Copper Wire or Copper Colored Aluminum?

**theghost508** · 07-03-2014, 05:29 PM

Ive been scrapping thin wires that I took out of a few printers/cables and I can not tell if it is copper wire or just copper colored aluminum or some other material. Any tips on how to tell the difference? I am trying to look at the ends and file it down to see but I am not sure. Don't want to be peeling wires all day if its just aluminum and not copper.

**miked** · 07-03-2014, 05:37 PM

Experience will help the most here. Some wire is tinned Cu, and it appears to be Al. If you scrape it with a blade or file the Cu should show, even on thin wire. If you don't see the color of Cu then its Al.

You will soon notice how much heavier Cu wire is when compared to Al wire. Mike.

**Otto** · 07-03-2014, 06:16 PM

For thin gauge wire, you can tightly twist a bunch of stripped wire together, then run a file or grinder over it. Most likely it will be tinned copper.

**Mechanic688** · 07-03-2014, 06:18 PM

Tinned copper won't show the copper if you scrape it usually.

**redcrossnj** · 07-03-2014, 11:59 PM

Yep you will usaully need a file because with the sun and glares sometimes a knife may not be enough in my experience

**eesakiwi** · 07-12-2014, 01:17 AM

Cutting plated, tinned wire, with cutters normally smears the outer layer across the cut face.

I find that Copper wire is stronger, pelling out one wire and stretching it is hard, then it snaps.

Ali wire, on the other hand, pretty much snaos once you pull on it.
Sliding a file or shsrp knife or flat bladed screwdriver across the insulation is a god way too see what's inside it.

I have found Ali wire in NZ Crt TVs degausing coil, clothes drier motors, later model and duel use microwave transformers.

What's your wire comming from?

**Otto** · 07-12-2014, 09:22 AM

^^ I agree with the above locations for aluminum wire. Where i don't find it is in smaller gauge general purpose appliance (both large and small) wiring. I'm not saying it's not out there, but that I don't come across it.