stan wrote:
On Mar 5, 4:35 am, The Daring Dufas
wrote:
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 3/4/2009 10:36 PM The Daring Dufas spake thus:
A lot of the big wire I've run has been aluminum.
The city electrical code around here prohibits any
aluminum conductors smaller than #2 in house wiring.
All the drops from the power company are aluminum
and there are few problems with properly installed
wiring of that type. The stuff I've seen burn up
was because of the wrong type of connectors, devices
and lack of anti-oxidation compound. Ignorance kills.
I'd never use aluminum in my own work. Not that there's anything
intrinsically wrong with it, as you describe; just that I'm not
experienced enough with it not to worry about problems.
Hasn't the cost of copper dropped over the last few months (along with
oil)? According to Bloomberg, it's selling for about $168 a pound
(copper futures:http://bloomberg.com/markets/commodities/cfutures.html).
The price for a number of items manufactured with copper
hasn't dropped yet. Last week, I replaced a 90 volt DC drive
motor for a good customer and because of the high price, I
told him where to get it so I wouldn't have to mark it up.
A few years ago, the same motor cost around $300.00 and this
newest one was more than $500.00. Even with the lower cost
of things, nobody's spending any money. Perhaps if BeeHO would
shut up, the market would quit dropping and the economy would
perk up. We need some work! Money stimulates my package.
*snicker*

TDD- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

'Braided' wires ????????
Maybe that means flexible wire with a number of smaller strands making
up the total cross section of the conductor?

For example a 'solid' 18 AWG low voltage wire has one conductor, a
'stranded' 18 AWG might have say six or 10 smaller conductors.

And if they are tin-plated they might 'look' like aluminum wire.
Plated wire is often used for more corrosive situations such as marine
environment/boats.

OTOH they 'might' be aluminum? If so interesting for small gauge
wiring.

Al house wiring fell into disrepute back in the 1970s after various
problems with it, including fires. It had been used also in mobile/
portable homes where seemingly vibration and loosening of connections
became more of a problem than with fixed residential.

Another problem was (and is) that the average do it your selfer buying
a replacement outlet or switch 'at the store' may not appreciate that
replacements for aluminum wired installations must be compatible.
After a while the softer than copper Al wire crushes a little, a loose
connections occurs and then failure and?or heat then possibly fire.

I've done a lot of repairs and retrofits to homes
that were originally wired with aluminum Romex and
it can be a real chore. Instead of replacing all of
the wiring devices with cu/al types I've been using
the special connectors and copper pigtails. This
approach seems to work out better. My favorite wire
to work with when building electronic gizmos in my
mad scientist lab, is the mil spec Teflon insulated
silver plated stranded wire. It solders so easily
but I can only afford it if I can find it surplus
or at a Hamfest.

TDD