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I went with aluminum wiring for my basement reno and everyone told me I was crazy
When I was wiring my basement in Columbus last month, I chose aluminum over copper for the 240v run to my new shop bench. All the old timers in the local IBEW hall said I'd be dealing with loose connections in a year. But I torqued every connection to spec with a calibrated driver and used anti-ox paste on every splice. Been running a 5hp saw off it for 3 weeks now with zero issues. How many of you actually see aluminum fail when it's installed right vs just being scared of it from old mobile home jobs?
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mark494mo ago
Yo hold up. Three weeks is barely enough time to even warm up the connections. I have seen aluminum fail after a couple years when the temperature swings really get to it. The expansion and contraction cycles are what loosen those joints over time, not just the initial install. You used anti-ox paste and a torque driver which is good, but that doesn't stop the metal itself from moving around inside the lug. I'm not saying it WILL fail for sure, but three weeks of running a saw doesn't prove anything yet. I would keep a close eye on those connections every six months and check for any heat discoloration around the breaker or splice points.
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david_fisher374mo ago
Same here. Ran aluminum for my 220v garage line five years ago and it's still solid. Used the right torque and anti-ox compound like you said. People just repeat what they heard from some hack who didn't bother to follow the instructions.
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