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Re: [Shop-talk] Is this really true ??

To: "Peter J. Thomas" <pj_thomas@comcast.net>, "Karl Vacek"
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Is this really true ??
From: "old dirtbeard" <dirtbeard@pacbell.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:42:03 -0800
Years ago I worked as a linesman for the railroad in Michigan (the Grand 
Trunk Railroad, a subdivision of the Canadian National).

For all of the pole line AC wiring, it was copper clad steel core (copper 
plated steel core). For all of the low voltage DC, they used solid copper.

>From my limited studies in physics, I do know that the preponderance of 
electrical conduction is at the surface, but I also know than transmission 
rates are highly dependent upon frequency.

That much said, I am no help.

best,

shook
____________________
'72 BSA B50SS
'74 Triumph TR6
'01 HD XLH 883
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter J. Thomas" <pj_thomas@comcast.net>
To: "Karl Vacek" <KVacek@Ameritech.net>
Cc: <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Is this really true ??


> On 12/10/2009 8:08 PM, Karl Vacek wrote:
>> Today's Hemmings weekly newsletter had the following article on a new
>> copper-coated aluminum battery cable material from Accel.  The aluminum 
>> cable
>> is said to conduct as much current as a similar gauge of copper, because 
>> the
>> aluminum is copper-coated, and (they assert) "as with any electrical 
>> cable,
>> the current flows over the surface of the strands, not through them".  If 
>> this
>> is true, why then doesn't stranded wire carry far more current than
>> similar-gauge solid wire ??  Lots more surface area.
>>
> It does, but not as much as you would expect.  As electrons flow through 
> wire they repel each other, just like two north poles on magnets, pushing 
> to the surface.  This effect is why your car is the safest place in a 
> thunderstorm.  Stranded wire has more surface, but the electrons are still 
> pushed outward to the outer strands.
>> The article follows.
>>
>> Karl
>>
>>
>> ACCEL introduces lightweight battery cable
>> Racers are always on the lookout for new ways to shave mass from their
>> machines, looking for even a small advantage over the other guy. 
>> Recently, at
>> the SEMA show in Las Vegas, ACCEL rolled out one of its newest techniques 
>> for
>> saving a few pounds: Lightning Cable. The name is a clever play, as these
>> cables offer the benefit of lightening combined with excellent electrical
>> current flow.
>>
>> The design of the cable itself is fairly clever as well. Typical battery 
>> cable
>> is made from copper strands for superior conductivity, but copper is
>> significantly heavier than aluminum, though aluminum cant provide the 
>> same
>> quality of current flow. ACCELs solution was to use aluminum strands 
>> coated
>> with copper, since, as with any electrical cable, the current flows over 
>> the
>> surface of the strands, not through them. The result is a battery cable 
>> that
>> weighs half as much as similar gauge copper without sacrificing 
>> performance.
>>
>> Lightning Cable is offered in 1/0-, 2- and 4-gauge wire thickness and is
>> available with trick compression terminals that fasten by inserting the
>> stripped end of the cable into the fitting and then threading the fitting 
>> into
>> the terminal. Heat-shrink wrap is also offered to finish off cable 
>> assemblies.
>> For more information, go to www.accel-ignition.com
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