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The debate of using aluminum versus copper terminal lugs has its genesis in the early 1960s when the use aluminum wires as well as aluminum Terminal lugs, often called terminators now, was common. At this time the thermal properties of aluminum were little known. With little experience in terminating aluminum wires, fires were common and the rate of failure was high.
While professionals were still studying and learning about the high coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum compared to copper, they found out that aluminum Terminal lugs on copper wires worked well while copper Terminal lugs on aluminum wires failed.
The genesis of the problem was that unprotected aluminum Terminal lugs are known to corrode forming aluminum oxide. These experiences led to the commonly held belief that an all copper system works well. Hence the general thought was that conductors, Terminal lugs and bus bars all be built of copper. The advantage with copper Terminal lugs is that it is an antidote to the problems faced with aluminium Terminal lugs. This is largely on account of the lower co-efficient of thermal expansion of copper, which greatly reduces the risk of fire. The issue with copper Terminal lugs, however, is that on the cost front they are far more expensive than aluminium ones.
Copper versus Aluminum Terminal
Copper and aluminum Terminal lugs clearly have different sets of advantages. In fact, the advantage of one is the disadvantage of the other. While aluminum is more affordable, copper is more efficient. Therefore, answer the question on which of the two should be used, isn’t easy. There is definitely the lure of low costs for electrical manufacturers. To be able to reap the advantages of both aluminum and copper, lately a whole lot of innovations have been taking place, largely in the form of copper coated aluminum Terminal lugs that reap the advantages of copper without incurring its cost. In fact, the aluminum Terminal lugs have a copper or nickel coating which in turn is covered with tin or silver. These coatings ensure that there isn’t formation of high-resistance aluminum oxide, which occurs even more in moist conditions. With the use of the coating the formation of aluminum oxide even in moist conditions is stalled.
The above innovations therefore make the use of aluminum that much safer. However, the common perception remains that copper Terminal lugs are much better to use than aluminum. Given the issues that arose with aluminum Terminal lugs earlier, this clearly is a mindset issue which will take time to overcome. This is not to say that aluminum bodied Terminal lugs do not have some failures. However, if they are used within their design parameters, statistically the probability of failure isn’t higher than that of copper Terminal lugs. Aluminum-bodied Terminal lugs are known to show signs of cracking during installation, which can be prevented using a torque wrench.
While most manufacturers still use copper Terminal lugs, manufacturers these days are also increasingly seen using brass Terminal lugs, copper-plated Terminal lugs, tin-plated copper-Terminal lugs, tin-plated brass Terminal lugs and more. In some places using compression Terminal lugs is a necessity while the use of mechanical Terminal lugs is prohibited. Also, some specifications necessitate the use of compression Terminal lugs with tinning of copper conductors as it is believed that copper Terminal lugs prove to be stronger during a short circuit and also that they are less prone to corrosion.
To sum up, while many people still trust only all copper installations despite its price, as long as aluminum Terminal lugs have a copper or nickel flashing and tin or silver coating and the right torque wench is used during installation, there is no greater instance of statistical failure that has been noted. In choosing a lug due care must be taken to see what the main purpose of the cabling is, as also to see what kind of maintenance is required especially when the system is deployed in difficult conditions.
BICC offers a wide range of terminals, which are highly efficient and rich in features. In fact, Copper terminals also offer a wide range of solutions for subsea and off shore applications. Manufactured under the standards of IEC 61238-1 they adhere to international quality standards. The entire cable protection solution is designed to reduce hazards on account of fire, climatic toughness, electromagnetic interface protection and more. Copper Terminals are manufactured from seamless copper in compliance with BS EN 12449:2012 standards. The fact that they are manufactured keeping into account the corrosive components in the atmosphere and using material that best fits the requirements. What further adds to the effectiveness of the Copper terminals is their sealed enclosure.
