Aluminum wiring

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

I am doing an insurance inspection for an apartment complex and the property manager tells me that aluminum wiring comes into all the units but copper wire is run from the breaker box to all the outlets and switches in the units. Is this acceptable?

Thanks in advance

2

I will assume you are speaking of the “FEEDERS” that extend to each individual apartment. If this is the case ( which I am sure it is ) then nothing is wrong with using AL conductors as feeders. We still do this today…

What you want to verify is the SIZE of those feeders in association to the panels they are feeding and the OCPD protecting those feeders, Ensure their is no case to neutral connections beyond the service disconnect and you should be fine.

3

What type of aluminum wiring is it solid or stranded. Usualy the only problem is solid aluminum wire on branch circuits. Are the breaker boxes that you say: sub panels and is there a main panel with a shut off somewhere else?

4

I am not sure if it is solid or stranded. There is one main panel per unit with the shut off at each panel.

5

Hi William,

I suggest that you take all of the courses on the link below before you perform anymore inspections.

http://www.nachi.org/education.htm

I don’t want to stop you from asking anymore questions, but the question you asked in this thread is basic knowledge that ever inspector should know before going into the field to sell their services.

6

I echo that also. I cringed when I read the word “shutofff”.

7

Nice response Greg

8

According to his web site he took and passed the NACHI electrical course

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