rickybobbee
Member
He can add a pigtail to the aluminum wire to make it copper before it connects to the HPWC. He's full of crap, though. The cost differential isn't anything like 2x when you add three approved pigtails, on a 30 foot line. I'd wager he wasn't going to and WON'T use pigtails unless you are watching him like a hawk.
Is there some reason he wants to use a 50 amp breaker, like he has a zillion feet of aluminum his cost is zero on?
Thirty feet of cable is NOTHING. Don't let him screw around with aluminum. You are asking about three conductors, 30' each, at either 0.50/ft or $1 a foot, so $45 or $90 dollars. Betcha it'll cost ~$20 or more for the pigtails to get from aluminum to copper. The third conductor doesn't even need to be bigger than #10 awg so your real cost differential is probably more like $10(that is, (30+$20 for aluminum) or $60 for copper, ignoring the ground line)
If its going through conduit underground(and in the house!), you could even get away with 8awg copper for a 50 amp breaker. I myself would stick with #6 and do the 60 amp, unless you have a supply-side-limit.
I'd ask for a quote/opinion from another electrician.
get a new electrician. This guy doesn't know what he's doing. The cost difference he is talking about is pennies and taking short cuts with wire.........red flags everywhere. He wants to use a 50 amp because he took it from someone elses house that replace a 50 with a 60amp breaker from a hot tub or somethingHi all,
I'd appreciate your thoughts. I'm getting my wall connector installed soon. I live in New England, and will mount the connector on a post next to my driveway.
The electrician would like to use a 50 amp breaker, not a 60. The charge speed penalty would be from 44 mph at 60 amp, to 37 mph at 50 amp. That seems pretty close, and I don't anticipate needing top recharging speeds as my daily use is mostly around town/short trips. Should I go along with the lower amp set-up?
He also wants to use aluminum wire. He says that the wire size needed means it will cost 2x more, at least, in copper and be more difficult to route. I noticed on page 5 of the installation manual, it says “COPPER WIRE TERMINATIONS ONLY for landing in Wall Connector wirebox terminals. Conductors can be stranded or solid.” Does this mean that the wire can be aluminum, but the “terminations” copper? The connector will be mounted 6' from the house, and about 30' total from the panel.
Thanks for your comments in advance!