Tpt life Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 This is funny, because dollars for donuts aluminum spans from the transformer to the panel from the service company's end. The meter socket itself is also aluminum. The meter base is aluminum. The municipalities that forbid the stuff simply do not trust the homeowner to hire competent help since failure to take steps to prevent oxidation can be catastrophic. I am not necessarily countering any viewpoint expressed here. Just pointing out some irony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 Not here in good ole Chicagoland. Even here in my smallish suburb it's absolutely no aluminum. Only copper allowed and everything in conduit. Makes me jealous of people able to bury PVC and full that feeder cable. Lucky bastards. I ran pvc underground to a sub panel in an out building from my house. It scared me a bit, as much digging as I've done in the past, so I put another 1 1/4" pvc on top of it and filled it with scrap 1/2" sch. 40 pipe from my company, so I'll hit it before the bad stuff, just in case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 ==>This is funny, because dollars for donuts aluminum spans from the transformer to the panel from the service company's end. This would explain while during hurricane sandy, transformers were blowing up left and right. The electric company is CHEAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 Or that everyone's electrical draw went through the roof as their service grounded directly in the flood??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 Like some others have mentioned, I don't think you actually need the 100amps, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything to go big. Since you asked about a source for cable, I used wireandcabletogo.com to get the wiring for my new subpanel. By far the best price I found and the shipping was quick. Quality seemed fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 +1 on probably not needing more amps, just more breaker slots. As for the aluminum parts used in substation buss work, or even the meter base and panel in your house, that stuff is generally made from hot rolled bar stock, not soft drawn wire. Trust me, aluminum wire does break much more easily that copper (seen it), it does have higher resistance than copper (measured it), and subsequently will generate more heat than copper when carrying the same current load (observed it in action). As mentioned above, it requires extra steps in termination to avoid excess oxidation of the joint. Chicago, and many other municipalities, don't like it because it IS a greater fire risk than copper. Ask your insurance agent what he/she thinks about it. IMHO, the cost savings isn't worth it in the long run. Go copper if you possibly can. No, I don't own any stock in any producer or distributor of copper wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I agree with these guys, and will never worry about aluminum for SE, or even USE. http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=65620 I never have, and never will use it for any branch circuit. I doubt I will ever do any electrical work where anything different is required anyway. Maybe I could special order a panel with something other than aluminum lugs around here, but I've never seen one. Our inspector carries a torque wrench and always checks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 ==>There's nothing in the world wrong with using aluminum wire for service entrance cable. Absolutely -- as long as the municipality, utility and inspector allow it... ... and in parts of the US, they don't... Code compliance and inspector whims are just two reasons hiring a pro for service pulls and setting sub-panels can pay off in the long run... the house I'm sitting in ran out if escrow when I was buying it because it had aluminum wiring. Talk about a surprise $15k jump to closing costs. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted February 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 the house I'm sitting in ran out if escrow when I was buying it because it had aluminum wiring. Talk about a surprise $15k jump to closing costs. . Ouch. I'd definitely go copper on the 100 amp if I do upgrade. This weekend I'm gonna turn on everything and see what kind of amp draw I get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 ==>ran out if escrow when I was buying it because it had aluminum wiring Not sure I understand this? Did the AL wiring itself cause a delay in inspection results so the escrow account was exhausted? Or was it a matter of work done without permit and required a seperate inspection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 My home loan is guaranteed by the VA, as such they get to place some conditions when buying 1 condition be that all aluminum wiring not properly retro fitted hasta be properly retrofitted to copper by close of escrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 My home loan is guaranteed by the VA, as such they get to place some conditions when buying 1 condition be that all aluminum wiring not properly retro fitted hasta be properly retrofitted to copper by close of escrow Many banks do this. I buy old houses tear them down and flip the lot. With aluminum I have to have the demo permit and sign documents stating the house will be demolished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 ==>With aluminum I have to have the demo permit and sign documents stating the house will be demolished What's the grandfather percent? 20%, 30%, ?? The one I hit was pre-war fuse-box -- At the time, it was 30% renovation before the service had to be upgraded... Probably different today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 ==>With aluminum I have to have the demo permit and sign documents stating the house will be demolished What's the grandfather percent? 20%, 30%, ?? The one I hit was pre-war fuse-box -- At the time, it was 30% renovation before the service had to be upgraded... Probably different today... I have no idea. Never flipped a whole house, i just do the dirt. Hard money is much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Rahberg Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 When I did my garage sub panel 100 amp and also a couple basements with 125 amp sub panels. I just used SER 2-2-2-4 that you can get from lowes for $1.75 plf. It has worked absolutely fine and is aluminum. Copper isn't necessary and is very expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 You're exactly right Adam, but a lot of people can't separate the difference between pre 1973 branch wiring, and today's Service Entrance Cable. I would never use it for branch wiring (no one does any more) but do every time for SEC. edited to add: I called Electrical Equipment Company, in South Hill, Va. to price direct burial 2-2-2-4, that I linked a picture to earlier, to get a price per foot. Their highest price level, for small quantities today is $1.20 per foot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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