Aluminum Building Wires
Nassau Electrical carries a wide selection of Aluminum Building Wires. Please contact us with your Aluminum Building Wire request.
Aluminum has been used by many different utility companies since the early 1900s as a way to transmit electricity. Aluminum has some advantages over copper because it is lighter, cheaper, and more flexible. Because of the rising copper price, electrical contractors are choosing aluminum building wire.
Aluminum Building wire now uses the 8000 alloy series. Building wire alloys are used for connection performances and stability. They are not used for overhead applications because mechanical characteristics are absent. Contractors, engineers and inspectors use low voltage feeders because it is much cheaper than copper. Even though aluminum conductors need to have a 50% greater area than copper to carry the same current aluminum building wire weighs half as much as copper. The aluminum building wire can be compacted down to having the same diameter as copper. Aluminum weighs less then copper therefore there is a lower pulling tension, which lowers the chances of ruining the insulation of the wire during installation.
Building wires are rated by the circuit voltage, temperature ratings, and environmental conditions such as, moisture and sunlight that they can be used. The amount of current that a wire safely transmits depends on the installation conditions.
Aluminum building wire has the ability to “cold-flow” under pressure which causes connections to get loose over time. Aluminum wire has a tendency to expand and contract more due to temperature which releases electrical connections causing them to fail. This can also create high resistance that can be a factor of fire risk.
When corrosion occurs it means that there has been a failure at aluminum connection.