# pure oxygen free copper vs. copper clad aluminum



## steveopevo (Jan 23, 2010)

Some people say there's a difference. Some people say there isn't. A man tested his CCA's vs. much more expensive cable and claimed there wasn't a bit of difference. Your input.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

its simple.. aluminum conducts about 60% as well as copper. plus it degrades faster. /thread


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## hot9dog (Mar 23, 2013)

100% vote for copper. Dont split hairs with this one, just bite the bullet and pay for the copper, the numbers dont lie. Dont be a "baller on a budget"...... copper all the way.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

:inout:


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

and what is this claimed difference in? sound? or being able to supply power? if sound, then obviously not. power wire will composition will not effect the sound at all as long as the amp is getting the proper power. in being able to transfer said power, then you will need a 60% larger CCA wire than OFC to have the same performance. then you have to also deal with the fact that exposed CCA (where you crimp it, fuse it, plug into amp, etc) will turn to **** pretty quickly. take my word for it and learn from my mistakes. plus you can get OFC copper pretty damn cheap.

ROYAL EXCELENE WELDING CABLE


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## michael92 (Apr 7, 2015)

Sound should be the same...but if you have CCA in your car expect to replace the wires in a few years. I had it in my green truck and when I took the wires apart it was awful in being the ends fell off and that. It was even worse because they use a really cheap coating and it travels for the entire wire in some situations. A few of my runs were complete trash. 

I use OFC and in case of my power cables tin coated OFC. The tin stuff in particular looks brand freaking new 1.5 years later....I left the end exposed and everything.


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## stills (Apr 13, 2008)

I've noticed in residential applications aluminum connections vibrate loose much more often than copper.


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

we tried aluminum wire for houses in the 70's the result was fires......
8 gauge copper=4 gauge alum.it's a total waste imo. when did the cca start???
about the time all the amps started coming form china?
back in the 90's even boss wire was ofc...


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

CableYard.com is where I get my welding cable.

Use copper. It costs more. It sucks. It's annoying. It's unfair. 

User mother f'ing copper.


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

i love this stuff
Kolossus Fleks Kable


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## wisnulie (May 24, 2015)

nice information for me
thanks all


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

It's very simple and minimal thought should be applied, forget about OFC and cryogenically coated hogwash..
The link that Skizer provided you is the best bang for the buck, don't buy into marketing hype and just get the the cable that offers the most copper per dollar..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_conductor


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> It's very simple and minimal thought should be applied, forget about OFC and cryogenically coated hogwash..
> The link that Skizer provided you is the best bang for the buck, don't buy into marketing hype and just get the the cable that offers the most copper per dollar..
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_conductor


except ofc isnt hogwash. the stuff i linked is ofc


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## 14642 (May 19, 2008)

Depends on the use. For voice coils, CCA is often helpful, but we WANT resistance in a voice coil.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> except ofc isnt hogwash. the stuff i linked is ofc


While OFC may not be hogwash it's certainly not a good value when compared pure copper welding cable and tell me where did you read that Royal Excelene is/was OFC ?


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

Andy Wehmeyer said:


> Depends on the use. For voice coils, CCA is often helpful, but we WANT resistance in a voice coil.


Copper VC will just have more winding's or thicker wire.i would rather have a copper VC.i'm sure someone will point out that the VC will be heaver with copper but that don't bother me.
it's used in speakers because it's cheap the same way it's used for power because it's cheap not better.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

1styearsi said:


> we tried aluminum wire for houses in the 70's the result was fires......
> 8 gauge copper=4 gauge alum.it's a total waste imo. when did the cca start???
> about the time all the amps started coming form china?
> back in the 90's even boss wire was ofc...


 that was an attempt to safe on copper just like European countries do, with little difference, Euro use 220-230V supply that is much easier on wire required. copper clad is creative name for aluminum wire coated for very thin layer of copper. I would not install CCA in my car even if it was free.


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## 1996blackmax (Aug 29, 2007)

sirbOOm said:


> Use copper. It costs more. It sucks. It's annoying. It's unfair.
> 
> User mother f'ing copper.


Very well put! It's the correct way to go.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

if CCA was so great, in a vibrating all elements/seasons kind of installation then you would see a bunch of it in factory wiring.

I don't see it, so I suspect the car manufacturers using the higher cost material are on to something.

IF it's good enough for factory, it's good enough for me?


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## JungleSlut (May 30, 2015)

Ofc for the win. 

Silver = most conductive
Copper= second most cinductive ( unless corroded then less conductive than gold )
Gold= 3rd most conductive.


Nickel and tin all the other cheap **** metals. don't even have half the conductivity of those 3 metals.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

JungleSlut said:


> Ofc for the win.
> 
> Silver = most conductive
> Copper= second most cinductive ( unless corroded then less conductive than gold )
> ...


OFC doesn't win, all things being equal untreated copper will cost less money and flow more current than OFC, the ONLY advantage that OFC has over untreated copper is resistance to corrosion..


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## Kriszilla (Jul 1, 2013)

gstokes said:


> OFC doesn't win, all things being equal untreated copper will cost less money and flow more current than OFC, the ONLY advantage that OFC has over untreated copper is resistance to corrosion..


In a mobile environment, subject to humidity and bi-metallic corrosion from the connectors, OFC wins hands down. That corrosion resistance is a huge advantage.

It's easy to replace welding cable on a welder. It's not easy to rip out all of your installed power wiring when it has started to corrode.

The current carrying capability of OFC over untinned copper is negligible at best, even accounting for electrical skin effect.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

Kriszilla said:


> In a mobile environment, subject to humidity and bi-metallic corrosion from the connectors, OFC wins hands down. That corrosion resistance is a huge advantage.
> 
> It's easy to replace welding cable on a welder. It's not easy to rip out all of your installed power wiring when it has started to corrode.
> 
> The current carrying capability of OFC over untinned copper is negligible at best, even accounting for electrical skin effect.


Bro, I have nothing against OFC, am glad you like it, you don't have to defend it, it serves a purpose and has its place.


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

I have decided to change my wiring in my car to 100% OFC dual twist krypton shielded silver complete with anti-vampire force field technology... in the color of hot orange.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Kriszilla said:


> In a mobile environment, subject to humidity and bi-metallic corrosion from the connectors, OFC wins hands down. That corrosion resistance is a huge advantage.
> 
> It's easy to replace welding cable on a welder. It's not easy to rip out all of your installed power wiring when it has started to corrode.
> 
> The current carrying capability of OFC over untinned copper is negligible at best, even accounting for electrical skin effect.


1) there is no skin effect with dc current. 
2) even with your speaker wire, skin effect is a non issue with the frequencies we can hear


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

Ofc wire is so cheap at places like monoprice.com it doesn't make much sense not to use it over cca.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

sirbOOm said:


> I have decided to change my wiring in my car to 100% OFC dual twist krypton shielded silver complete with anti-vampire force field technology... in the color of hot orange.


don't forget to have them crogenically treated in liquid nitrogen for 24 hours then sun baked in the mojave desert for another week, now them babies are ready to flow some electrons at light speed


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> don't forget to have them crogenically treated in liquid nitrogen for 24 hours then sun baked in the mojave desert for another week, now them babies are ready to flow some electrons at light speed


and dont forget hand woven by Norwegian virgins


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## RandyJ75 (Dec 4, 2006)

sirbOOm said:


> I have decided to change my wiring in my car to 100% OFC dual twist krypton shielded silver complete with anti-vampire force field technology... in the color of hot orange.


Please share a link for said wire. I need some for my car as well.


Thanks













LOL


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## 1996blackmax (Aug 29, 2007)

Link would be greatly appreciated!


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

no need for a huge debate
this vid shows the diff.a video is worth a thousand words...but you don't need kicker wire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuSkIrdJdcw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH7s18qn2LE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms-wqCFaghs


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## Sine Swept (Sep 3, 2010)

I use so much CCA I am running out of terminal paste!


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

Sine Swept said:


> I use so much CCA I am running out of terminal paste!


did you watch the videos??? get that crap out of your car.i have always used OFC i don't even know what terminal paste is.:laugh:after 5 years no corrosion.....when i wired houses we used nolox on aluminum to keep it from corroding. OFC OFC OFC :laugh:


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

1styearsi said:


> did you watch the videos??? get that crap out of your car.i have always used OFC i don't even know what terminal paste is.:laugh:after 5 years no corrosion.....when i wired houses we used nolox on aluminum to keep it from corroding. OFC OFC OFC :laugh:


it was a joke


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## 1styearsi (Aug 13, 2012)

SkizeR said:


> it was a joke


i have no sense of humor.


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