There is NO ISSUE with aluminum when properly installed. The utility companies use it extensively, your house is more than likely fed with Aluminum.The general consensus I glean from reading the discussions is for copper, a better conductor with less expansion, corrosion, oxidation issues vs. aluminum.
What do you think?
I'm surprised by how much the difference in cost of aluminum vs copper. At Wire and Cable To Go website, 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 Nortre Dame URD aluminum cable is $1.72/ft; at 90 feet, that's $154.80. Contrast that to #1 XHHW copper at $1.58/ft; at 90 feet x 3 conductors, that's $426.6. Almost 3X the cost and not accounting for a bare copper #4 wire for ground!
The general consensus I glean from reading the discussions is for copper, a better conductor with less expansion, corrosion, oxidation issues vs. aluminum.
What do you think?
Assembling the conduit with the wire in place is a code violation. Assemble it all and pull in the wire. Reason, glue can eat the insulation.Thank you everyone. I plan to use 1 1/4 pvc for the copper OR 1 1/2 for the aluminum. Because of the 4 90-degree turns, I plan to put the wires into the conduit sections, dry fit all of them, and then glue up with the wires already inside.
I did this once with a run of ~150' of Romex 12-2 (+ground) for a backyard GCFI circuit/outlet. I worked out well.
I am leaning copper on this job, though more expensive. Smaller wires, less obtrusive conduit, etc. Maybe I am crazy. No?
You are generating a lot of extra work for yourself. Use 2 inch with long radius 90's, not the short radius ones found at the big boxes. It will cost a bit more, but save you a lot of sweat and trouble.Thank you everyone. I plan to use 1 1/4 pvc for the copper OR 1 1/2 for the aluminum.
Ah! I've wondered about this for a while. Thanks for letting me know. There goes my plan to make it a bit easier.Assembling the conduit with the wire in place is a code violation. Assemble it all and pull in the wire. Reason, glue can eat the insulation.
Oso954, I presume you are referring to the "long radius" 90-degree elbows like this one at the local orange box? They are long and large.You are generating a lot of extra work for yourself. Use 2 inch with long radius 90's, not the short radius ones found at the big boxes. It will cost a bit more, but save you a lot of sweat and trouble.
It is not easier, it would be a royal PIAAh! I've wondered about this for a while. Thanks for letting me know. There goes my plan to make it a bit easier.
Fish tape to pull in a rope, plenty of wire ease and properly laid out conductors that are not twisted.What do you recommend to use as a pull rope? I think metal fish tape isn't prefered by some of the electricians on this board.
What do you recommend to use as a pull rope? I think metal fish tape isn't prefered by some of the electricians on this board.
A lot of us don't like direct bury. With conduit, if you have a problem you can replace it without a shovel. Or if you decide you need more capacity, pull in bigger.too bad teck or acwu is not popular in US, it would be a lot easier, that armored cable can directly buried
