Benifits of using aluminum over copper and vice-versa?

[peter d]

The utility company will bring the service in AL.
The lugs in the service equipment are AL.
The buss in the service equipment is AL.

Why use copper for the short piece between the AL utility and the AL service equipment.
What about this makes CU better on a service?

Uh oh...there's that darned common sense again. :grin:

 

[quogueelectric]

I don't know. I saw a service entrance done the other week by another contractor, and there was a set of 500's or 600's hanging from the weatherhead that touched the ground. I hope, for the sake of that company, that these were just scraps someone was using up, rather than someone having bought big copper 20 feet too long.

That was intentional for xformer jumpers of course.:wink::smile:

 

[jrannis]

I used to use only copper for service entrances but discussions with members of this forum changed my opinion. In particular for residential. I use AL almost exclusively now. Much cheaper and seems to work just fine.

I agree. Aluminum is better for large feeders and Copper is best for scrap!