[RE-wrenches] AL wire with DC

Bob-O Schultze bob-o at electronconnection.com
Tue Jul 27 07:04:36 PDT 2010


Agreed with Dick on this one. First, if you are going the DB route, then you have to get it down at least  24" instead of 18". No problem some places, a HUGE problem others. Then there are the burrowing critters like ground squirrels which love to chew on anything. I have heard that there is something put into the insulation which makes it distasteful, but I sure don't believe it- if true.
Bob-O

On Jul 27, 2010, at 4:06 AM, Richard L Ratico wrote:

The insulation on Al cable rated for direct burial is thick and tough. But,
DON'T direct bury it. Carefully pull it into correctly installed PVC conduit.
Use marker tape above the conduit, just below grade.

If you're in an area that doesn't experience ground frost, MAYBE, VERY
CAREFULLY, plant the cable in a generous amount of sand. If you're in an region
with frost, ALWAYS use conduit. 
I think it is false economy to skip the conduit. The sand application is very
time consuming. 

Buried copper wire with nicked insulation may not turn to dust, but is certainly
a MAJOR bummer, particularly if it's not in conduit, AND, it's at least 3X the
cost of Al. Al, done right, no worries.

Dick Ratico
Solarwind Electric 

--- Drake wrote:
Aluminum wire got its bad name during the era when it was use in 15 
and 20 amp circuits, with #12 and #10 wire.  That stuff is a 
nightmare.  As an electrician that has cleaned up some of the messes, 
I can supply ample horror stories.

#2 and larger sizes of AL work fine.  It is important to use 
antioxidant on the connections.  Separate copper wire from aluminum 
using a listed splicing device.

Aluminum wire will turn to white powder in an underground cable where 
the insulation has been breached.  This is true for DC or AC.


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