I’ve inspected three new build homes now in the same neighborhood in Colorado and the 30 amp dryer circuit is aluminum solid strand wiring…everything else in the panel is copper. Thoughts???
AC/ and furnace wiring can be aluminum strand as well. It’s the type of breaker and current load that make it acceptable. Solid Aluminum branch circuits and the connections in outlets and switches are what is of some concern, generally speaking. Most service wires are aluminum so they aren’t inherantly dangerous by virtue of their being aluminum. It’s the connections that generally fail.
What company is making this cable?
I have seen it about 5 or 6 times this year alone and I still can’t see the company name as cable sheathing is always behind a wall.
I did see one that I thought was solid but a closer look reveled it was stranded ( you really had to look close ).
You will not find any manufacturer making solid strand AL conductors even if the NEC still would permit it per 310.106(B).
310.106(B) Conductor Material. Conductors in this article shall
be of aluminum, copper-clad aluminum, or copper unless
otherwise specified.
Solid aluminum conductors 8, 10, and 12 AWG shall be
made of an AA-8000 series electrical grade aluminum alloy
conductor material. Stranded aluminum conductors 8 AWG
through 1000 kcmil marked as Type RHH, RHW, XHHW,
THW, THHW, THWN, THHN, service-entrance Type SE
Style U and SE Style R shall be made of an AA-8000 series
electrical grade aluminum alloy conductor material.
Yup that’s why I’m curious.
Looks like solid to me. Could be from China.
Ummm…because of misleading articles written by folks who know nothing about AL conductors…is my guess;-)
Nope…and what is the concern regarding it?
I will take that back…lol…yes it is a single strand…
I don’t know you tell me.
I thought that they didn’t make this. I see it used for kitchen ranges
My state says I need to inform of it (single strand) in the report.
So is there or is there not a concern and if so what should we be putting in the report?
I am all ears and here to learn from you.
1st - I can only tell you that Encore Wire does not make it. However, as I have stated the NEC permits it to be made. Who makes it I am unsure but even if they did I have no concern over it if terminated properly.
2nd - I can’t control what your state requires you to do. As a NEMA Rep I witnessed many things states required individuals to do in terms of codes that had no basis or foundation of correctness. However, I am not saying you don’t need to report it…just that it is not an issue if it is AA 8000 alloy.
3rd - I would simply report what your state requires and leave it at that. Adding useless verbiage to a report other than to denote what it requires is speculation without basis. Please do report it if your state requires it, my effort is to educate on it regardless of the states wishes as I am not bound by the state and education has no bounds.
4th - You have been learned…lol…refer to statements 1-3 above.:twisted:
Actually all joking aside - Many of the states have divisions for home inspection licensing and they lack the actual skills and knowledge to know right from wrong anyway in terms of electrical issues. It happens to be my belief that the report of single strand AL wiring is more of a legacy issue from the unknown dating back to the early 70’s than a pure understanding of the alloy we use today…even the nationally adopted (usually) minimum code standard for new construction permits solid AL wiring as I have stated in an earlier post…if it’s good for the minimum standard…then it compliant.
Just sayin fella
Kinda everything you wrote is what I was thinking.
My problem is it the proper wire you mentioned, it’s always behind a wall cover so I can’t see the outer sheathing to see who made it. There hasn’t been a company sticker on the panel to call either.
Anyway thanks for the input Paul.
Well I would not be concerned about the manufacturer to be honest with you since the NEC still permits the manufacturing of such a beast…and to be honest with you if we decided to make it tomorrow for say GEC’s or as bonding jumpers we could…but it won’t happen…everyone loves Copper;)
I would focus on the age of the dwelling and determine the proper connections with properly listed lugs. Since I really do not keep up with the OTHER guys it is entirely possible…but since that looks so bright it could possibly be tinned copper as that is making a surge…again not something we make as we do not like tinning things…
Now if you did find 6 AWG or larger solid AL then you would have an issue…because of 310.106(B)
Thanks Paul
The homes I have been seeing it in are 10 yrs old or newer.