Does aluminum bus bars give you a better connection than just using power wire to connect batteries.

[MRLOVETHATBASS]

Does aluminum bus bars give you a better connection than just using power wire to connect batteries... if so wat the best size to use like 1" thick 2" thick etc.

[carshateme]

Aluminum and copper are both very good electrical conductors. Aluminum is less expensive and lighter in weight, But copper is a better conductor (Talking about wiring)

The reason for this has to do with two metallurgical properties of aluminum. First, aluminum corrodes, and the corroded aluminum is an insulator. Unfortunately, aluminum corrodes very quickly, and the corrosion is not visibly obvious. As a result. corrosion can be present in a connection involving aluminum conductors, and this corrosion can lead to localized heating in the connection.

The other problem is 'cold flow' - specifically, that when aluminum is placed under pressure, it will gradually conform to whatever physical constraint caused that pressure in a way that leads to a reduction in pressure. When connections are made to aluminum conductors, this characteristic causes those connections to gradually loosen over time as the aluminum 'flows' out of the joint.

[MRLOVETHATBASS]

Aluminum and copper are both very good electrical conductors. Aluminum is less expensive and lighter in weight, But copper is a better conductor (Talking about wiring)

The reason for this has to do with two metallurgical properties of aluminum. First, aluminum corrodes, and the corroded aluminum is an insulator. Unfortunately, aluminum corrodes very quickly, and the corrosion is not visibly obvious. As a result. corrosion can be present in a connection involving aluminum conductors, and this corrosion can lead to localized heating in the connection.

The other problem is 'cold flow' - specifically, that when aluminum is placed under pressure, it will gradually conform to whatever physical constraint caused that pressure in a way that leads to a reduction in pressure. When connections are made to aluminum conductors, this characteristic causes those connections to gradually loosen over time as the aluminum 'flows' out of the joint.

man thanks for the info, this makes me not even want to use aluminum bus bar no more and just use straight power wire now. do they make copper bus bars.

[carshateme]

Quite expensive, but yes. http://www.google.co...ed=0CJEBEPMCMAM

Pretty sure you can find it cheaper elsewhere though.

Edited April 10, 2012 by carshateme

[ALPINE408]

i never saw any gains from aluminum or copper bars there just so damn much easy to use and to connect to

[Noob_On_Droid]

That post sounds really good, but what I can't wrap my head around is how aluminum can be the most commonly used aerospace metal if it has those particular properties.

[carshateme]

EH, it's just science. I see them used as bus bars everywhere...so I'm not saying don't get it.

They use Aluminum in high voltage wiring in the business world...but some places don't allow aluminum as wiring due to fire hazards...whatever that means.

Edited April 10, 2012 by carshateme

[TeamHT]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081123165908AAfe4lk

[TeamHT]

And that copy and paste post doesnt even answer the question I dont think. I understood the question to be wire vs bus bars.

For me, the only difference I've seen is the ease of wiring. Not everyone can be like AMI and put 12 0 gauge wires on a single battery terminal. If youre only running a couple thousand watts, even up to 6,000 I say why bother? Unless you have ten small batteries just use wire.