Southwire Armorlite 125-ft 10/2 Solid Aluminum MC Cable
You sure you want to recommend this cable. Think of all the issue you are creating. I would never use it. Its what I removed from Fremers that was causing lots of issues.
And I’m pretty sure its not twisted anymore. Most all that stuff is strait transmission line. Its held together so the impedance/capacitance is stable.
If your really concerned about rejecting noise, put an isolation transformer in for amps. Size it to feed the whole system. Or use an Audio Quest type filter on the front end and amps to the wall. Either of those solutions will get rid of a lot of noise. MC does not get rid of any noise. The aluminum may block a small amount of RF on the branch only. Aluminum does not do much for EMF when cables are places side by side.
I personally say stick with Southwire NM cable or spend more and get grain oriented twisted.
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You sure you want to recommend this cable. Think of all the issue you are creating. I would never use it. Its what I removed from Fremers that was causing lots of issues.
Just a guess you removed AC cable from Fremer’s house. Not MC cable. Heck I don’t think you have ever worked with MC cable the way it sounds.
This statement of yours kind of says it all.
How many wires are in 10/2 and what are they.
To be more precise there is a black, a white, and a green EGC. All three conductors are the same AWG size. The Insulation covering the wire is THHN.
Here’s a picture of 2 wire MC cable for you to look at.
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Here’s a picture of AC cable for you to look at.
A 16 AWG bare aluminum bond wire to be used in conjunction with the armor for the EGC. AC is junk, imo.
And I’m pretty sure its not twisted anymore. Most all that stuff is strait transmission line.
It was manufactured in a spiral twist yesterday, and it will be manufactured in a spiral twist tomorrow, and the next day and the next day, and the next day after that. Like I said, I don’t think you have ever worked with MC cable.
If your really concerned about rejecting noise, put an isolation transformer in for amps. Size it to feed the whole system. Or use an Audio Quest type filter on the front end and amps to the wall.
Wheres that coming from? Read the OP’s original message.
I personally say stick with Southwire NM cable or spend more and get grain oriented twisted.
You can have your opinion. I have mine. Of course there has been testing comparing NM sheathed cable to MC armored cable.
NM works fine providing the installer of the cable takes extra care not to twist the cable while installing it so as not to distort the lay, placement, of the bare EGC between the two current carrying conductors.
With MC cable that can’t happen. The Hot, neutral, and insulated ground spiral twist is held tightly together it’s entire length by a plastic wrap and the metal armor. Be it aluminum or steel.
The testing I talked about. I have two white papers for you to read.
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Take a look at page 16.
Read pages 31 thru 36. Pay close attention to page 35.
Page 35 chart.
Al armored MC cable beat out NM cable. I wonder how careful the techs were with the NM. I bet they didn’t twist it, changing that exact lay, position, of the bare ground wire between the two current carrying conductors.
There is a magnetic “null zone” exactly midway between line conductors
Of course you can’t always count on it.
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Read pages 11, 12, and 13.
Pay close attention to the chart on page 13. Again Al armored MC beat out NM cable.
Oh and look at the picture of the test board. The NM is laying flat. No twists. Wish they would have tested it with at least a couple light twist in it. Just like in the real world.
Good luck pulling NM cable without getting any twists in it.
You still want to recommend NM cable over AL armored MC cable?
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or spend more and get grain oriented twisted.
There’s a sales pitch to buy your 2 conductor with insulated ground THHN, maybe, THHN/THWN twisted cable assembly.
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Best regards,
Jim
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