RE: Aluminium Wire (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:22:00 -0400
From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)

I don't dispute that copper is the best choice for a primary conductor.
It is for several reasons, lower resistance by a factor of 1.6 for same
conductor diameter being the best one.  Solderability and availability
also better.  But I don't believe that the resistive behavior of
aluminum changes at RF frequencies in a way that warrants advising folks
to avoid it at all costs.  The testing that I did measuring the AC
resistance showed NO frequency-dependant difference in resistance beyond
the difference in DC resistance.  Calling aluminum wire a loser just
because it exhibits a 1.6X higher resistance over same-sized copper wire
is like saying 14 gauge wire is a loser because it also has 1.6X (yes,
what a coincidence!) the resistance that 12 gauge wire has.  So a 12
gauge aluminum primary will behave identically to a 14 gauge copper
primary, regardless of frequency.  It's all relative.

My point is that blanket statements that aluminum is bad at RF
frequencies leads folks to silly behaviors, like saying that RSG
electrode holders should not be made of aluminum because RF currents are
involved.  

Gary Lau
MA, USA

> From: resonance <resonance@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)
> 
> 
> 
> You are not trying to send peak currents of 500 to 5000 Amps thru this
> conductor.  In the pri circuit copper is still the best choice.  A
typical
> medium size coil with a 0.05 uF Maxwell cap will hit 3,000 Amps peak
at 200
> Khz.
> 
> Dr. Resonance
> 
> Resonance Research Corp.
> www.resonanceresearch.com
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 11:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire (fwd)
> 
> 
> >
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:12:59 -0700
> > From: Dr.Hankenstein <Dr.Hankenstein@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)
> >
> > Why would aluminum be considered "bad" for RF?
> > My antennas work great...and they're made out of aluminum!
> > So does the top-load on my tesla coil...five foot cross section,
5kva
> > input, 10 foot sparks....and it's aluminum! see:
> > http://www.drspark.org/images/wwt6.jpg
> > Perhaps working with unconventional materials and designs is what
coiling
> > is all about; what do you think?.
> >
> > Woo
> >
> >
> >> [Original Message]
> >> From: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Date: 9/27/2007 7:52:22 PM
> >> Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)
> >>
> >>
> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:21:09 -0500
> >> From: resonance <resonance@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Subject: Re: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Alum will work but limits your peak primary current.  Alum is not
very
> >> good
> >> at RF frequencies.  It is used for 60 Hz commercial power
transmission
> >> lines
> >> but not good above a few hundred Hz.
> >>
> >> Been there, done that, and took measurements.  Alum was a loser for
best
> >> coil performance.
> >>
> >> Dr. Resonance
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Resonance Research Corp.
> >> www.resonanceresearch.com
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 5:39 PM
> >> Subject: RE: Aluminium Wire (fwd)
> >>
> >>
> >> >
> >> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >> > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:16:32 -0400
> >> > From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
> >> > To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> > Subject: RE: Aluminium Wire  (fwd)
> >> >
> >> > Radio Shack used to sell some heavy ~.125" Aluminum "ground"
wire, for
> >> > grounding TV antennas.  Not sure if they still sell this.  But
why use
> >> > Aluminum wire at all?  Copper is more common, solderable, and a
better
> >> > conductor.  Al will work though.
> >> >
> >> > Gary Lau
> >> > MA, USA
> >> >
> >> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> >> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx]
> >> >> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 9:47 AM
> >> >> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> >> >> Subject: Aluminium Wire (fwd)
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> ---------- 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
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
>