copper-clad aluminium cable

[Chris Pink]

I notice that some suppliers are starting (or maybe I've never noticed it) to offer 'economy' copper-clad aluminium cable at around half the price of stranded pure copper - to the degree that a couple of suppliers are now badging the proper stuff 'pure copper'.

 

Any opinions on the use of this for marine applications?

[Ray T]

Not sure if it has a marine application but, in the late 1980's when the price of copper rose sharply BT tried aluminum cables in it's external network.

 

It was ok initally but then as years passed the alloy tended to become brittle and hence created many faults. BT has since reverted to copper in the local network.

 

Even this is now being overtaken with fibre.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Ray T

[bizzard]

If anyone's bought cheap aluminium cable jumper-leads will know how good they're not.

[WotEver]

If anyone's bought cheap aluminium cable jumper-leads will know how good they're not.

But they do warm your hands up nicely on a cold winter's morning.

[smileypete]

I notice that some suppliers are starting (or maybe I've never noticed it) to offer 'economy' copper-clad aluminium cable at around half the price of stranded pure copper - to the degree that a couple of suppliers are now badging the proper stuff 'pure copper'.

 

Any opinions on the use of this for marine applications?

It's still have greater thermal expansion than copper so trickier to connect to.

 

I quite like the idea of having aluminium bus bar running in conduit along the boat, makes it easy to have inverters, chargers, fuse boards wherever you want, maybe run a BT too.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Phil Ambrose]

I think I am correct but as I recall High Voltage overhead power lines are aluminium as it is stronger than steel weight for weight, not sure if this little gem adds anything to the thread but there you go.

 

Phil

[nickfryer]

I notice that some suppliers are starting (or maybe I've never noticed it) to offer 'economy' copper-clad aluminium cable at around half the price of stranded pure copper - to the degree that a couple of suppliers are now badging the proper stuff 'pure copper'.

 

Any opinions on the use of this for marine applications?

We used to use it for general wiring in houses in the 80,s when copper was mega money.

 

It was called COPPERCLAD (Obviously) if you put a kink in it and tried to straighten it then it could easily snap.

 

It was only used for a short while then.

[Bob18]

Aluminium is not as conductive as copper so you will need a larger cross-section for a given voltage drop/current combination. Check with the supplier/manufacturer for the correct figures and that the cable is suitable for use on a narrowboat. All the comments about kinking, snapping and corrosion potential are true, so be careful.