Stabiloy aluminum SEC rating

[JesseWBryant]

Inspected a 2005 home today that had Stabiloy #2/0 awg SEC (underground) with a 200amp main disconnect breaker.

I checked all the Stabiloy documentation and it appears to me that this size cable is only rated for 150 amps. Is there some type of allowance with this brand of cable? I remember reading something that said "in some cases" the Stabiloy cable could have the same ampacity rating as copper SEC's of the same size.

Would you guys write this up as being to small?

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by JesseWBryant

Inspected a 2005 home today that had Stabiloy #2/0 awg SEC (underground) with a 200amp main disconnect breaker.

I checked all the Stabiloy documentation and it appears to me that this size cable is only rated for 150 amps. Is there some type of allowance with this brand of cable? I remember reading something that said "in some cases" the Stabiloy cable could have the same ampacity rating as copper SEC's of the same size.

Not quite. What you probably heard is that compact strand aluminum conductors can be run in the same size raceway as copper conductors of the same ampacity.

Compact strand aluminum is a clever way of making the same "size" conductor "smaller." The conductors are literally squished until the aluminum strands deform and fill the spaces between them.

Would you guys write this up as being to small?

Yep.

Unless, of course, there were a 150-amp breaker at the other end of the cable??

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[JesseWBryant]

Nope, there was another 200amp breaker just below the meter at the street. Thanks for the response. I'm sure this will be become a hassle so I just wanted to make sure I got it right.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by JesseWBryant

Nope, there was another 200amp breaker just below the meter at the street. Thanks for the response. I'm sure this will be become a hassle so I just wanted to make sure I got it right.

To lessen the hassle, tell folks that you'd be happy to revise your opinion if someone can provide you with a credible reference.

Tell them up front that an oral statement such as, "I has always done it this way" doesn't qualify as credible documentation.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Kyle Kubs]

Is that Cuttler-Hammer guts thrown into somebody elses enclosure?

2/0 Alum. on 200amp. no good - Apparently somebody was looking at Copper ratings...

[PAbernathy]

I agree....2/0 AL is only rated for a 150A Service if it is the primary service panel.....now if you are stating their is a 200A main somewhere else feeding this panel...and their are other utilities coming into the dwelling from that same location then they have other problems.....but alas I wont go into detail...but 2/0 AL is not for a 200A service....