Single Strand Aluminum Wire in 18 Year Old House

**Nick Ostrowski** · 04-27-2010, 06:30 PM

I didn't know what to make of this due to the age of the house. 18 year old house with single strand aluminum wires going to a 30 amp 240 volt breaker for an electric clothes dryer line. The clothes dryer in the house is now a gas dryer so the dryer outlet and circuit is not in use.

In the pic, you'll see that yes, I did remove the conductor from the breaker after turning the breaker off because I wanted to confirm the wire as either tin-clad copper or solid aluminum. The breaker was labeled as a Cu/Al breaker.

When is the most recent date as to when single strand aluminum wiring would have been used in a house (aside from 1992 which is the date this house was built)?

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**Rick Cantrell** · 04-27-2010, 06:38 PM

Maybe I'm way off, but that kinda looks like mulitstrand.

**Jim Port** · 04-27-2010, 06:46 PM

Table 310.5 lists the minimum size of AL conductors at #12. Article 310.14 lists the material charectistics of AL conductors as small as #12. While not commonly used in the smaller gauges there is no prohibition.

Using Table 310.16 #8 AL would be good for 30 amps. That looks like what you are dealing with.

**Bruce Ramsey** · 04-27-2010, 06:53 PM

Dedicated circuit single strand aluminium wiring is being installed daily in my area.

The only concerns I have heard are with branch circuits, not dedicated circuits