When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

[SharpEars]

I've seen some right s--tty bell-wire before now.  Its sometimes copper clad steel, and you find out when you b----r up your precision dykes cutting it!

You are lucky it wasn't https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinsel_wire which is truely the invention of the devil if you don't have the right crimps and tooling.

How did you identify it as CCA?    Take a short offcut of the bare strands, scrape them and boil in washing soda in a glass beaker or jar.  CCA will disintegrate, copper or copper clad steel will not.  Copper clad steel is most easily identified with a small magnet.

1. There is another simple physical method as well: Solid copper's cross section is purplish red. CCA's cross section is silvery.
2. Usage: 2a) High frequency (conductor skin effect) & low current leads, e.g. network cable; 2b) Neutral wire of 3-phase motors (far less current than in the other 3 live wires).
3. Refund is the best.

You guys are making this way to complicated. The easiest test for CCA is as follows:

Take stranded wire, strip it, hold it over a lighter. If the strands warp and ultimately melt, it's CCA. If they keep their form as they get red, orange and ultimately almost white hot, they're copper (or CCS, which you can test for with a magnet).

Aluminum's melting point: 660.3° C (You can easily melt it with a good adjustable soldering iron set to 700°+ C)
Copper's melting point: 1085° C
Steel's melting point: 1370° C (That's why you need to also do the magnet test)

[Yansi]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

[Monkeh]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

 

[SeanB]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

When you are making 10 000 cheap microwave ovens a week and want to reduce the mass of the transformer by 1kg and the cost by $10.

[Yansi]

 But is the OP manufacturing a 1 000 000 series of microwave transformers? 

Still its not an excuse to use cheap rubbish. The price difference is too low for the difference in durability, quality and reliability.

[SharpEars]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

When you are making 10 000 cheap microwave ovens a week and want to reduce the mass of the transformer by 1kg and the cost by $10.

Don't give Som Tin Wong any ideas - oops, too late!

[SharpEars]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

It is OK when you are a sucker buying on eBay too clueless to know what CCA is. Duh, I can use it with ma' truck's battereh to get mo' of dem Col' Crankin' Amps (CCA)!1!!11!1!

[Monkeh]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

When you are making 10 000 cheap microwave ovens a week and want to reduce the mass of the transformer by 1kg and the cost by $10.

Don't give Som Tin Wong any ideas - oops, too late!

Large transformers already use aluminium windings, and they have for a long, long time. This includes expensive, Western manufactured units. Why? ... because in some applications, the cost and weight difference makes it the better material.

Aluminium is used for busbars and wiring in many situations as well, where again, the cost and weight savings make it a better choice.

None of this is copper clad, though.

[SharpEars]

When is it okay to use copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire?

It NEVER  is okay. Don't buy and/or use the cheap shit.

When you are making 10 000 cheap microwave ovens a week and want to reduce the mass of the transformer by 1kg and the cost by $10.

Don't give Som Tin Wong any ideas - oops, too late!

Large transformers already use aluminium windings, and they have for a long, long time. This includes expensive, Western manufactured units. Why? ... because in some applications, the cost and weight difference makes it the better material.

Aluminium is used for busbars and wiring in many situations as well, where again, the cost and weight savings make it a better choice.

Certainly for very low gauge (i.e., large diameter/volume) cable/bus bars where weight is most definitely a factor, this makes total sense. It also makes sense for heatsinks. For 18 AWG stranded wire, though... I think I'll pass...

[Ian.M]

The power companies love it for overhead lines.  Its got a better conductivity to weight ratio than copper, doesn't cause bimetallic corrosion of the high-tensile steel core and is *FAR* cheaper.   Other uses where mass or moment of inertia isn't important, its far less appropriate and small diameters or worse stranded, are only for sell-your-sister crooked cheese-parers! 

[Electro Fan]

Is this solid copper or something else?

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Hook-Up-Colors-dispenser-WK-106/dp/B008L3QJAS

[Yansi]

I'd rather spend some money for a proper wire from reputable manufacturer. CYA or LiFY (veeery nice) type one.
I am just not bothered using the cheap rubbish wires.

[Jay112]

I wanted to thank everyone for the help. I just received confirmation that the seller sent a full refund to my credit card.