Motor Windings: Aluminum vs. Copper Wire

Aluminum costs a little over $1 USD per pound and copper a little over $3 USD per pound for the metal.

Aluminum has a significantly higher resitivity, requiring a larger coil.

Aluminum expands a lot more when hot.

Aluminum tends to form a very non-conductive oxide layer at any connection point.

Thanks for reply.

But let me know can I justify or cheek the motor when I buy.

I want to cheek that without motor connection. Because when I buy it, they are not agree to connect electric connection and load.

Kindly give reply.

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I admit I am ignorant of a motor wired with aluminum. I have never seen one.

James

I have never seen a motor wired with aluminum.

Are you talking about Die cast Rotor Bars?

You can get those in Al or Cu

I do believe that most car starter motors have been made with aluminium windings for many years, repairing is consequently very difficult, which is what the makers want!!!

To put a proper brass cable shoe onto an aluminium wire, it used to be pushed together and the cable shoe spun till it got hot and then suddenly stopped, that would join the two. How they do it today I haven't a clue!! probably Laser or something....

An aluminum wound motor will function the same as a copper wound motor. Applying the nameplate voltage should make it run without excessive noise or heat, but tie it down first.

The aluminium motor will probably be a bit lighter in spite of thicker wiring.

The biggest problem I see is when the need to repair comes along, aluminium needs special connectors and equipment whereas copper can be soldered....

But in all other aspects, surely the differences will not be noticeable?

Perhaps you could detail your worries better?

You should be able to look in one of the ends. Aluminium will be silver/yellow depending on the varnish and copper more of a red color. If not, look where the hook up wires are connected.

hello

it is depending on core. if the core slot have more space then you insret the SWG no. like if there is 20 then you insert 19. and give good varnish like razan chemical. conform that the wire is not lose in slot. the melting temperature of aluminum is low then copper on this reason when the aluminum reach at melting temperatuer the good varnish save enamel from damage.

Hi,

there was a series of aircraft motors and transformers with aluminum wires (50years ago),does anybody know more about it?

Nowadays there are the coils of harddisc memories sometimes wound from aluminum wire, this is giving faster acceleration despite bigger size (if resistance is the same as with copper winidings).

Not only connecting aluminum wire is difficult (except compression welding with or without ultrasonics - widely used in semiconductors and thick film power electronics and except laser welding) but more difficult is to get samples of the wire to test concepts.

I once asked for a 0.3mm diameter and the suppliers wanted me to buy minimum 100kg up to 1000kg - and tjis wire comes without any insulation!

So this is not ready to use.

But there is one major pro that should be considered: anodising is giving very good electrical insulation combined with pretty good thermal conductivity.

So if the polymer is restricted for gluing the coil to a rigid coil the thermal resistance from inside the coil to the mounting structure will be much lower, allowing more heat conduchted to the base structure. This may well counterbalance the higher resuistance!

RHABE