Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:44:16 +0000
From: David Rieben <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)

Adam, all,

The steel core is there to provide the strength
needed to run long, unsupported spans of alu-
minum conductor cable, as the aluminum for
this purpose is of reasonably high purity and
is not alloyed. Most alloys of aluminum are
inferior in their conductivity compared to that
of pure aluminum. However, with the purity,
tensile strength is sacraficed and the aluminum
cable may excessively sag from its own weight 
between the pole or pylon supports, especial-
ly during high peak demands in relatively high
ambient temperatures (summer heat wave)

David Rieben

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> 

> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
> Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:35:01 -0700 (PDT) 
> From: Yurtle Turtle 
> To: Tesla list 
> Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd) 
> 
> If you intend to use this in your primary or tank 
> wiring, aluminum wire can easily be obtained both 
> insulated and non-insulated, for electrical service 
> lines (from your pig to your meter). Beware that if 
> using overhead "aluminum" wire, it usually has a steel 
> core, which you may not like at Tesla coil 
> frequencies. 
> 
> Adam 
> 
> --- Tesla list wrote: 
> 
> > 
> > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
> > Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:17:03 +0000 
> > From: David Rieben 
> > To: Tesla list 
> > Cc: drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx 
> > Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd) 
> > 
> > Hi all, 
> > 
> > Electric utility companies use plenty of relatively 
> > large 
> > cross sectioned, uninsulated aluminum cable for 
> > transmis- 
> > sion of electric power ;^) As Bert stated, aluminum 
> > has a significantly lower conductivity than copper 
> > but 
> > its lower cost coupled with its relatively low 
> > specific 
> > gravity or density ( Al = 2.7, Cu = 8.96 ) still 
> > renders it 
> > the practical choice for power line conductors. Even 
> > with only 62% of the relative conductance of cop- 
> > per, aluminum still ends up with a conductance vs. 
> > density ratio of over twice that of copper and as 
> > previously stated, aluminum is still considerably 
> > cheaper than copper. However, as Bert also stated, 
> > you would likely be hard-pressed to locate a small 
> > quantity of relatively small guaged enameled 
> > aluminum 
> > wire as the superior conductance of copper is pre- 
> > ferred for smaller transformers and motors where 
> > weight and cost is not as much of an issue. 
> > 
> > 
> > David Rieben 
> > 
> > -------------- Original message -------------- 
> > From: "Tesla list" 
> > 
> > > 
> > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
> > > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:22:15 -0500 
> > > From: Bert Hickman 
> > > To: Tesla list 
> > > Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd) 
> > > 
> > > Tesla list wrote: 
> > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
> > > > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:48:54 +0100 
> > > > From: Chris Swinson 
> > > > To: Tesla list 
> > > > 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 
> > > 
> > *************************************************** 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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