# Aluminum Ridged



## TheWireNut (Apr 20, 2014)

New member here, long time reader. I've worked in the electrical/REF field for 14 years. We do a lot of work on schools build in the 50/60s and see lots of aluminum conduit, above ground direct buried. What say you all, I know the NEC says "supplementary corrosion protection is required for direct contact with earth" this stuff seems to hold up well. However I've never excavated any.....yet. 

Does anyone use aluminum ridged for anything? It seems like it would be a better choice above ground that galvi or EMT, and we all know what anything non-metallic looks like is 20+ years. 

TWN


----------



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

is that pipe with ridges in it, kinda like ruffles potato chips ?

I've only used rigid.


----------



## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

I've used aluminum in food plants and outdoors on a solar job. It was nice and light, and threaded easy too. Easy to scratch though.


----------



## Kryptes (Aug 6, 2013)

Only used in food plants as well so far


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Many services are done with it around here. Most exterior work in the city has it in part of the rmc code and its easier to work with.


----------



## ampman66 (Dec 5, 2012)

The only place I've used it was in wastewater treatment plants.
Not bad. Light weight, easy thread.
Had to use penetrox on the threads when threading, otherwise it would be easy to cross-thread, and you couldn't take it apart if you had to.


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

We have to protect conduits emerging from underground here, I haven't seen any Al rigid used here in a very long time.
Also, the cost is just slightly less than steel and, the labor savings could be a very big factor.
BTW, trying to get a snake in the smaller sized conduits, kinda sux.


----------



## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

We use it at our wwtp... I love it!

We dug up an abandoned al duct bank and it was crazy full of galling on the inside (what wasnt encased) fyi that was a 30yo run

Holds up well though exposed as grc is hopeless around h2s


----------



## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Aluminum is great in certain environments. But I know when we ran it on permanently weeping concrete, something in the efflorescence would just corroded it completely to hell, way worse than steel would fare in the same environment.


----------



## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

A while back I reworked an underground tank that had AL used for the last 10' to the sumps (where the submerged pumps were) and it was severely corroded. I've not used it myself.

BTW, this was on Ocracoke Island, NC, and the tide water came up above the tank top, so saltish water was involved.


----------



## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Use it in sour gas plants... H2S doesn't deteriorate it as fast as GRS...


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

I've ran miles of it in food plants. Learned how run conduit with aluminum. Its a good pipe to learn on. More forgiving then rigid and no bad habits of EMT.


----------



## iwa (Jun 26, 2010)

The only time I have used aluminum rigid was at a winery. Like everyone here mentions it's nice and light and threads really well.


----------



## Phatstax (Feb 16, 2014)

I have run miles of aluminum conduit in refineries up and down the gulf coast. As mentioned previously, lightweight, extremely durable, and very forgiving when over bent. We are typically provided STL8 but use NOALOX in a pinch. I have yet to see anyone post that they use peanut oil to thread. Yes, the same stuff you fry a turkey with. Organic and bio degradeable. No EPA harassment when you spill it. Just don't try to recycle it on thanksgiving. Not so tasty.


----------



## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

I worked for Kaiser aluminum corporation, they used aluminum rigid in their factories.
:laughing:


----------



## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

Lep said:


> I worked for Kaiser aluminum corporation, they used aluminum rigid in their factories.
> :laughing:


We do work there also.


----------



## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

dawgs said:


> We do work there also.


I think they have a reduction plant near there, its been awhile since I work for them.


----------



## minichopper6hp (Apr 19, 2014)

Aluminum at wwtp as well. Anywhere exposed directly to concrete coat with bitumastic paint. (Tar epoxy.)

Sent from my LGMS769 using Tapatalk


----------



## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

Some plants spec aluminum for exposed conduit larger than 2 inch. Aluminum is easier to bend and lighter, but more difficult to thread strait with a "hog head". The oxidation on the pipe gets you really dirty. The one bending quirk is the slower spring back.


----------



## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

TheWireNut said:


> New member here, long time reader. I've worked in the electrical/REF field for 14 years. We do a lot of work on schools build in the 50/60s and see lots of aluminum conduit, above ground direct buried. What say you all, I know the NEC says "supplementary corrosion protection is required for direct contact with earth" this stuff seems to hold up well. However I've never excavated any.....yet.
> 
> Does anyone use aluminum ridged for anything? It seems like it would be a better choice above ground that galvi or EMT, and we all know what anything non-metallic looks like is 20+ years.
> 
> TWN


Please elaborate on the above ground direct buried


----------



## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

The paper mill here uses aluminum exclusively. Bare aluminum indoors, OCAL (rob roy) outdoors.

All the wastewater plants use aluminum rigid as well.


----------



## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

erics37 said:


> The paper mill here uses aluminum exclusively. Bare aluminum indoors, OCAL (rob roy) outdoors.
> 
> All the wastewater plants use aluminum rigid as well.


Ocal alum? Or ocal steel?


----------



## TheWireNut (Apr 20, 2014)

sparky970 said:


> Please elaborate on the above ground direct buried


 Sorry should have used a comma "above ground, direct buried. 

Just as you should have used a period :no: 

TWN


----------



## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

denny3992 said:


> Ocal alum? Or ocal steel?


Aluminum. On a big project a rather expensive bone pile can develop :laughing:


----------

