01-23-2014, 06:45 PM
aluminum wire - in my understanding is still approved - just not for new construction inside walls. Good and accepted practice is to terminate the aluminum wire with a copper wire using a copper crimp....
Also true of the aluminum lead in wire - usually #4 or #6 triplex that feeds the 100 amp service - copper in this application is over the top pricey. The aluminum needs to be secured to copper mechanically at the termination as well before attaching it to the lugs in the service panel.
If it vibrates one needs to use stranded not solid wire - all good basic common sense solutions...
by conforming to code - we are able to rectify mistakes - not perfect - but at least its some type of tracking system when accepted designs and specs go wrong
ever hear about the bogus (not approved but marked as grade 8) chinese fasteners that went into steel high rise frames ..... it was years to resolve that one...
Also true of the aluminum lead in wire - usually #4 or #6 triplex that feeds the 100 amp service - copper in this application is over the top pricey. The aluminum needs to be secured to copper mechanically at the termination as well before attaching it to the lugs in the service panel.
If it vibrates one needs to use stranded not solid wire - all good basic common sense solutions...
by conforming to code - we are able to rectify mistakes - not perfect - but at least its some type of tracking system when accepted designs and specs go wrong
ever hear about the bogus (not approved but marked as grade 8) chinese fasteners that went into steel high rise frames ..... it was years to resolve that one...