Electrical Wiring for RV Pedistal

[virgil47]

I need to run electrical wire just under 100 feet. The line will run out of a 200 amp breaker box and terminate into the RV pedistal to power the fiver at our lake place.

The electrician wants to use aluminum wire as opposed to copper. Is there any down side to using aluminum?

[Broome101]

NO, most wire ran that far is usually is aluminum, such as mobile home wire that can be direct bury. Make sure that he does use large enough wire such as mobile home that so not to have any voltage drop.

[Ozz]

If he is a good tradesman, the job and the wire will do fine. The problem with aluminum wire is sometimes the connections have to be re-tightened later on. The cost of Copper has gone through the roof. They are stealing home condensing units and condenser coils from shopping center roofs around here, pretty sad.
Ozz

[virgil47]

Ozz,
What do you think 100' of 6/3 copper Romex cost nowadays?

[snfexpress]

The only bad experience I have with aluminum wire is that in older homes/apartments and specifically connected to electric stove/ovens. If the connection becomes loose (it is a screw clamp type connection), it can cause arcing which in turn can cause it to melt.

In my motel, we ran aluminum from the transformer to the head. We make sure the connections are tightened/checked annually.

[Ozz]

I would have to check, it's like Gold, fluxuates with the market. Big bucks...
Yes, Michael, you need Noox, or some paste to keep the oxygen out of the tight connection.

[virgil47]

I went with 6/3 copper romex. It was $3.02 per foot. It is in the ground now at an average of 10 inches. If the electrician shows up on Saturday morning, we'll get connected at both ends. Thanks for all the input.

[lawrenceb42106]

You may want to check the electrical code for wire depth. Around here it is 3' in the ground. That keeps people from digging into it. Copper is good if it is direct burial cable. Alum. you go up one wire size and use no-ox on the connectors.