My boss said we should always use aluminum for feeders over 100 feet to save cash.

I was wiring a new garage in Springfield last week and he insisted on aluminum for the 150 foot run. The inspector passed it but I've heard guys say copper is safer long term. What's your take on the cost versus corrosion risk debate?

3 comments

3 Comments

mia_singh241mo ago

That "corrosion risk" gets blown way out of proportion. Properly terminated aluminum feeders last for decades.

skyler_mitchell19d ago

Yeah exactly, most of the horror stories I've seen came from bad connections not the wire itself. The metal gets blamed but it's usually just a case of someone half-assing the install.

baker.ben1mo ago

The corrosion talk always comes up. Seen plenty of old aluminum feeders from the 70s still working fine. It's about using the right lugs and torque, not the metal itself. If it was a real ticking time bomb, inspectors would fail it on sight. Your boss saved a bundle on that garage job.