At present, the wire and cable industry is utilizing pure copper as their main raw material. However, since the price of copper is very high, the cable industry is making efforts in developing a new material in place or partially replace as an alternative to copper, therefore, we can see that further development has been done to copper-clad aluminum cable, copper-clad steel cable and aluminum-clad steel cable. So today let’s focus on one of those filters which are copper clad steel wires. Are they dependable with regard to the effectiveness while economizing Raw material production costs? In fact, copper clad steel wire has presented many unique advantages in application.
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Copper clad steel wire (CCS wire) is a kind of composite wire made of copper and steel. It coats the steel wire with copper by cold working, electrochemical or metallurgical processes. Copper clad steel wire has the advantages of both copper and steel: it has the strength and toughness of steel and the electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance of copper, so it has a wide range of applications in many fields.
Applications in telecommunications and power transmission: Copper-clad steel wire is used in the manufacture of power cables for long-distance, high-voltage transmission lines, utilizing its ability to withstand high tensions while maintaining stable and reliable electrical conductivity.
Applications in construction and grounding systems: Wires are essential in buried grid systems and overhead ground lines. Deployment of multilayered steel-copper wires in overhead grounding lines withstands mechanical stress, installation damage, and electricity in the event of a fault. Also in transmission and lightning protection grounding systems, this wire is used in transmission lines, substation grounding lines and anti-static grounding devices.
Applications in automotive industry and special wiring: copper clad stainless steel light weight, flexibility and durability of the characteristics of the automotive wiring harness is also used. It can be properly installed even in confined areas.
Solid copper wire and copper-clad steel look very similar, but they differ in many ways. When choosing between copper-clad steel and solid copper cable, the advantages and disadvantages must be weighed against specific needs.
Electrical Conductivity: Pure copper has an extremely high electrical conductivity of approximately 59.6 MS/m (at 20°C), which means that it is able to transmit current with minimal resistance, making it suitable for applications that require efficient electrical energy transmission. Although the copper clad wire layer provides good electrical conductivity, the overall conductivity is not as good as that of pure copper cables due to the thin layer, but at certain frequencies (e.g. high frequency coaxial cables) it can approach the performance of pure copper due to the skin effect.
Cost-effectiveness: copper-clad steel stranded wire to steel instead of copper, reducing the cost of wire, so that the consumption of copper is reduced. Recently, copper prices have risen sharply in the case of pure copper cable prices continue to rise, the use of copper-clad steel wire can reduce costs. At present, copper clad steel wire price is only equivalent to the price of pure copper wire products 1/2 ~ 1/3. when purchased on the basis of the same length of the cost can save 50% to 70%. Another option to consider if you’re keeping costs lower is copper clad aluminum cables.
Mechanical properties: copper clad steel conductor combines the high strength and toughness of steel, so that its tensile strength is far more than pure copper wire. In the same cross-section and condition, the mechanical strength of copper-clad steel wire is 1 to 2 times that of solid copper wire. It means that it can withstand greater mechanical loads and impacts, and has a longer service life in applications that require high tensile strength, such as long-distance overhead lines or in locations with harsh conditions. Pure copper is inherently softer and has good ductility, which makes it superior in terms of flexibility, but its relative tensile strength and resistance to abrasion is not as good as that of copper-clad steel wire.
Weight and Installation : Copper cables are heavier and more expensive to install and transport. Compared to solid copper cables, copper clad steel wires of the same length are much lighter. Therefore, the installation and transportation costs of copper clad steel cables can be lower than solid copper cables.
Corrosion resistance: Pure copper cable is not easy to corrode and oxidize in the open environment. It is suitable for humid or corrosive environments. Whereas in copper clad steel wires the copper layer provides some protection against corrosion, but if the copper layer is damaged, the internal steel core may be susceptible to corrosion.
Copper clad steel cable can withstand large impacts and loads, especially suitable for use in places with more demanding environments and more frequent movement. For example, in power transmission lines, especially underground or overhead high-voltage power grids. In contrast, pure copper cables are more suitable for applications where the electrical performance requirements are extremely high. For example, speaker copper wires offer lower resistance and higher data transmission speeds. As well as THHN copper wires are more widely used for power transmission in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. There is no substitute for the performance advantages of pure copper armoured cables in performance-seeking applications.
In order not to fall into the trap of low-quality copper-clad steel (CCS) cables, there are some procedures that can be followed. Briefly, solicit for compliance certificates, quality inspection reports or any other type of industry standard like UL or CE marking which indicates that the cable meets a safety or performance threshold.
Moreover, cables should be provided with clear identification and labeling of the standards. It is also helpful to use a magnet as a test, for it should be noticed that CCS cables pull towards it while pure copper cables do not; that is, testing the steel content. Evaluate the rigidity and density of the cable because CCS cables are frequently denser and stiffer than their pure copper counterparts. If feasible, conduct a skin effect test or request one to check the efficacy of signal transmission since CCS cables are more likely to sustain substantial signal transmission losses. Lastly, purchase only from recognized copper clad steel wire manufacturers who have a reputation for good customer reviews as the suppliers usually practice quality assurance in their products and services.
Knowing the right wire for your project is essential. Knowing the right questions to ask will get you the wire and cable you need to kickstart your project. Kris-Tech’s John Olguin (Southwest Regional Inside Sales) shares his insights into the 6 elements to look out for when looking for the right tray cable for your project.
Tray cable comes in a variety of sizes. It is typical for a product to be listed with numbers representing gauge sizes; for example, VNTC Tray Cable 12-2 AWG or XPTC Tray Cable 14-10 AWG. The first number such as 12 or 14, specifies the gauge while the second #2 or 10 represents the number of current-carrying conductors. The wire can also have an extra ground number. VNTC Tray Cable 12-2 AWG would therefore mean a tray cable with 12-gauge, 2 insulated current carrying wires, plus a ground.
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Here is an example of a VNTC tray cable spec sheet containing AWG sizes.
A cable that is shielded contains insulated conductors encased in a standard conductive layer. Shielded tray cables are normally more rigid and thicker compared to unshielded ones. Unlike unshielded cables, shielded cables require greater care when working with them. Shielded cables are often found in industrial settings where other equipment is likely to generate interference.
i) Shielded VNTC tray cable
ii) Unshielded VNTC tray cable
Conductor count is the number of insulated conductors in a cable. For instance, a red, black, white and bare ground is a three conductor and a red, black, white and green is a four conductor.
In a product description such as VNTC Tray Cable 12-2 AWG, the second number refers to the number of current-carrying conductors in the wire I.e. the conductor count.
A cable or wire is insulated to prevent the wire’s current from coming into contact with other conductors. Normally the insulated wire or cable would consist of a non-conductive material that is resistant to electric current.
Typical insulation materials for tray cable include:
A VNTC Tray cable uses a THHN insulation while the XPTC tray cable uses an XLP insulation. XPTC’s XLP insulation is more durable compared to VNTC.
Electrical Cable
A wire or cable jacket is used to offer protection from moisture, flame, chemical, and UV damage. It also protects the cable or wire from damage during and after the installation process. As the cable’s outermost layer, a jacket is the first line of mechanical defense for its inner components, providing protection for the shielding and conductors within the cable. Different materials can be used as jackets.
Typical jacket materials include:
Color coding is one of the many identification standards used for wires. It is used to establish a standard for use by different manufacturers. Different color codes are used to identify conductors for point-to-point wiring and for circuit diagrams. However, not all wire color codes are the same. They differ based on several factors including but not limited to installation type, location, and voltage. For example, phase 2 of the 120 Volt AC wire is color coded as Red in the United States but Black in Europe. Some color codes are specified by law but not always as others are based on common practice.
Here is an example of how a wire jacket can communicate its predetermined use to an electrician.
Author: John Olguin
John Olguin is the Southwest Regional Inside Sales at Kris-Tech, a copper wire manufacturing company headquartered in Rome, New York.
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