Category:Electrical

Electric Wire Materials

• Copper Electrical Wire - Copper is considered the standard in wiring. Most homes and appliances use copper for two reasons. It is easy to mold or bend and it is a good conductor. Copper is rather easy to come by but not as easy as other conductor metals.

• Aluminum Electrical Wire - Aluminum is also easy to mold and bend but less of a conductor than copper. If you decide to use aluminum wire that will carry the same amount of electricity as a copper wire, the wire needs to have a larger diameter. Since aluminum is more abundant than copper, it makes it the cheaper of the two.

• Silver Electrical Wire - Silver is the best conductor of electricity for high temperatures. However, it is hard to bend and expensive.

• Alloys in Electrical Wire - In manufacturing, an alloy may sometimes be used. Aluminum and copper can be used for cost and conductibility.