Aluminum Bus Bar Vs Copper

Also known as bus bars they serve as connection points between wires with ring or spade terminals.

Aluminum bus bar vs copper.

However these charts can only tell you so much. In general bolted connection of unplated aluminum to copper bus bars is discouraged. Also aluminium has the less current carrying capacity as compared with copper. The presence of hydrogen sulfide h2s in the atmosphere is of main concern for base metal cu and silver plating.

Pure aluminum conductivity is approximately 65 0 of iacs international annealed copper standard. The underside is sealed so the bars can be safely mounted to conductive surfaces. Protect connections against corrosion. Aluminium is more cheaper than copper and in case of bus bar there is no compulsion of space so we can also use more flatter or comparatively bigger bus bar rather than using a copper smaller and less flattered bus bar.

But performance cost is high in aluminium bus. There are a number of considerations that need to be recognized beyond the figures given in the chart. These bars are tin plated copper and have stainless steel terminals. In fact when comparing the two materials aluminum bus bar is twice as conductive as copper.

Aluminum bus bar conductivity is dependent on the alloy and temper. Aluminium busbar current carrying capacity 0 8 busbar width thickness in amps. Al vs cu busbars. Covers protect the top of the bar and prevent accidental contact with live circuits.

This article presents a brief overview of ampacity charts for both copper and aluminum bus bar and shows how to interpret the data within. Now what do we do with the. Get more information on copper bus bar vs aluminum including qualitative differences strength ampacity resistance cost etc and common misconceptions. Understanding bus bar ampacity charts.

The majority of al to cu connections are made by applying silver or tin plating to the joint areas of either or both of the conductors. Following years of copper being the material of choice for high power busbar trunking in the uk yet aluminium reigning supreme in the rest of the world schneider electric takes a look at the case for aluminium over copper busbar trunking at a time when cost of materials is having a significant impact on specification choices.