What kind of Wire instead of tin copper wire

Thread Starter

modi

Joined Aug 24, 2005
4
Dears, We are resistor manufacturing company based in Iran, as all know the price of copper has been increased about 400%, so we obliged to change our wire from tin copper wire to another one, most likely to be 1 ) cheaper 2 ) lead free, i will appreciate if any one could help me in above topic.
Thanks and regard, Modi
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Nichrome is an alloy of nickel and chromium. I doubt that our friends in the resistor business would find the price of chromium to their liking. On the other hand if they have local chromium mines then it might not be an issue. The waste products of chromium mining are especially toxic and nasty so maybe it's better if they don't have chromium mines.

I believe that aluminum wire exists. I don't know what the price is relative to copper.
 
Alluminum wire is used alot in aviation. There are some differences between wire gauge to amperage carrying capacity as compared to copper. I am pretty sure that alluminum is more suceptible to work hardening than copper is. I do not know what the price of alluminum is as compared to copper though.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Originally posted by 13th_stage@May 10 2006, 02:22 PM
Alluminum wire is used alot in aviation. There are some differences between wire gauge to amperage carrying capacity as compared to copper. I am pretty sure that alluminum is more suceptible to work hardening than copper is. I do not know what the price of alluminum is as compared to copper though.
[post=16983]Quoted post[/post]​
Interesting.

I did find that aluminum wiring was used in houses in the US in the 1960's and 1970's. Apparently it was deemed to be the cause of several fatal house fires; it has since fallen out of favor, and been banned by many local building codes.

I can see the ad copy now.

SPECIAL DEALS!
FLAMING ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS!

A quick look at the periodic tabe reveals few alternative candidates for copper. I think we're just stuck with copper short of a miracle or devine intervention.
 

Thread Starter

modi

Joined Aug 24, 2005
4
Thanks alot for your reply and kind assistance, i may increase some of my exprience to my topic as below;
1 ) recently most resistor producers in China and Taiwan has substitute from tin copper wire to cheaper wires like steel ( iron ) wire. since its price is 1/4 of copper wire, but i am not sure about end product ( resistor ) quality to be same as before
2 ) other kinds of wires that they are using is ===> Fe ( inner layer ) + Cu ( middel layer ) + Sn ( outer layer ),
So please if any one how may have any exprience or knowledge regarding above kinds of wire, would be appreciate to help me.
Regards, Modi
 

kubeek

Joined Sep 20, 2005
5,794
Originally posted by modi@May 11 2006, 11:05 AM
Thanks alot for your reply and kind assistance, i may increase some of my exprience to my topic as below;
1 ) recently most resistor producers in China and Taiwan has substitute from tin copper wire to cheaper wires like steel ( iron ) wire. since its price is 1/4 of copper wire, but i am not sure about end product ( resistor ) quality to be same as before
2 ) other kinds of wires that they are using is ===> Fe ( inner layer ) + Cu ( middel layer ) + Sn ( outer layer ),
So please if any one how may have any exprience or knowledge regarding above kinds of wire, would be appreciate to help me.
Regards, Modi
[post=17001]Quoted post[/post]​
Interesting, I was once told that it was impossible to join copper and iron, saw some TV tech-programme where they showed the use of semtex to connect a plate of iron with a plate of copper.
 

Erin G.

Joined Mar 3, 2005
167
Originally posted by Papabravo@May 10 2006, 01:49 PM
Interesting.

I did find that aluminum wiring was used in houses in the US in the 1960's and 1970's. Apparently it was deemed to be the cause of several fatal house fires; it has since fallen out of favor, and been banned by many local building codes.

I can see the ad copy now.

SPECIAL DEALS!
FLAMING ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS!

[post=16984]Quoted post[/post]​
Aluminum is now the standard in residential and some commercial (such as apartment buildings) construction for the premises service wiring. That is, from the transformer at the street, to the meter on the building. It is about a third less expensive than copper.

You do have an increase in size for any given load. For example, 2/0 copper with THHN insulation is rated at 195 amps. The same aluminum wire is rated at 150 amps. So for a 200 amp residential service, you would need 4/0 in aluminum (205 amps), as opposed to 2/0 in copper. Even so, the larger aluminum is still lighter and easier to handle than copper.

You must also use a "no-ox" chemical coating on the meter terminations to prevent oxidation.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Originally posted by Erin G.@May 11 2006, 09:41 PM
Aluminum is now the standard in residential and some commercial (such as apartment buildings) construction for the premises service wiring. That is, from the transformer at the street, to the meter on the building. It is about a third less expensive than copper.

You do have an increase in size for any given load. For example, 2/0 copper with THHN insulation is rated at 195 amps. The same aluminum wire is rated at 150 amps. So for a 200 amp residential service, you would need 4/0 in aluminum (205 amps), as opposed to 2/0 in copper. Even so, the larger aluminum is still lighter and easier to handle than copper.

You must also use a "no-ox" chemical coating on the meter terminations to prevent oxidation.
[post=17016]Quoted post[/post]​
OK, so my last comment was a bit over the top. Don't know how this will affect our resistor manufacturers. They havn't weighed in for a while.
 
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