Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:22:15 -0500
From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)

Tesla list wrote:
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:48:54 +0100
> From: Chris Swinson <list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Aluminium Wire 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Does anyone know if you can buy Aluminium Wire ? Pondering doing some 
> testing over copper vs Aluminium Wire with a very small coil, though looks a 
> pretty are kind of thing :-(
> 
> Chris 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Chris,

You can indeed buy aluminum magnet wire. However, its seldom found in 
small quantities since its normally only used by transformer and ballast 
manufacturers, loudspeaker, or disk drive manufacturers in order to save 
(shave?) costs, reduce weight in aerospace applications, or reduce 
inertia in moving coil systems. It's used extensively in 15-1500 KVA 
dry-type transformers, but usually as rectangular paper or Nomex 
insulated wire.

Since aluminum wire has less than 62% of the electrical conductivity of 
copper wire, aluminum wire must either be significantly larger (~1.6x 
the cross sectional area for the same DC resistance), or the maximum 
current must be derated by a factor of ~0.62 when substituting it for 
copper wire.

If you're willing to spring for a significant quantity, most large 
magnet wire manufacturers produce it (Superior Essex, Rea, Alpha-Core, 
etc.). Unless you know someone in an industry that uses the stuff, your 
chances of finding a small quantity are slim to none - even on eBay.

Bert
-- 
***************************************************
We specialize in UNIQUE items! Coins shrunk by huge
magnetic fields, Lichtenberg Figures (our "Captured
Lightning") and out of print technical Books. Visit
Stoneridge Engineering at http://www.teslamania.com
***************************************************