Braided electrical

What is an electrical distribution wire to a breaker that would be either black or brown and is BRAIDED fabric?

It looks like old cloth covered wire. The sheathing surrounding the conductors can be brittle and may crumble away, if the wiring is moved around much, and could lead to a short.

Hard to tell, but it could also be aluminum wire

Common in older homes.

http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/recogniz.htm

http://www.alwirerepair.com/examples_of_aluminum_wiring.htm

It’s not aluminum, it’s tinned-copper - cloth covered, tinned-copper.

It could never be aluminum. Copper or tinned copper only, aluminum wasn’t used until the late 60’s.

My previous post #5 http://www.nachi.org/forum/f11/braided-electrical-39862/#post517392 will help people identify and recognize aluminum wiring, if desired.