Deciding Between Copper OR Aluminum Lugs. Which One Should You Choose?

Mechanical lugs are the kinds of lugs that play an essential role in connecting the cables and create a necessary part of the electrical system at home. Mechanical lugs are generally constructed from one of the two famous metals – aluminum or copper.

Regarding their functionality, both of these lugs perform the same purposes. However, the differences become quite apparent when you look at their particular traits and characters along with the applications where they will be used.

Let us monitor why both of these lugs are so important and what sets them apart and why copper
based terminal lugs are an obvious choice, and copper lugs manufacturers are limited in the world.

 

Aluminum Lugs:

Aluminum lugs are quite old given their history dates back to the early 1960s, when a considerable amount of innovation in the engineering sector was happening, with aluminum playing an essential role in that innovation. Back in the days, aluminum wires were used by almost everyone in their homes, offices, schools, etc. Since all of the electrical cables & wires were produced through aluminum, it became logical for many that electricians would consume aluminum bimetallic lugs at their connection intersections.

Sadly for the electricians, they experienced a lot of termination difficulties. Connections were scattered all over the intersections where aluminum based lugs were used, and due to the result, fires in the electrical equipment & supplies started happening regularly. Electricians in this regard were unable to comprehend why this was happening, mainly due to the reason that aluminum is a fantastic conductor of electricity and that they had been using it for an extended period.

When the fires became persistent, research indicated that aluminum-based lugs were the cause of the problem. The primary issue with the lugs was the creation of aluminum oxide which caused such a significant amount of fires, and that the problem stayed even after using a vast range of combinations. For example, the majority of the electricians started using aluminum-based wires with copper-based lugs and copper wires preferably with aluminum lugs. Both flopped massively.

 

Copper Lugs:

The best thing about using copper lugs is that it resolves almost all of the issues founded in the aluminum lugs. The factor of such polished safety with copper lugs has something to do with the expansion of co-thermal lugs. Without the need of going into technical information for the term, what you should understand is that an improved co-efficiency suggests a much more significant risk of fire, and copper has an incredibly low coefficient of thermal extension which is something that majority of the copper lugs manufacturers understand.

 

Copper or Aluminum – Which Should You Choose?

As of now, we have understood the fundamental differences between aluminum and copper lugs along with their pros and cons. Aluminum-based lugs are relatively cheaper but instigate tons of problems, while the copper one is a little expensive but efficient to the core. However, this depends entirely on you. Which one should you pick?

Unfortunately, the answer for this is not clear at all. Majority of the copper lugs manufacturers are wary of the existing problems and create lugs in accordance to it, but it’s entirely up to the people.

For me, copper lugs are the best because they don’t disrupt or cause fires and play a useful role in the wiring systems. These factors are the reasons why copper lugs manufacturers are segregated all over the world.

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