26 lines
958 B
Markdown
26 lines
958 B
Markdown
---
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id:
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aliases: []
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tags:
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- topic/risk
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---
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# Gold Plating
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Gold plating, also "overengineering", is the frustratingly common design practice
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of arbitrarily requiring components or methods far more stringent than typical.
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In [[construction-estimating]],
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such cases quickly reveal every error of assumption made by the estimator.
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## Example: Aluminum Feeders ILO Copper
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The typical value engineering option for electrical installations
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is to use aluminum wiring in lieu of copper above a certain size.
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Assuming competent installation, such an option is strictly functionally equal to the design.
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There is _no_ difference to capacity, future expansion, or long-term maintenance.
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Moreover, the substitution is invisible to the client,
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such that they would have to employ an electrician
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to determine whether it had been taken.
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Despite this, copper wiring is still a common specification default
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because clients care about that sort of thing for some reason.
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