When something is UL-listed, the Underwriters’ Laboratories experiment with it and achieve success. When you splice or solder the copper and aluminum wires, use a suitable connector rated for AL(aluminum) or CU(copper) and UL-listed. So, here are some safety considerations that you must follow while connecting copper and aluminum and avoid fire and other risks: Use AL or CU-rated connectors However, the connection can pose several safety hazards, including fire and other electrical hazards, if not connected properly. It is possible to join the copper wire to aluminum despite their differences. Safety considerations while connecting copper and aluminum wires Copper wires are highly conductive, resistant, heavy, and durable. There is no need to spend money behind copper wires for low-voltage if you can work it out with aluminum wires.Īs for the high-voltage works, copper suits the best. Since aluminum has a lot of drawbacks, it cannot be used for high-voltage purposes.īut you can still use them for low-voltage work. Use lower gauges with thicker wires to avoid the risks associated with aluminum wires, or choose copper-clad aluminum wires. Since aluminum wires are cheaper, many people prefer them for wiring. Not all people can handle the high cost of copper wires. CostĪluminum wires are cheaper than copper wires. Since they are lightweight, handling and installing the wires becomes easier. The aluminum wires are lighter than the copper wires and, thus, are easy to maintain.ĭespite having so many demerits, you can still use aluminum wires for several purposes. The tensility of copper wire is 150-300 mm2, and aluminum is 50-100 mm2. The copper wires are more tensile than the aluminum wires. People prefer copper wires over aluminum wires when they want to use wires for longer distances. The copper wires have higher resistance than the aluminum wires. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission staff have investigated accidents and fires in areas with aluminum branch circuit wiring.Ī survey has concluded that houses built with aluminum wires before 1972 are 55 times more likely to face fire hazards than those with copper wires. However, I cannot say the same thing about aluminum wires.Īluminum wires have a high risk of breakage. You can bend and mold them whenever needed without any risk of breakage. The copper wires are thin and highly malleable. So, oxidation increases the resistance of the wires.Īnd higher resistance means higher chances of overheating and fire. The aluminum wires are more prone to oxidation than the copper wires. The layer protects the wires from corrosion and lessens fire risks. So, the wires are prone to fire hazards.īut, the copper wires are corrosion-resistant.Ĭopper wires have a Patina, a green tarnish color formed by oxidation. CorrosionĪluminum wires are highly corrosive. So the current can flow through the wires smoothly. It can further affect and interrupt the current flow.īut the copper wires don’t change because they can resist this thermal change. The aluminum wires contract at low temperatures and expand at high temperatures. So, in most cases, you need a gauge size smaller than aluminum.įor example, if you need a 2-gauge aluminum for some breaker work, you can use a 4-gauge copper wire. It can handle current loads better than aluminum. The copper wires have more conductivity, around 60%, than the aluminum wires.Ĭopper is naturally high in conductivity. Let’s have a look at some significant differences between copper and aluminum wires: Conductivity But now, everyone prefers copper due to its properties. Where can I find the ideal connectors for joining copper and aluminum? Understanding the difference between copper and aluminum wiresĬopper and aluminum wires are very much different from each other.Is it safe to connect the copper wires to aluminum wires?.Best practices for maintaining and inspecting the copper and aluminum wire connections over time to ensure safety and reliability.The impact of temperature changes on wire connectors and how to account for them.The role of electrical codes and standards regulating the use of copper and aluminum wires and how they affect wire connections.The impact of corrosion on copper and aluminum wire connections and ways to prevent it.
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