Aluminum wire for connecting machines

[Geof]

Any reason to not use aluminum wire for the incoming line to the machine? Correctly installed with the goop the electricians put on the connection of course.

I am moving 26 machines to a new location and the cost saving using aluminum instead of copper for the new wiring is a reasonable sum of money.

[sdjdave]

Use of the goop keeps the aluminum wiring from oxidizing and creating a high resistance connection. The problem with using aluminum wire for equipment with a high current draw is that it still gets warm, expands, deforms slightly due to its' plasticity at elevated temperature, then keeps that shape when it cools. It is now ever so slightly looser a connection than before. Over time, the connection gets looser and looser and eventually becomes a high resistance connection, and a fire hazard. If you must use aluminum wire to connect your machines, protect yourself by re-tightening all connections on a regular basis, and get someone in to do an IR scan of your connections to make sure none of them are running at a higher temperature than they should, because a connection running at an elevated temperature won't be visible until it starts to burn the insulation off the wire.

[Matt@RFR]

My VF-2ss is hooked up with aluminum wire and has been just fine since '07. I don't use mine as much as you use your machines, but the connections have never loosened up at all. I check them roughly once every 6 months.

[Delw]

alum will work fine for a smaller haas they run 5 ton a/c units all the time in AZ on them and they run on and off for ever.
we had 2 hardinge ahc'c and a omniturn running in our garage with alum wire back in 92 ( not because it was cheap but thats teh way the garage was wired)they ran bar feed work and anyone that knows hardinge ahcs know they draw tons of power. so I would say you would be fine. and the goop is needed.
only thing with alum is get into the habit of check tighness alot during the 1st 3 months then every 6months- a year after that.

[cadman@teluspla]

The savings will be great but will it be to code?
What about your insurance?

[Geof]

....protect yourself by re-tightening all connections on a regular basis,...

...I check them roughly once every 6 months...

...check tighness alot during the 1st 3 months then every 6months- a year after that...

Everybody seems to be singing the same tune; which is a deal killer.

When I do the calculation to amortize the initial saving over the nuisance value of having to get into the back of the machines on a regular basis over the years it is not worth it.

[Machineit]

You might look at the copper as an investment! It will probably be worth much more in the future.

[mactec54]

Geof

Could you not take most/some of the wire from your old shop & reuse it were you can

[Geof]

Geof

Could you not take most/some of the wire from your old shop & reuse it were you can

We will but not much will be useful. In the old shop the transformer and distribution panel were about in the middle of the machines. In the new shop they are on a wall at one end so most of the wire runs are a lot longer. The transformer is also mounted high up so we get back all the floor space that used to be lost to the clearance code requires in front of the panel. It is a case of gain some lose some; we gain floor space at the cost of new wiring.

[Delw]

Geof
My experance with the alum wire is in a/c on residential and in 120 degree heat that goes down to 30 degrees in the winter time. in a shop it may not work the same as a wont fluctuate 70º
the only place I had to check/tighten the wire is 90% at the main fuse box thats outside on the east and west walls.

hope that helps
Delw

[Al_The_Man]

I am not a particular lover of aluminum wiring, you are supposed to clean any trace of (invisible) oxide off before applying the inhibitor, also you should only be using aluminum or aluminum/copper compatible connection points.
If yours are copper only rated, you may have problems.
Al.

[Geof]

....If yours are copper only rated, you may have problems.
Al.

I won't have problems, I am going to be conservative and go with copper. The cost difference is only four 'latte factors'. A latte factor is my annual expense at Starbucks buying lattes, steamed milks, chai teas, what-have-you for me and others.