Copper wire and CCA BUSBAR both have a very big difference, in daily use or need to do a good job of differentiation.
- The color of the cross-section is different
Copper wire: purple-red, the color of copper is very distinctive, because it is pure copper.
CCA BUSBAR: off-white, because its outer layer is copper, while the inner is aluminum, so the whole looks like a mixture of copper and aluminum.
- Differences in density
CCA BUSBAR: The density of copper is about 8.96 g/cm³, which is much higher than that of aluminum (about 2.70 g/cm³).
CCA BUSBAR: Because CCA BUSBAR has aluminum at its core and a smaller proportion of copper, it is lighter in density. CCA BUSBAR is much lighter than pure copper wire for the same length, which is an advantage in many applications, especially where weight reduction is required.
- Differences in flexibility
Copper wire: Copper has good ductility and flexibility and can be bent significantly without breaking and has good fatigue resistance.
CCA BUSBAR: Due to the poor flexibility of aluminum, the bending performance of CCA BUSBAR is poor, especially when subjected to repeated bending or stretching, the aluminum part is prone to fracture. The poor ductility of aluminum can cause CCA BUSBAR to crack or fracture during bending, especially at smaller bending radii.
- Different Uses
Copper wire: widely used in electric power, communications, electronics industry, especially in power transmission, high-frequency circuits, electronic equipment connections, etc., wires, cables, brushes, etc. need to use pure copper.
CCA BUSBAR: Mainly used in coaxial cables, communication cables and other occasions, especially in applications that require lighter weight while maintaining conductivity. Due to the lighter weight of aluminum, CCA BUSBAR is more common in some areas of low current transmission.
- Different definitions
Copper wire: Pure copper wire is made from oxygen-free copper or high-purity copper through a drawing process.
CCA BUSBAR: Aluminum core wire is covered with a layer of copper, and the copper layer is combined with the aluminum core through welding or calendering process.CCA BUSBAR has the excellent electrical conductivity of copper and the low density characteristics of aluminum.
- Structural differences
Copper wire: single metal material, usually oxygen-free copper or high-purity copper.
CCA BUSBAR: A bimetallic material consisting of an aluminum core and a copper outer layer. The structure of CCA BUSBAR allows it to combine the light weight of aluminum with the electrical conductivity of copper in some applications.
- Differences in resistivity
Copper wire: Copper has a low resistivity (approximately 1.68 × 10-⁸ Ω-m), making it a superior conductor for high current transmission.
CCA BUSBAR: The conductivity of CCA BUSBAR is inferior to that of pure copper, but still superior to pure aluminum. Due to the thinner cladding of copper and the higher resistance of aluminum, the resistivity of CCA BUSBAR is higher than that of pure copper wire, resulting in the possibility of severe heating in high current applications, which affects power efficiency.
- Differences in stability
Copper wire: Copper has better stability and does not oxidize easily, especially if proper protective measures are taken (e.g. tin plating or use of oxygen-free copper). In long-term use, copper wire does not significantly increase resistance.
CCA BUSBAR: Aluminum oxidizes easily, oxidized aluminum has a higher resistance, and this oxide film may affect the conductivity of the wire. Therefore, CCA BUSBAR is prone to oxidation during use, resulting in increased resistance, which affects the current loading capacity and may cause safety hazards when used for a long period of time.
Summary:
CCA BUSBAR offers significant advantages in certain applications, especially where weight and cost reduction are required, but there are some technical challenges, such as poor bending performance, oxidation issues and relatively high resistance. Therefore, when selecting copper wire or CCA BUSBAR, the specific needs and conditions of the application need to be considered, such as conductivity, weight, cost, and environmental factors. When using CCA BUSBAR, care must be taken to avoid oxidation and to take appropriate protective measures.
