Comparison of copper core cable and aluminum core cable

1. Large carrying capacity

Due to the low resistivity, the copper core cable with the same cross-section allows about 30% higher current-carrying capacity than the aluminum core cable.

2. Good stability and corrosion resistance

The copper core is resistant to oxidation and corrosion, while the aluminum core is susceptible to oxidation and corrosion.

3. Fatigue resistance

Aluminum is easy to break after repeated bending, but copper is not. In terms of elasticity index, copper is also about 1.7~1.8 times higher than that of aluminum.

4. High strength

The allowable stress at room temperature is 7% to 28% higher than that of aluminum. Especially the stress at high temperature, the difference between the two is even greater.

5. Good ductility

The elongation rate of copper alloy is 20% to 40%, and the elongation rate of copper for electrical use is more than 30%, while that of aluminum alloy is only 18%.

6. Low resistivity

The resistivity of aluminum core cable is about 1.68 times higher than that of copper core cable.

7. Low voltage loss

Due to the low resistivity of the copper core cable, the same current flows through the same section. The voltage drop of copper core cable is small. Therefore, the same transmission distance can ensure higher voltage quality; in other words, under the condition of allowable voltage drop, the copper core cable can transmit energy to a longer distance, that is, the power supply coverage area is large, which is conducive to network planning and reduces Set number of power supply points.

8. Low heating temperature

Under the same current, the calorific value of the copper core cable with the same cross section is much smaller than that of the aluminum core cable, which makes the operation more reliable.

9. Low energy consumption

Due to the low resistivity of copper, it is obvious that copper cables have lower power losses compared to aluminum cables. This is conducive to improving the utilization rate of power generation and protecting the environment.

10. Oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance

The connector of the copper core cable has stable performance and will not cause accidents due to oxidation. The joints of aluminum core cables are often unstable due to oxidation, which increases the contact resistance and generates heat, resulting in accidents. Therefore, the accident rate is much larger than that of copper core cables.

Advantages of aluminum core cable

1. The cable is light

The weight of the aluminum core cable is 40% of that of the copper core cable.

2. Oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance

Aluminum reacts with oxygen in the air to quickly form an oxide film, which can prevent further oxidation, so aluminum wire is a must-have material for high-voltage, large-section, long-span overhead power transmission.

3. Cheap

The copper rod is 3.5 times the price of the aluminum rod, and the proportion of copper is 3.3 times that of the aluminum, so the aluminum core cable is much cheaper than the copper core cable, and it is suitable for low-cost projects or temporary electricity.

Summarize

Although the aluminum core cable is cheaper than the copper core cable, the copper core cable is much better than the aluminum core cable in performance and some characteristics, which is why the current cables are basically copper core cables.