Branch circuits. Residential
- Thread starter nizak
- Start date
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I used to use only copper but when the price went sky high we switched. Normally for 60 amps and under we used copper and aluminum for over 60 amps
Seven-Delta-FortyOne
Goin’ Down In Flames........
- Location
- Humboldt
- Occupation
- EC and GC
I never use AL inside. Not a principle or anything, I think it’s more just habit.
I use AL for underground service and feeders a lot.
I use AL for underground service and feeders a lot.
I’m starting to see savings of $150.00+ using Al on long range runs.
Residential pricing around here is getting more competitive.
Not looking to do lesser quality work , just looking for savings where I can.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Almost never Al inside...
Because of terminations possibly loosening over time? Or having to run larger conductors to get the amps required?
Thanks
Here you can't get home insurance to cover it, and in some areas its hard enough to get insurance as it is. Due to the insurance issues, mortgage brokers don't like it and they do the construction loans, the new home developer/builders want us to stay away from it to keep the suits happy..
if you can even insure aluminum wiring you'll pay a higher premium forever, the extra cost of copper is just one time cost. And yeah I know and yeah I tried explaining alloys and new vs old and they nod and say stick to copper 'we'll pass that along' but they could care less..boils down to insurance is a scam everything is just a number to them.
if you can even insure aluminum wiring you'll pay a higher premium forever, the extra cost of copper is just one time cost. And yeah I know and yeah I tried explaining alloys and new vs old and they nod and say stick to copper 'we'll pass that along' but they could care less..boils down to insurance is a scam everything is just a number to them.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Habit. The houses I did were not that big that Al vs Cu entered into the picture.
Wow. Those insurance Companies must have holdings in BHP and Rio Tinto..
Fair enough..
I get it with habits.
I won’t triple staple NM cables. I will use a stacker .
The insurance companies are crying broke while making record profits, its worse south of me in NJ, I have older relatives that got 'non-renewed' last week, and that will affect their mortgage.
I just read nearly 2 million home insurance contracts across the nation have non-renewed, in other words customers were just dropped. They are looking for any reason to non-renew houses.
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
- Occupation
- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
We have insurance dumping developments in disaster areas, and multi-tenant associations in non-disaster areas.
The associations are being dropped for having any older brand electrical service, including SQ-D.
Long story short, avoid associations that carry all home owner policies, since insurance wont renew after upgrades.
Insurance refuses to renew until every-single unit in the association has upgraded their electrical service, which is impossible to enforce.
Most of my clients living in associations have no insurance.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
- Occupation
- Electrician
I mostly use AL SER. Just hate larger romex for cost, low ampacity, and just like to boycott it out of principal because of all the annoying things about it (see the thread on #6 NM on 60 amp breaker).