Comparative corrosion and current burst testing of copper and aluminum electrical power connectors

Crimped and mechanically bolted aluminum and copper connectors are commonly used for terminating industrial electrical power cables with ratings up to 600 V. Aluminum connectors are available for use with aluminum or copper conductor, and copper connectors are available for use with copper conductor only. The performance of copper and aluminum connectors was compared by conducting accelerated aging under corrosive environmental conditions. The testing consisted of 2000 hours of cyclic salt fog environmental exposure, in conjunction with periodic electrical current burst testing. The connectors were evaluated by comparing the change in resistance of the test samples as the test progressed.