Elevator Feeder

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cdcengineer

cdcengineer

Senior Member
Has anyone ever heard that elevator feeders must be run in copper? Both I and a local contractor think we've heard this. I see no requirement per NEC nor is it located within elevator code. Thoughts anyone?

I have a call into the state elevator inspector, but haven't heard any response yet.

Thx
 
I don't know of any code requirement for elevator feeders to be copper. The code does require that the traveling cables be copper.
 
I can't find anything in code either, but I feel like I've been told this by an inspector years ago.

Thx for the response.
 
Manufacturer Requirement

Manufacturer Requirement

Not for elevator feeders but for a chiller, the manufacturer stated that conductors are to be copper. Using aluminum will violate the manufacturer installation requirements and is thus a code violation.
 
I get confused easily sometimes so: How does the load (elevator or chiller ) know what

type of wire is being used to supply the equipment ? What detriminal effect will aluminum

have on the equipment ?
 
Wire Choice

Wire Choice

The load does not care what material te wire is made from, as long as it received the required voltage and the temperature of the terminals is acceptable. However, manufacturers can place installation requirements that defy logic. The NEC requires that equipment be installed per manufacturer's requirements and standards. If the manufacturer says "copper" then you must land copper.

Of course, you can run aluminum to an enclosure and splice it down to copper to land in the equipment. That is totally NEC compliant.
 
The last elevator disconnect I saw required a CU feeder by the manufacturer. That's the only way I see for someone to require the CU conductors.
 
In the very limited experience I have with elevators, I have seen that the TRAVELLER cables must be copper (as david luchini said). These are the cables that hang down off of the car itself and raise and lower along with it. I was told it's because they have to be extra flexible, something you cannot get with Al cables. Could be that people have over-interpreted that issue just to be safe.
 
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