4/0 Aluminum or 3/0 Copper?


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Old 06-25-20, 04:31 PM
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4/0 Aluminum or 3/0 Copper?

This weekend, I'm going to set the pole, mount meter base/main disconnect & run wire into main panel in shop. I called the parish (county) inspector who is going to do the inspection & asked him what wire he required for this project. He gave me the option of 4/0 aluminum or 3/0 copper.
This is for a 200 amp main service & I'll have a 200 amp breaker panel inside the shop.

All wire will be above ground.... nothing will be buried.

Why one over the other? What would you get?
I am assuming 4/0 is smaller & easier to work with and I am also assuming that copper costs more.

..... and this is supposed to be 4 wires, right? 2 hots, a neutral & a ground... correct? I just want to be sure, so I'll know if what they are giving me is right so there wont be a misunderstanding like last time.

So, whats your advice?
 
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Old 06-25-20, 05:24 PM
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The 4/0 is larger than 3/0. The copper is more expensive.

You need 4 wires after the first disconnect.
 
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Old 06-25-20, 05:59 PM
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All wire will be above ground.... nothing will be buried.
It is wired overhead in the air? If so then for sure use aluminum.
 
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Old 06-25-20, 06:29 PM
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Tolyn,
The part I am doing will be above ground. The only part I am doing is just from the meter/disconnect combo unit, to the main panel inside the shop.

I buried the conduit from Entergy's pole 250' to the shop (meter base). Entergy will provide the line for that, pull it & hook into the meter base.
I am only responsible for wiring from the meter/disconnect combo into the shop & into the main breaker panel. I'm not going to bury that cause its only about 2 ft from the shop. Just using a short piece of conduit from the disconnect into the side of the building & directly into the breaker panel.
 
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Old 06-25-20, 06:39 PM
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2 hots, a neutral & a ground
For that short of a run use copper.
You need 3) 3/0's and 1) #4 green
Need white tape for remarking the neutral white if you buy one piece of black cable.
 
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Old 06-26-20, 06:08 AM
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Just curious why you needed the pole , was it over the POC limit? seems like you could have stubbed up the a meter base on the shop.
Geo
 
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Old 06-26-20, 10:13 AM
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I wanted to attach it to the shop but, its considered a "portable" building. Therefore its got to be wired like a mobile home.. detached from the building & on a pole. According to the permit & the inspector.

Technically, it is a portable building & its on blocks, not a slab. However, I bought it for a permanent structure.
 
 

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