What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Copper Cable?

When making cabling choices for a project, for example whether to use 1/0 AWG copper wire or go with an aluminum cable of similar specification, engineers consider many factors. These may include the cost of the cable, ease of use, time to install, qualities of the underlying material (copper versus aluminum).

Engineers prefer to use copper cables because of the many advantages these wires bring to a project. Copper, as a metal, is rated very high (100%) for electrical conductivity. This means copper wire cable used for a wiring project brings high efficiency in output. Due to its higher tensile strength – (200–250 N/mm2 annealed versus aluminums 100 N/mm2) – Copper wire is also very tough, yet flexible. This means it isn’t brittle and won’t break when bent. However, due to this quality, it is also easy to work with in applications where, for example, electricians pass the insulated copper cable through bends and turns during installation.

Because of copper’s high melting point – 1981.4ºF/1083.0ºC (versus Aluminum: 1220ºF/660ºC) – copper electrical cable is ideal for applications that generate excessive amounts of heat. This makes copper wire the product of choice for more applications than other types of cables, for example when wiring heaters, furnaces and electric cooking appliances (stoves and ovens).

While insulated copper cable has many advantages, it’s direct competitor often is aluminum cables. In comparison to aluminum, copper cable is a heavier product to use. So, where weight is a critical factor, copper wire might not be the best choice. Also, aluminum is a cheaper substitute for copper. So, when there is a choice between using various types of copper wire versus their aluminum counterparts, especially if the installation is large, engineers and electricians may choose aluminum over copper, which makes the project more price-competitive.