kolher & generac gen sets & ats

[donselectric]

anyone know ,can aluminum wire be used with these or does manufactures say only copper ?
thanks

 

[stevebea]

anyone know ,can aluminum wire be used with these or does manufactures say only copper ?
thanks

I installed 3 14Kw generators with ATS last week. I didn't see anything in the installation instructions prohibiting the use of aluminum.

 

[kbsparky]

I would only use copper on the connection from the gen to the ATS. Vibration, and all you know ... :blink:

But the other connections at the ATS should be able to handle Aluminum without any problems.

 

[ceb58]

I would only use copper on the connection from the gen to the ATS. Vibration, and all you know ... :blink:

But the other connections at the ATS should be able to handle Aluminum without any problems.

:?:?:? What difference is that going to make?

 

[hillbilly1]

I installed a small Kohler about a month ago, and if I remember correctly, the terminations at the generator said copper only.

 

[arnettda]

I installed a small Kohler about a month ago, and if I remember correctly, the terminations at the generator said copper only.

I am pretty sure the generic instructions said copper as well.

 

[stickboy1375]

Im almost certain they say cu as well, i usually install a jbox near the generator and change over to copper.

 

[hillbilly1]

Im almost certain they say cu as well, i usually install a jbox near the generator and change over to copper.

Thats what I did too.

 

[stickboy1375]

Thats what I did too.

I've been doing so many generators lately, I did 4 last month, 4 more this month, and de icing cables in between. It never ends...

 

[hillbilly1]

I've been doing so many generators lately, I did 4 last month, 4 more this month, and de icing cables in between. It never ends...

Yeah, I got to babysit 2-one megs and 1-1.2 megs this weekend, They are load testing them, and want somebody around in case something goes wrong. Huge call center.

 

[kwired]

Im almost certain they say cu as well, i usually install a jbox near the generator and change over to copper.

Unless you have a pretty long circuit length, does that save you any $$ after buying the J box, connectors, additional raceway fittings, and the extra time to put it all together?

 

[stickboy1375]

Unless you have a pretty long circuit length, does that save you any $$ after buying the J box, connectors, additional raceway fittings, and the extra time to put it all together?

Nothing is really extra, I run SER in the basement, enter the back of pvc jbox, run a carflex whip to the generator... if the generator is remote, I just stub my pvc up on a post, install a pvc box, run whip to generator, aluminum is much cheaper than copper in the latter method, but I'm still really not doing much extra work to change over. Besides, I'm not wasting money, its how it was bid. You have to know how your going to do the job to bid properly...

 

[kwired]

Nothing is really extra, I run SER in the basement, enter the back of pvc jbox, run a carflex whip to the generator... if the generator is remote, I just stub my pvc up on a post, install a pvc box, run whip to generator, aluminum is much cheaper than copper in the latter method, but I'm still really not doing much extra work to change over. Besides, I'm not wasting money, its how it was bid. You have to know how your going to do the job to bid properly...

Well if you are going to have the boxes and splices anyway that is different, but if they are only there for a place to change from aluminum to copper you have to consider the cost of that into the difference of copper only.

Copper up to #4 although more expensive than equivalent aluminum needed, may come up about same if just a short run and extras are needed because terminals will not accept aluminum.