Copper vs aluminum windings for dry type XFMR

[Isaiah]

There’s approx $1000 price differential between copper and aluminum windings on small dry type (lighting) transformers. The spec calls for copper windings but after reading up on aluminum there doesn’t seem to be any technical reason regarding temperature or Conductivity, NOT to utilize the aluminum windings. Am I missing something here?


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[jim dungar]

There is no reason to choose copper for small general use transformers. Aluminum windings have been standard for many major manufacturers for almost 50 years.

About the only place I ever saw copper windings asked for was on government funded projects employing boilerplate type specifications. They were often designed out as part of value engineering to reduce cost.

 

[Isaiah]

There is no reason to choose copper for small general use transformers. Aluminum windings have been standard for many major manufacturers for almost 50 years.

About the only place I ever saw copper windings asked for was on government funded projects employing boilerplate type specifications. They were often designed out as part of value engineering to reduce cost.

Thanks Jim!


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[ron]

As long as the other characteristics are similar such as temp rise, impedance, inrush, footprint, AL and CU both are designed to DOE2016 efficiency standards, so they are generally interchangeable.