<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">HI Wrenches:<br> My crew wants to nail all the flashings on our footings, but I am resisting. Do you guys have any strong feelings about that.<br><div> </div>Nick Soleil<br>Project Manager<br>Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC<br>PO Box 657<br>Petaluma, CA 94953<br>Cell: 707-321-2937<br>Office: 707-789-9537<br>Fax: 707-769-9037<div><br></div><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Bob-O Schultze <bob-o@electronconnection.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org><br><b><span style="font-weight:
bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tue, July 27, 2010 7:04:36 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [RE-wrenches] AL wire with DC<br></font><br>
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.<br>Bob-O<br><br>On Jul 27, 2010, at 4:06 AM, Richard L Ratico wrote:<br><br>The insulation on Al cable rated for direct burial is thick and tough. But,<br>DON'T direct bury it. Carefully pull it into correctly installed PVC conduit.<br>Use marker tape above the conduit, just below grade.<br><br>If you're in an area that doesn't experience ground frost, MAYBE, VERY<br>CAREFULLY, plant the cable in a generous amount of sand. If you're in an region<br>with frost, ALWAYS use conduit. <br>I think it is false economy to skip the conduit. The sand application is
very<br>time consuming. <br><br>Buried copper wire with nicked insulation may not turn to dust, but is certainly<br>a MAJOR bummer, particularly if it's not in conduit, AND, it's at least 3X the<br>cost of Al. Al, done right, no worries.<br><br>Dick Ratico<br>Solarwind Electric <br><br>--- Drake wrote:<br>Aluminum wire got its bad name during the era when it was use in 15 <br>and 20 amp circuits, with #12 and #10 wire. That stuff is a <br>nightmare. As an electrician that has cleaned up some of the messes, <br>I can supply ample horror stories.<br><br>#2 and larger sizes of AL work fine. It is important to use <br>antioxidant on the connections. Separate copper wire from aluminum <br>using a listed splicing device.<br><br>Aluminum wire will turn to white powder in an underground cable where <br>the insulation has been breached. This is true for DC or AC.<br>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored
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