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Question about using aluminum wiring for a kitchen remodel
My client's architect said it's fine to save money, but my old foreman called it a fire waiting to happen. Which side is right for a 2024 build?
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the_jenny3mo ago
Yeah, the part about "doing everything by the book" is the whole thing... It's like when people buy the cheap version of something that needs perfect install to work. The manual says to do ten specific steps, but in the real world, someone always skips step seven to save twenty minutes. The product might be fine, but the process around it is where things go wrong. I'd worry less about the wire itself and more about who's putting it in and if they'll really follow every single rule, every time.
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danielm483mo ago
Look at modern aluminum alloys and proper connectors, they're not the same stuff from the 70s. New building codes specifically allow for it with the right terminals and anti-oxidant paste. Plenty of new builds use aluminum for the main service entry because it handles high amps just fine. The real issue back then was using the wrong devices and not torquing connections right, which we know how to do now. Saving a ton on wire costs for large kitchen circuits is a legit reason to consider it if everything is done by the book.
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