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Question about using a torque wrench on aluminum lugs
I was helping a friend rewire his garage in Phoenix and saw him just crank down on the aluminum lugs with a regular wrench. I told him the spec sheet for the panel said 35 inch-pounds, but he said it didn't matter. How do you guys make sure you're hitting the right torque without slowing down too much?
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the_jana6mo ago
That spec sheet is right, aluminum lugs are easy to strip. I just keep a cheap inch-pound torque wrench in my bag for exactly that.
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paigep856mo ago
Just crank them down tight.
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the_claire6mo ago
Ever just go by feel? I used to do that all the time until I rounded off a lug. Now I'm with Jana, a cheap torque wrench is the way to go.
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hugoj124mo ago
Wait, he said it DOESN'T MATTER? That's WILD to me. Aluminum lugs are SO soft compared to copper, you can strip them out in half a second if you're not careful. I watched a buddy ruin a whole subpanel once because he just "torqued it to spec" with his arm on a 12-inch wrench. That was a 500 dollar mistake. You absolutely HAVE to use a torque wrench on aluminum, no question about it. That Phoenix heat alone probably makes the metal softer too.
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