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cbbairathi
Participant

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: JAIPUR RAJASTHAN INDIA
Posts: 4

ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/10/2009 11:29 AM

I AM FROM INDIA. WHEN WE WERE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS A LONG BACK HERE WE USED TO INSTALL VARIOUS TYPES OF CABLES MADE BY NICCO,HENLEY AND MANY OTHER MANUFACTURERS CABLES

EARLIER IN DOMESTIC INSTALLATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL WIRING COPPER WIRE INSULATED CABLES WERE USED ,SOME WITH DOUBLE INSULATION(DOUBLE LAYER OF RUBBER INSULATION BUT NOW IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO ALLUMINIUM CABLE PVC COATED(NO DOUBLE INSULATION).

MY QUESTION IS WHETHER COPPER WIRE IS HAVING LONGER LIFE AND CURRENT CARRYING CAPICITY IN COMPARISON TO ALLUMINIUM WIRE.GENERALLY SPEAKING COPPER WIRE DOES NOT BREAKDOWN ON TURNS WHILE SINGLE ALLUMINIUM WIRE BROKE DOWN EARLY IN TURN/BENDING AT ANGLES.

EARLIER INSTALLATIONS WERE DONE ON CASING CAPPING(WOODEN ONE WITH TWO PARTITIONS) OR IN cONDUIT PIPE.THESE WERE SAFEST MEHTOD OF WIRING AS THERE IS HARDLY ANY SHORT CIRCUIT CHANCES.NOW TWIN CORE WIRES ARE INSTALLED IN THE WALL WHICH HAVE MORE CHANCES OF SHORT CIRCUIT,ATTRACTION TO DAMPNESS IN SEASON,EARTH LEAKEGES ETC.

THE QUESTION IS TO UPDATE MY KNOWLEDGE AND WHEREVER POSSIBLY WOULD LIKE TO INSIST FOR THE BEST.THE ELECTRIC SUPPLY SYSTEM IN INDIA IS AC 220/440V .

REPLIES ARE SOLICITED ON MY MAIL ALSO.

C.B.BAIRATHI JAIPUR RAJASTHAN INDIA

cbbairathi@yahoo.com/cbbairathi@indiatimes.com
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Pathfinder Tags: USAGE OF ELECTRIC CABLES IN DOMESTIC INSTALLATIONS
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lyn
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 42355
Good Answers: 1693
#1

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/10/2009 11:42 AM

As a conductor, Copper is superior to Aluminum in every way, except cost.
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Anonymous Poster
#2

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/10/2009 12:22 PM

Domestic wiring, at least in my house is through a PVC conduit, so the probability of insulation deterioration due to moisture do not arise.

Though these are twin wire, but they are having insulation enough to withstand the voltage and also there is a upper sheath that has sufficient amount of protection against ambience (provided you buy quality product)

The advantage is the ease of guidance through the concealed tube.

The short circuit/ earth fault even if they do take place, all the houses now have the MCBs and ELCBs in place.

And lastly on Cu Vs Al, LL has already replied so nothing more to add except comparison on this aspect

CHARACTERISTICS

COPPER

ALUMINUM

Tensile strength (lb/in

2).

55,00025,000
Tensile strength for same conductivity (lb).55,00040,000
Weight for same conductivity (lb).10048
Cross section for same conductivity (C.M.).100160
Specific resistance (W/mil ft).10.617

http://www.ecasa.co.za/press/2007/CoppervsAluminiumCon.pdf

http://www.interstates.com/Resources/Energy_Savings/Aluminum%20

http://www.geindustrial.com/Newsletter/Aluminum_vs_Copper.pdfvs.%20Copper%20Conductors%20A%20Serious%20Alternative.pdf
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Yuri B.
Power-User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 262
Good Answers: 1
#3

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/10/2009 2:11 PM

Contacts on an aluminium installation need more often maintenance because the metal thermally easily expands, the contacts become loose, and one need to turn them up more often than in case of copper.
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Anonymous Poster
#4

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/10/2009 3:14 PM

coper flexible wire is the best one for house or industrial wiring bcoz it has higher conducting capicity and good Malleability copper carries 1.2% current more than allu
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standarded
Guru
United States - Member - Member Hobbies - DIY Welding - New Member

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southeast US of A
Posts: 555
Good Answers: 50
#5

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/11/2009 12:27 AM

Please turn your "caps" key off. It is considered shouting in these forums.

Thank you.

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mjb1962853
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Analog and Digital Circuit Design Engineering Fields - Electromechanical Engineering - Transformers, Motors & Drives, EM Launchers Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Applied Electrical, Optical, and Mechanical

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 1207
Good Answers: 119
#6

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/11/2009 11:08 AM

We have had some problems with aluminum wiring here in the US. In most cases the problems are not with the wire or insulation itself but with the connections and splices.

Publications like this one may help...

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/516.pdf

For more data, I suggest a general Google search using "home wiring copper vs aluminum".
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kvsubramanyam
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hyderabad, India
Posts: 596
Good Answers: 12
#7

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/12/2009 12:00 AM

In India cable/ wires used for house wiring are regulated by Govt. law. Old 3/20 or 7/20 are banned long ago. Now the recommendation is Flame proof, non toxic, multi stranded flexible copper wires are recommended. Please visit/ contact any manufacturer will up date you.(RR Kable/ Reliance/ Finolex/ etc)

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bioramani
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bangalore, India
Posts: 725
Good Answers: 24
#8

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/12/2009 1:36 AM

India has a lot of aluminum and short on copper. The state tried to minimize the use of copper by banning industrial copper wiring. After many costly reeplacements and fires caused by poor joints in wet weather, this ban is not imposed now.

Copper is superior both mechanically and electrically.

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BabyGuinness
Power-User
Ireland - Member - New Member Engineering Fields - Energy Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 197
Good Answers: 17
#9

Re: ELECTRICAL CABLES.

10/13/2009 12:43 AM

This paper is a useful comparison between copper & aluminium connectors:

http://www.copper.org/publications/pub_list/pdf/a6107.pdf

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Anonymous Poster (2); BabyGuinness (1); bioramani (1); kvsubramanyam (1); lyn (1); mjb1962853 (1); standarded (1); Yuri B. (1)

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