Copper Clad Aluminium Conductors

Status
Not open for further replies.

donf

Member
I realize this is a rookie question but please bare with me.

I was working on a panel board that had two conductors with broken tips. One to a breaker and the other to the Neutral Bus Bar. I was surprised when I noticed CCA conductors. I'm sure the conductors snapped because they were nicked at installation time.

But I had this thought wiggle through my system about splicing CCA conductors. Do I need to use the Anti-Oxident application when I splice CCA conductors with Copper conductors?

Thanks
 

donf

Member
So help me

So help me

From the lack of responses vs. number of views I've either asked a very difficult question or one that is so dumb it is not worth answering. :)

Seriously though, I have never worked with CCA conductors until I came across that panel board on Monday.
 

eric9822

Senior Member
Location
Camarillo, CA
Occupation
Electrical and Instrumentation Tech
CCA conductors do not need any special considerations when splicing or terminating.

Paul

Are you sure? I have never worked with CCA conductors but this is what 110.14 has to say:

110.14 Electrical Connections.
Because of different characteristics of dissimilar metals, devices such as pressure terminal or pressure splicing connectors and soldering lugs
shall be identified for the material of the conductor and shall be properly installed and used. Conductors of dissimilar metals shall not be intermixed
in a terminal or splicing connector where physical contact occurs between dissimilar conductors (such as copper and aluminum, copper and
copper-clad aluminum, or aluminum and copper-clad aluminum), unless the device is identified for the purpose and conditions of use.
Materials
such as solder, fluxes, inhibitors, and compounds, where employed, shall be suitable for the use and shall be of a type that will not adversely affect
the conductors, installation, or equipment.
 

shepelec

Senior Member
Location
Palmer, MA
Are you sure? I have never worked with CCA conductors but this is what 110.14 has to say:

110.14 Electrical Connections.
Because of different characteristics of dissimilar metals, devices such as pressure terminal or pressure splicing connectors and soldering lugs
shall be identified for the material of the conductor and shall be properly installed and used. Conductors of dissimilar metals shall not be intermixed
in a terminal or splicing connector where physical contact occurs between dissimilar conductors (such as copper and aluminum, copper and
copper-clad aluminum, or aluminum and copper-clad aluminum), unless the device is identified for the purpose and conditions of use.
Materials
such as solder, fluxes, inhibitors, and compounds, where employed, shall be suitable for the use and shall be of a type that will not adversely affect
the conductors, installation, or equipment.

That Article seems to contradict it's self doesn't it? If you are connecting copper and copper clad are you really connecting dissimilar metals? You can use standard devices with CCA.
 

eric9822

Senior Member
Location
Camarillo, CA
Occupation
Electrical and Instrumentation Tech
That Article seems to contradict it's self doesn't it? If you are connecting copper and copper clad are you really connecting dissimilar metals? You can use standard devices with CCA.
I think the wording could be improved but the key part is where physical contact occurs between dissimilar conductors (such as copper and aluminum, copper and
copper-clad aluminum, or aluminum and copper-clad aluminum), unless the device is identified for the purpose and conditions of use.
Copper and copper clad aluminum are dissimilar conductors despite the fact that it would be copper to copper contact. I also think you would still be dealing with different expansion and contraction rates. Just my opinion. Again, I have never used CCA.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
That Article seems to contradict it's self doesn't it? If you are connecting copper and copper clad are you really connecting dissimilar metals? You can use standard devices with CCA.
I don't see it as contradicting itself. A standard device used with CCA involves just a connection to the device. An inline splice which connects Cu on one side to CCA on the other side would only need to be copper rated by the same reasoning.
But if the two wires were under a single screw together or in a wire nut, the different expansion characteristics of CCA, rather than just its surface conductivity, would come into play.
The section clearly calls out that the two dissimilar conductors have physical contact with each other, not just that they are electrically and physically linked.

Or in other words, what Eric just said. :)

I would expect that from expansion point of view, something that could join Cu to Al and Al to Al could just as easily join Cu to CCA or Al to CCA, but that might not follow in terms of listing.
 
Last edited:

shepelec

Senior Member
Location
Palmer, MA
I don't see it as contradicting itself. A standard device used with CCA involves just a connection to the device. An inline splice which connects Cu on one side to CCA on the other side would only need to be copper rated by the same reasoning.
But if the two wires were under a single screw together or in a wire nut, the different expansion characteristics of CCA, rather than just its surface conductivity, would come into play.
The section clearly calls out that the two dissimilar conductors have physical contact with each other, not just that they are electrically and physically linked.

Or in other words, what Eric just said. :)

I would expect that from expansion point of view, something that could join Cu to Al and Al to Al could just as easily join Cu to CCA or Al to CCA, but that might not follow in terms of listing.

But that is my point, the two dissimilar metals are NOT in contact with each other, you end up with a copper to copper connection.

I'll stand corrected on my above statement, regarding the Code, as far as no restrictions, but I still think the CU to CCA is not an issue. CU to AL connections don't have an issue if the proper connector is used. Why would a CU to CCA connection be a problem?
 
Last edited:

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
Why would a CU to CCA connection be a problem?

Simply because the physical characteristics as opposed to the electrical characteristics are those of the dominant metal in the conductor, namely Aluminum in the case of CCA. So although there will be no oxidization and resistance problems as there would with Al, the characteristics of the whole wire, such as cold flow, creep, thermal expansion, etc. will be close to those of the Al core. For some physical connection means, such as spring pressure in a properly designed wire nut, this will not matter, but for a set-screw lug, the pressure may not remain high enough after thermal cycling.

It does seem, though, that this would mean that not all connection methods suitable for Cu only would necessarily be suitable for CCA only.
And that things which are suitable for Cu to Al should automatically be good for Cu to CCA, since the electrical characteristics of Cu and the physical characteristics of Al are both accommodated.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top