[cFoss]

Hi all. I hope you can point me in the right direction.


I have seen two references in books to special procedures with Al service conductors. I'm installing 4/0 AL for a 200A service.


I understand you have to retourque the terminations a day after installing, and that it's good to use an antioxidant fluid/paste for the terminations... any other stuff... bend radius etc. I should be concerned with.


I figure for half the price I can stand to learn a great deal!

Thanks,

Chay

[tkrussell]

I have attached a couple of helpful documents from one of the most popular aluminum cable manufacturers, Alcan. Review both, and you will learn the proper methods of connecting aluminum cable. Try to obtain this info from the manufacturer of the cable you have or plan to purchase, and follow accordingly. There will probably not be many differences.

The code requires that the manufacturer's instructions be followed ,and that all makers of AL cable will require the joint compound be used.

Also listed are the applicable bending radius for the different types of cable.

The strategy of re-torqueing is from the days before the awareness and requirements of torqueing a connector to the recommended values. Aluminum is soft that you could go the next day and get a few more turns on the screw. However, over torqueing is as bad as an under torqued connection.

There should be torque values on the equipment you are installing, if not, the booklet I have attached will have some general values that can be used as a guide.

http://www.cable.alcan.com/AlcanCabl...20Guide%20.pdf

[cFoss]

Thanks for the info. Nice to have a bit of confidence in these things. I'm an electrical/electronics tech working for the local utility, but this residential stuff is new to me.

Thanks again,


Chay