the conductor heats up and expands and contracts over the years? whats going to happen to those ringed aluminum conductors
 
iaov said:
If we're talking a scratch on the surface of the wire I doubt anything will happen. Now a gouge may be another matter....
Click to expand...

im talking about a gouge from someone using improperly using a knife to strip. instead of penciling the insulation they stick the sharp blade directly and ring it
 
electricalperson said:
dont let your helper terminate it he will use a razor knife and ring the conductor and it will fail. best way to strip is to use a lineman knife or pocket knife and pencil the insulation away.
Click to expand...
I use a razor knife, and I don't ring the strands.

I ring the insulation, not all the way through, then cut a slit from the ring to the tip of the wire, grab one edge of the slit with the side of my pliers, then rotate them like a sardine-can key.

The insulation peels right off without a scratch.
 
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