Thread: Stranded Aluminum conductors in service equipment panel

Do you all comment on the strands of the stranded aluminum conductors not being tightly bounded together and not in insulation jacket?

Some styles of cables like SE-U have a spirally wound neutral over the hot conductors. The neutral is commonly spun or wound into a large single bare conductor. The lack of insulation is not an issue. A SER cable still has a bare ground under the sheath. The difference is that this is already arranged as a stranded conductor.

Nope, but the bare neutral for other than an electric range or oven older circuit exception or an older 240V electric dryer circuit exception would be a problem.

As I counted, there were six circuits, three 20 amp 120 circuits, a 2-P 30 amp circuit with no ground, a 2-P 50 amp circuit with no ground, and a second 2-P 50 amp circuit marked "A/C". As I count you're picturing only two covered neutrals - so it would seem you're short at least one for one of the three 20-amp single pole circuits, and the "A/C" should have an insulated and covered neutral - as should that for an electric water heater, so the lack of insulated and covered neutrals (or bare neutrals being present) for other than electric dryer or range circuit would/should be reported.

The 30 amp 2-pole circuit appears to have a remarked "identified" conductor (i.e. white insulated, thus "identified" which has been taped or painted red) being used as a "hot". NM of an older vintage would have an undersized ground which would be being used as a grounded conductor (neutral).

The three-wire circuits (presumably for electric dryer & range) are generally referenced & reported with HI, at least advising and informing client of the less than presently considered ideal and the circumstances that may in the future require re-wiring should certain changes be later desired, as well as the less than ideal situation in the laundry area i.e. safety, or should one desire to upgrade or replace the range with one of the more sensitive and pricey electronic options, rather than a bottom of the line coil top plain jane coil cooktop.

The over striped covered neutrals and the untrimed bare strandeds should be backed off and trimmed, not make contact with the 20 amp CB.

The "too long" grounds are not an issue. There will not be any contact with any of the breaker internals that could arc. The copper EGCs are up against a plastic divider between the two sections.

As far as the "neutral" for the A/C and the W/H, again not an issue. Both of these are straight 240 units and do not need a neutral.

Again someone interjects extraneous BS into the conversation.

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

As far as the missing EGC's, if those raceways are metallic they could be serving as the equipment grounding conductor.

Or the circuit might pre-date EGC usage.

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Or the circuit might pre-date EGC usage.

this is a 1985 home.......btw, do you think HG is Jerry Peck's alter ego??? (Just a joke!....)

Originally Posted by brianmiller

this is a 1985 home.......btw, do you think HG is Jerry Peck's alter ego??? (Just a joke!....)

That is not a joke, it's an insult.

Originally Posted by brianmiller

this is a 1985 home.......btw, do you think HG is Jerry Peck's 'altered Igor'???

Trying to imagine them together, reconstructing a human in the cellar. The horror!

I have always twisted and then taped wht or grn near the termination for identification purposes, but this is not a code requirement. As long as all the strands are trapped & under pressure of the lug screw, there is no violation. Nit-pic inspectors (not me) could write "not installed in a workmanlike manner" if he/she wanted to so interpret.

Originally Posted by bob smit

I have always twisted and then taped wht or grn near the termination for identification purposes, but this is not a code requirement. As long as all the strands are trapped & under pressure of the lug screw, there is no violation. Nit-pic inspectors (not me) could write "not installed in a workmanlike manner" if he/she wanted to so interpret.

Bob, Sometimes I want to use "Workman like" comment all over the place