Comparative Corrosion and Current Burst Testing of Copper and Aluminum Electrical Power Connectors

Crimped and mechanically bolted aluminum and copper connectors are commonly used for terminating industrial electrical power cables with ratings up to 600 V. Aluminum connectors are available for use with aluminum and copper conductors, and copper connectors are available for use with copper conductor only. The performance of copper and aluminum connectors was compared by conducting accelerated aging under corrosive environmental conditions. The testing consisted of 2000 h of cyclic salt fog environmental exposure, in conjunction with periodic electrical current burst testing. The connectors were evaluated by comparing the change in resistance of the test samples as the test progressed

I. Introduction

For industrial and commercial applications, crimped and mechanically bolted aluminum and copper connectors are commonly used for terminating power cables. Copper connectors are available for use with copper conductor, and aluminum connectors are available for use with copper and aluminum conductors. Test standards for power connectors include CSA C57 and ANSI C119.4 500-cycle current cycling tests, which are intended to establish long-term performance. There are significant differences in the material and electrical properties of aluminum and copper and their oxides, which may affect their long-term performance.