[TowerTalk] Copper wire prices

[Bill Gillenwater]

Maybe it's the recycle value of bare copper vs. insulated?

Bill K3SV



Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
> I just asked MWS Industries (the big magnet wire company)
> about aluminum wire with formvar.  They said they don't
> make any insulated aluminum wire.
>
> I will note that insulated copper house wire is actually cheaper than
> bare copper "ground" wire, so it seems as if the insulation
> is dirt cheap to put on.  Or it may be an accounting anomaly.
>
> Rick N6RK
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
>> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Jim Lux
>> Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2006 6:45 AM
>> To: K8RI on TowerTalk; TOWERTALK at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Copper wire prices
>>
>>
>> At 06:03 PM 11/17/2006, K8RI on TowerTalk wrote:
>>     
>>> I doubt Alodine would be very effective for buried radials and
>>>       
>> it is a lot
>>     
>>> of work.
>>>       
>>
>>
>>     
>>> The Aluminum is etched with Phosphoric Acid, thoroughly washed and then
>>> given repeated treatments
>>> http://www.rci-products.com/ALODINE.html
>>> of Chromic Acid each of which is followed by thorough washing.  This
>>> produces the Gold color which is relatively fragile.  A good
>>>       
>> rubbing with a
>>     
>>> dry paper towel will remove it.  OTOH if handled carefully the
>>>       
>> majority of
>>     
>>> the wire would remain coated. In a cold climate like here in Michigan the
>>> freeze and thaw cycle would eventually remove the coating by the abrasive
>>> movement of the soil. How long that would take I have no idea.
>>>       
>> The question is whether an aluminum wire manufacturer could provide
>> passivated wire, perhaps coated also for mechanical abrasion
>> resistance, for a price that's less than bare copper wire.  "enamel"
>> wire isn't much more expensive than bare wire, and the wire
>> manufacturers do all sorts of chemical treatments, so if they DO the
>> corrosion protection at all, I wouldn't expect it to cost a lot.
>>
>> Jim, W6RMK
>>
>>
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>>     
>
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