Aluminium and its alloys have become essential in the electrical industry due to their notable attributes: lightweight nature, high structural strength, high ductility, excellent conductivity, and non-magnetic properties. These materials are highly prioritised by SME owners and procurement managers and find extensive applications in various sectors, such as foil windings, busbars, cables, overhead transmission lines and more.
In this Aluminium wires guide, you will acknowledge the wire types, wire applications, and aluminium wiring benefits.
What is an Aluminium Wire?
The aluminium wire serves as an electrical wiring material utilised in various applications, including residential houses and aircraft. It acts as an alternative conductor because of its mechanical and electrical characteristics, as well as its price point compared to copper wire. While aluminium has a lower conductivity than copper, making it less common in small-scale applications like home wiring, it gained favorability during the 1960s when copper prices surged.
Properties
Aluminium wires boast lightweight properties, high ductility, low electrical resistance, and exceptional corrosion resistance, making them suitable for numerous applications. Additionally, aluminium possesses non-sparking, non-toxic and non-magnetic attributes.
Conductivity
In terms of conductivity, aluminium is comparatively softer and weaker than copper. During a rise in circuit temperature, aluminium wire expands and moves within electrical connectors, creating spaces. As electric current passes through, it generates pressure, heating the aluminium wire connector. Subsequently, when electricity ceases, the aluminium cools and contracts, resulting in small gaps between the wire and the connector. This gap raises the risk of corrosion, subsequently increasing resistance. The increased resistance can generate more heat, potentially igniting the connector material.
Types of Aluminium Wires
The types of aluminium wires available are:
Bare Aluminium Wires
- Ideal for overhead power transmission lines at different voltage levels.
- Suited for installation across challenging terrains like rivers, valleys, and areas with unique geographical features.
Insulated Aluminium Wires
Popularly used in transmission cables.
- It comprises multiple twisted wires with smaller diameters, enhancing flexibility compared to solid-core wires.
- Often coated with rubber sheaths or PVC insulation to safeguard against corrosion and water damage.
Aluminium Alloy Wires
- Widely employed in industrial applications requiring a sturdy, lightweight material.
- Despite having 60% of the electrical conductivity of copper, it’s used in electrical transmission lines due to its lightweight nature.
Benefits of Using Aluminium Wires
Some major benefits of using L&T Sufin aluminium wires are:
Cost-Effectiveness
Aluminium power cables offer a cost-effective advantage. Being less costly than copper, aluminium serves as a favoured option for large-scale projects. Opting for aluminium cables instead of copper enables cost savings without compromising on performance.
Lightweight Nature
Aluminium alloys are known to enhance the tensile strength of pure aluminium. The weight-bearing capability of aluminium alloy wire is typically denoted by the maximum load it can withstand before breaking or deforming.
Generally, aluminium alloy wire exhibits a lower tensile strength compared to copper wire, implying it can support less weight for a given diameter. Nevertheless, aluminium alloy wire still maintains considerable weight-bearing capacity and finds application in crucial sectors like power distribution and transmission, where it’s essential to bear the weight of transmission lines. This advantage becomes particularly apparent in the wiring of long-span buildings. For instance, aluminium alloy cables can support up to 4,000 metres of deadweight, surpassing the capacity of copper cables, which can only handle approximately 2,750 metres.
Corrosion Resistance
Aluminium’s resistance to corrosion stems from the protective surface oxide layer formed upon contact with air. This oxide layer exhibits high resistance against different types of corrosion. Furthermore, the incorporation of rare earth elements in aluminium alloys can enhance their corrosion resistance, particularly against electrochemical corrosion. The robustness of aluminium in harsh environments makes it a prevalent choice as a cable conductor in pallets, as well as in various industrial components and fixtures.
Uses of Aluminium Wires
Uses of aluminium wires include:
Electrical Wiring
Aluminium’s superior conductivity-to-weight ratio makes it a preferred choice for electrical wiring, utilised in power grids, local power distribution lines, overhead power transmission lines, and in power wiring for certain aircraft.
Power Transmission
Aluminium wires are commonly employed for electricity transmission due to their low resistivity. This low resistivity reduces resistance, allowing for increased current flow in the circuit, making them excellent conductors of electricity.
Construction Projects
Aluminium wires’ inherent properties of being corrosion-resistant and lightweight make them extensively used in the construction industry. It’s used in external facades, doors, staircases, windows, walls, roofs, railings, shelves, and various other applications.
Explore Aluminium Wiring for Extensive Applications at L&T SuFin!
This guide helps you acknowledge the benefits, types and applications of aluminium wires. Before you choose wiring for your personal or workplace, ensure that you acknowledge each specification of the types of aluminium wires available and then go for the one that suits your needs the best.
L&T-SuFin provides all types of aluminium wires for safe and long-lasting wiring for your place with top-notch quality and durability. SME owners and procurement managers can expect to discover the best rates/prices from verified suppliers by raising quotations on the L&T-SuFin platform.