Some in the electrical industry hold two beliefs about copper-clad aluminum (CCA) conductors when used in power circuit applications. One of these beliefs is that conductors of CCA are just like single metal aluminum conductors and should therefore be treated in the same manner. The other belief is that at 60 Hz the current in CCA conductors runs mainly in the copper layer, like a “skin effect,” rather than being distributed throughout the entire cross-section of the conductor. This white paper provides evidence that these beliefs are unfounded.
