What is Copper Wire? | Facts and it's Uses

Copper wire is one of the cardinal electrical conductors that ensure smooth power circulation. No matter which electrical appliance it is, there is a greater chance that it comprises copper in high concentration. With the advancement in technology, the usage of copper has also shown remarkable transformation. 

Gone are the days, when copper would be used in its pure form. For people who live in humid areas, there is a greater inclination towards corrosion-resistant wiring. This is where copper alloys come into use. Tin-plated copper wiring is considered ideal to be used in such areas since it carries better longevity.

Interestingly, copper wires could also not escape the certain effects of all these years of technological evolution. Today, we have different types of such wiring, depending on the sector it is used in. For instance, beryllium copper wiring is a better choice for metalworking and machining.

In the same way, copper-clad aluminum wire is usually used when greater precision is required at a lesser price. Its variant i.e., copper-clad steel wire depicts greater usage in medical products. 

Copper has shown so much relevance in this industry, that this list will never end.

This is why, without further ado, let us dive right in;

What Is Copper Wire?

Copper wire is a derivative of copper which is one of the softest metals. These wires are mostly used in dealing with high surges of power because of their high melting point. The special thing about these wires is that you can give them any shape and they will not break. This is why such wires come in handy to make electrical appliances or even cookware products.

To add more to this, with the rise of the telecommunication industry, copper consumption has also increased. Usually, metals are considered to be brittle. This means that they succumb to pressure and break. 

However, copper is an unbreakable metal and demonstrates a great tolerance for high-pressure settings. This is the reason that no other metal wiring can be used in place of Copper Wiring. It is because other wirings cannot sustain under pressure and lose their form after a certain period. This has a disastrous effect and can ruin your appliance's power supply framework.

So we can say that appearances are deceptive at least in copper's case (so-called soft metal that outclasses the hardest ones to save the day!).

Where To Find Copper Wire?

You can find copper wire in small light fittings, refrigerators, televisions, or even washing machines. The usage of telephones has become very rare in the time of smartphones. We all have old telephone lines lying in our attic. Go and make productive use of them! It is because these lines have the best quality copper that is hard to find in the market these days.

To cut it short, you can find these wires in any appliance that requires highly flexible and durable wiring. 

How do I Identify Copper Wire?

You can easily identify copper wire because of its unique yellow color. Aluminum wires are usually silver. If you see any metal that is in greater abundance that has a yellowish-golden color, that is copper. This is another distinctive property of copper that retains its color even after going through many changes. 

In an electrical appliance, two metals are present in greater proportion: aluminum and copper. Now you know the reason behind seeing a silver and golden combination whenever you open an electrical appliance. No matter how many alloys are added, copper shows an admirable stubbornness when it comes to its color!

Is Copper Wiring Good in a House?

Copper wiring is good to be used in your house for many reasons. Firstly, this type of wiring is the easiest one to find. Let’s admit that no one likes covering miles just to get some wiring replaced. This is the reason that there is a good chance that you are going to find it in your nearest shop.

Secondly, it is resistant to oxidation. Not even aluminum shows this much resilience when it comes to corrosion. If you want to make a long-term investment in your house’s wiring, copper wiring is the best solution!

Are Electrical Wires Pure Copper?

When the discussion is about electrical wires and pure copper, there is a term that one can never avoid. It is "high-conductivity" that is used for a metal that aids in the greater and easier power distribution in a circuit. These are the high-conductivity wires that depict 99.95% pure copper and are mostly used in electrical appliances. 

The important thing here is that adding any other metal can have a disastrous effect on the conductivity of the copper wires. This is why the electrical wires are pure copper unless alloys are used to make them fit for different industries. 

Types Of Copper Wire:

The main types of it are;

• Copper Clad Steel Wire

• Copper Clad Aluminum Wire

• Copper Alloy Wire

• Titanium Clad Copper Wire

• Beryllium Copper Wire

These wires usually have a lot of types, all depending upon the other metal that is used. One thing to remember here is that if it is a single conductor, it is a wire. On the other hand, joining a lot of the wires results in the combination of multiple conductors. This is what we usually refer to as a copper cable.

What is the Thickest Copper Wire?

The thickest copper wire usually has a size of 0000AWG as per the Brown and Sharpe wire gauge system. The thickest wires have pure copper and are used to improve the conduction power of the appliance. Such thick wires are hard to find and are made on order from the buyers. The commercial sector shows a greater demand for thick wires to cope with the massive power supply.

The copper wires in appliances are refined and thinned by constant procedures for greater mobility and improved versatility.

What Is Thick Copper Wire Used For?

A thick copper wire is usually used as a means to supply power to conductors on tall buildings. This is because such electrical frameworks deal with a massive supply of current. This requires using thick wires so that they don't melt. 

In the same way, whenever low resistance is needed, such electrical wires come in handy. This is because the thicker a wire is, the lesser resistance it is going to have. On top of this, copper is already a soft conductor, so it is going to have the lowest resistance. Usually, in industries thick copper wires turn out to be the first choice to deal with huge power demand. 

What Is 2.5mm Copper Wire Used For?

The 2.5mm copper wire is used as a live wire, neutral wire, and earth wire. When you open up any used lighting product, it is the 2.5mm Wire that you see in there. Similarly, for any small electrical appliance that has domestic use, 2.5mm wire is usually prioritized.

Is Thick Copper Wire Used As A Fuse?

A thick copper wire can never be used as a fuse. This is because copper has a high melting point. When thick wires are used, the melting point becomes more resistant to damage caused by heat. This leads to an uninterrupted supply of current which can affect the appliances.

For beginners, a fuse wire is basically used to prevent any damage to the appliance in cases of overcurrent. For this purpose, wires with a moderate melting point are used. This helps when there is an increase in the current, for they melt, and the circuit breaks. 

Is Copper Conductor Or Insulator And Why?

Copper is an excellent conductor because of numerous reasons. For instance, it comes with a low resistivity. The copper metal has a large number of free electrons which ultimately makes it more prone to chemical reactions.

To add more, copper has a high melting point. This means current can keep passing through copper wire and it will not melt. There are many metals that have the same property but you cannot design them since they break easily.

This is not the case with copper. You can put it under pressurizing conditions and it will work just as fine.

Why Is Copper An Insulator?

Copper is not an insulator but a great conductor of heat and electricity. It can let the current pass through it without any hindrance because of the high melting point. The metal, like all other metals, consists of valence electrons. This makes it more prone to chemical reactions which result in the supply of power through it.

Insulators are supposed to serve as a hurdle in the way of high-energy electrons. Copper can never be an insulator since the resistance it offers is negligible. 

Is Copper A Good Electrical Conductor?

Copper usually ranks as one of the premium electrical conductors because it has low resistance and a high melting point. Whenever other wires are used in the electrical supply, the high current melts the wires and the appliance is damaged. This is not the case with copper. It is an exemplary electrical conductor for it allows the smoothest flow of current without any significant heat escape.

This is one property that makes it an ideal metal to be used in all kinds of electrical appliances.

Is Copper A Very Good Conductor Of Heat?

Copper is a good conductor because it carries all the heat in for a long time without requiring energy. The metal works by ensuring that no heat escapes its lining and the energy is retained within the wire. This is exactly why copper, apart from electrical appliances, is also used in cookware and heating systems. 

You can simply say that copper is an all-season metal no matter which purpose you want to use it for. This is the reason that copper is rightfully considered the king of the conductor industry.

What Does Copper Conduct Other Than Electricity?

Copper can conduct heat other than electricity. Copper is an ideal conductor since it obstructs the way to energy escape. There is zero wastage of energy and heat is conducted properly. This is the reason you might have seen those smart cooking pans that come with a higher proportion of copper. In the same way, the heating systems that are used in thermoregulation have copper as one of their primary conductors.

It is because it lets the heat pass without any resistance.

Which Metal Is Used In Electrical Wiring?

Copper is used in Electrical Wiring because it depicts a high electrical conductivity. Copper is one of the very few metals that have such a huge harboring of free electrons. This is the reason that copper wiring is highly conducive to smooth electric current. You can place aluminum on the second since it is also a pretty good conductor of electricity.

This is exactly why both of them combined, make an excellent wiring combination.

Takeaway:

Copper wire is an exceptional choice when it comes to allowing a free and exact supply of electric current. This is the reason that today we have a never-ending list of the types of these copper electrical wires. This includes nickel-plated and copper-clad aluminum wires which are two of the most prominent ones.

While being an electrical conductor, copper as a metal is just as ideal for the conduction of heat. This is why you can see a rise in the use of copper in cookware. 

Copper wires are cheaper, stronger, and more accessible as compared to the wirings one usually comes across in the market.