XHHW AL wire conduit question . . .

[PetesPonies]

I have #1 aluminum wire to run inside a garage to get to the opposing wall, to the electrical panel. Are there any choices other than typical conduit that is acceptable for this wire on the interior?? A dedicated chase or such?? Thanks

 

[Aceman]

That wire has to be in a raceway. That means conduit, wireway, etc. Not a homemade bulkhead you made out of 2x4's either.

Sell what you have and buy some AL SER cable if you don't want to run conduit.

 

[PetesPonies]

First, never said I was planning on making a 2x4 wireway. Second, the wire is already buried outside in conduit over to the subpanel in another building. I am now running it inside the "main" building to the feeder panel.
I was, however, asking if anything else, rather than typical conduit, can be used? And, this building is also a garage, so the studs are open. That is why it would be easy to do it another way if possible.

 

[Aceman]

I was, however, asking if anything else, rather than typical conduit, can be used?

Like what?

I gave you some options, there is no magic way to run the wire you have across a garage without a raceway of some sort. I don't know what you're looking for here....

 

[Fast Orange]

Xhhw has to be in some type of raceway-could be conduit,or trough-must be UL and code.
An alternative if a raceway isn't practical would be to put a J-box on the existing conduit and change to SER,splicing in the J-box. If existing conduit is metal,it's going to need to be bonded.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Do you really want aluminum wire running through inside of your garage?
Personally Id do a Hoffman/junction box outside then pipe it the rest of way to the panel,dont forget an expansion joint between ground and junction box.
Then Id get the right connectors to splice copper to aluminum wires and run it from the junction box to the panel

 

[Aceman]

Do you really want aluminum wire running through inside of your garage?

What are you getting at here?

 

[Norcal]

Do you really want aluminum wire running through inside of your garage?
Personally Id do a Hoffman/junction box outside then pipe it the rest of way to the panel,dont forget an expansion joint between ground and junction box.
Then Id get the right connectors to splice copper to aluminum wires and run it from the junction box to the panel

Why do you ask? Aluminum is not going to burn the garage down.

 

[PetesPonies]

First, I bought the wire, so I want to use it. I'd rather not make a junction box when one isn't needed, just to add copper. I know I can buy conduit and run the wire as code. There is a second floor above, so I have TJIs to run it across above. My question was because I thought if a code compliant chase could be made, it would give me options down the road to run more wires through, rather than a conduit with will be filled with the 4 wires. That's all I was asking. Didn't know if sheetmetal could be used to make a compliant chase.

 

[bjcouche]

OK, I think I understand what you are trying to do. You want to have a "raceway" "duct" or other similarly described system that you can use to easily add wires to in the future. The most inexpensive way to run your existing cable is to just use conduit, whether PVC, EMT, or rigid.... You already know this so I will answer your question.

There IS a wireway system that is NEC approved to do what you want, although it is not normally used in residential applications and would certainly not be the cheapest. I can see however that it would make adding more circuits in the future easier if the existing wireway went by the location you needed wires to.

Check out this:
http://www.cooperindustries.com/con...nclosures_and_wireway/T1ScrewCoverWireway.pdf

and this:
http://www.cooperindustries.com/con...ures_and_wireway/T1Quick-ConnectHCWireway.pdf

You won't be making a lot of turns with this stuff but it works great for a long home run where you need lots of cables going to the same location. You still have to watch your "conduit" or "raceway" fill and derating for multiple conductors in a "raceway" This why the NEC calls it a "raceway" and not simply using the word conduit.

hope this is what you were asking about.
Brian

 

[Norcal]

Conduit will be cheaper then the gutter shown in the above link.

 

[PetesPonies]

Yes that is what I was thinking. It would give me the ability to add more later if needed. But I wondered if there was anything I could build that would be to code? I guess not? Since I have the spaces between the TJIs ?

 

[rockwithjason]

no, there is nothing you can build that will be code as it will not be ul listed.

 

[hh76]

If you are just worried about future wire, run bigger conduit, or two. Just add a j-box in areas that might need wiring in the future.

 

[scrape53]

each structure has the same requirements as main service so a main diconnect would be required where feeder eneters the building.... my understanding is the wireways do not have to listed just approved....however it must have a hinged lid the entire length so may not look the best in a garage.

 

[Norcal]

no, there is nothing you can build that will be code as it will not be ul listed.

Nobody can require something to be UL listed, it just has to be listed by a NRTL, Nationally Recognized Testing Lab., UL is just one such NTRL, CSA, ETL, are some of the other testing labs. Requiring UL listing would bring the lawyers out from under the cow patties to file lawsuits.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Why do you ask? Aluminum is not going to burn the garage down.

Ive had to replace more aluminum wire in last 30 years than Id like to think about,and yes Ive seen plenty of fires caused by late 60s-early 70s aluminum wiring
But hey do as you like

 

[PetesPonies]

Thanks, I'll just use the conduit.

Scrape . expound on the disconnect needed?? I'm work backwards in regards to what I am doing here. This conduit will actually house the feed wire leaving the main panel, then out of the building and under ground. Then to the new subpanel.

 

[Norcal]

Ive had to replace more aluminum wire in last 30 years than Id like to think about,and yes Ive seen plenty of fires caused by late 60s-early 70s aluminum wiring
But hey do as you like

Early 1970's alumium alloy is not the same as 1960's aluminum conductors. It all matters on the quality of the install & copper will not save sloppy work, do the job right & the conductor choice will not matter.

 

[scrape53]

"This conduit will actually house the feed wire leaving the main panel, then out of the building and under ground. Then to the new subpanel."
sorry thought the feed was entering the garage and being piped to the new panel.

 

[PetesPonies]

I was just explaining it in reverse since I did the under gound part first. Thanks

 

[KenC]

Be sure to check with you local inspector. In my city, aluminum is not allowed inside a structure. Only legal use is outside. Not even allowed from the mast head to the main breaker, if the box is on the inside of the structure wall.

 

[alfredeneuman]

(3) #1 XHHW conductors require an 1-1/4" conduit.
You could upsize the conduit to 1-1/2" or even 2" and pull a string along with the #1s for any future circuits that need to be added in the future.
Anything above 2" conduit the price increases almost exponentially.

.......and with the modern alloys of aluminum wire, it will be trouble free if properly teminated Norcal's right

 

[PetesPonies]

OK found a deal on some flexible steel conduit. Thoughts good or bad?

 

[Norcal]

OK found a deal on some flexible steel conduit. Thoughts good or bad?

Pull a grounding conductor in it.

 

[PetesPonies]

It's a 4 wire install . . so you mean other than the ground wire that will be in it already?

 

[sparky36000]

It's a 4 wire install . . so you mean other than the ground wire that will be in it already?

No, the ground in your feeder is enough.

 

[Norcal]

It's a 4 wire install . . so you mean other than the ground wire that will be in it already?

I should have been more clear, it will be too long to allow the flexible metal conduit to be the grounding conductor, so pulling a grounding conductor will be required.

 

[sparky36000]

I should have been more clear, it will be too long to allow the flexible metal conduit to be the grounding conductor, so pulling a grounding conductor will be required.

Yes, but he doesn't need another equipment grounding conductor other than the one with his 4 wire feeder.

 

[Norcal]

Yes, but he doesn't need another equipment grounding conductor other than the one with his 4 wire feeder.

He does not have a cable assembly, he has to add the 4th conductor, if it were EMT, Rigid, or IMC, the metallic raceway is a code compliant grounding conductor, with steel flex, it is not as the overcurrent protection is over 20A & I assume will be over 6 feet in length. See 250.118(5).

250.118 Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
The equipment grounding conductor run with or enclosing
the circuit conductors shall be one or more or a combination
of the following:
(1) A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum conductor.
This conductor shall be solid or stranded; insulated,
covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or
a busbar of any shape.
(2) Rigid metal conduit.
(3) Intermediate metal conduit.
(4) Electrical metallic tubing.
(5) Listed flexible metal conduit meeting all the following
conditions:
a. The conduit is terminated in listed fittings.
b. The circuit conductors contained in the conduit are
protected by overcurrent devices rated at 20 amperes
or less.
c. The combined length of flexible metal conduit and
flexible metallic tubing and liquidtight flexible metal
conduit in the same ground-fault current path does
not exceed 1.8 m (6 ft).
d. If used to connect equipment where flexibility is necessary
to minimize the transmission of vibration from
equipment or to provide flexibility for equipment that
requires movement after installation, an equipment
grounding conductor shall be installed.

Underline by me.

 

[sparky36000]

It's a 4 wire install . . so you mean other than the ground wire that will be in it already?

I'm aware of the code, but he stated it's a 4 wire install. Your making things confusing.