Re: Aluminum magnet wire?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Aluminum magnet wire?
From: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 15:14:33 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:

> I would have thought that the problem with using Al as a conductor in a
> coil would be from:
> 1.) It has the tendency to form high R connections, as any oxidation
> greatly reduces conductivity (Al Oxide makes for a decent dialectic), and
> Al likes to oxidize.

In a device working with thousands of volts per turn in the coil, bad
contacts would just be instantaneously soldered by sparks. No problem.

> 2.) It has a high coefficient of expansion
> 3.) Al is a inferior conductor to Copper or Silver, especially at high F.

Considering that the skin depth is larger, I am not sure about this.
High power resonant transformers for nuclear physics are commonly made
with aluminum windings (flat strips), for economy and weight reasons, 
and they work perfectly well.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz