When to Use Copper Clad Steel？

Bi-metallic product

Copper-clad steel (CCS), also known as copper-covered steel or the trademarked name Copperweld is a bi-metallic product, mainly used in the wire industry that combines the high mechanical strength of steel with the conductivity and corrosion resistance of copper.

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It is mainly used for grounding purposes, line tracing to locate underground utilities, drop wire of cables,[1] and inner conductor of coaxial cables, including thin hookup cables like RG-174 and CATV cable. It is also used in some antennas for RF conducting wires.

The first recorded attempt to make copper clad steel wire took place in the early s.[2] Although for over 100 years people had been suggesting various ways of uniting copper and steel, it was not until the period mentioned that Farmer and Milliken tried wrapping a strip of copper about a steel wire. American engineers in and again in the s made attempts to produce a copper-steel wire, in one instance at least, by electroplating copper on steel.[1]

The Duplex Metals Co. traces its beginning to John Ferreol Monnot between and . He had been very interested in the work of Mr. Martin in Paris.

"After several years devoted to experimenting, [he] organized the Duplex Metals Company. Prior to his discovery of the process under which this company operates in producing its copper clad, probably almost every other possible way of welding copper and steel together had been tried by Mr. Monnot, but found useless for the purpose."[2][1]

Copper-clad steel wire find applications in grounding, connection of ground rods to metallic structures, ground grid meshes, substations, power installations, and lightning arresters. This wire is also sometimes used for power transmission.

Copper coated welding wire has become common since wire welding equipment has become popular.

Copper-clad steel is occasionally used for making durable radio antennas, where its HF conductivity is nearly identical to a same-diameter solid copper conductor. It is most often used in antennas with long spans of unsupported wire, which need extra strength to withstand high tension which would cause solid copper or aluminum wire to break or stretch excessively.

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The main properties of these conductors include:

• Good corrosion resistance of copper
• High tensile strength of steel
• Resistance against material fatigue

Since the outer conductor layer is low-impedance copper, and only the center is higher impedance steel, the skin effect gives RF transmission lines with heavy copper-cladding a low impedance at high frequencies, equivalent to that of a solid copper wire.

Tensile strength of copper-clad steel conductors is greater than that of ordinary copper conductors permitting greater span lengths than with copper.

Another advantage is that smaller diameter copper-clad steel conductors may be used in coaxial cables, permitting higher impedance and smaller cable diameter than with copper conductors of similar strength.

Due to the inseparable union of the two metals and the low amount of the more costly one, it deters theft since copper recovery is impractical and thus has very little scrap value.

Installations with copper-clad steel conductors are generally accepted as fulfilling the legal specifications for a good electrical ground. For this reason its use is preferred by industrial companies and utilities when cost is a concern.

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• Copper conductor
• Copper-clad aluminium wire

An electric company has been switching from #4 bare copper grounding electrode conductors to #4 copper clad steel on single family homes. I cannot find anything in NEC 250 allowing this.
Would love to know what y’all think. “An electric company”..
What does that mean? A utility or an EC company?
If it’s a utility why is the utility installing the GEC?
It’s not allowed in the NEC.
We use it all the time under the NESC.

I am not familiar with what the NESC says about copper clad steel however I’m guessing that the NEC won’t approve this due to a life span of 40-50

Copper clad steel isn’t mentioned and therefore not allowed in the NEC IMO

GEC Materials, NEC 250-62: Copper, aluminum or copper-clad aluminum.

Unless it is listed maybe?

250.62Grounding Electrode Conductor Material. The grounding electrode conductor shall be of copper, aluminum, copper-clad aluminum, or the items as permitted in 250.68(C). The material selected shall be resistant to any corrosive condi‐ tion existing at the installation or shall be protected against corrosion. Conductors of the wire type shall be solid or stran‐ ded, insulated, covered, or bare. Curious. I had to look up copper clad steel wire to see what it even is. Apparently One of its primary uses is in grounding systems.

Maybe the utility has started using it so the electrical contractor figured if it was good enough for the utility is good enough for him.

Curious. I had to look up copper clad steel wire to see what it even is. Apparently One of its primary uses is in grounding systems.

Maybe the utility has started using it so the electrical contractor figured if it was good enough for the utility is good enough for him.

We started using it to stop (or lessen) copper theft.
Train the crooks..
Especially in substations. It’s only used above ground.
During our monthly inspections we have to note any corrosion, rust, etc.

Curious. I had to look up copper clad steel wire to see what it even is. Apparently One of its primary uses is in grounding systems.

Maybe the utility has started using it so the electrical contractor figured if it was good enough for the utility is good enough for him.

Maybe figures inspector won't notice any difference and he cuts costs with it.

simple to check with a magnet to tell if it has steel in it though.

Maybe figures inspector won't notice any difference and he cuts costs with it.

simple to check with a magnet to tell if it has steel in it though.

not sure what the point is. #6 copper can't be all that much more expensive than this stuff.

I poked around the Internet and found it is also used as a tracer wire so underground utility installations can be tracked down.

not sure what the point is. #6 copper can't be all that much more expensive than this stuff.

I poked around the Internet and found it is also used as a tracer wire so underground utility installations can be tracked down.

Most tracer wire I've seen is only like 12 AWG size or something close to it and is usually covered and not bare.

Most tracer wire I've seen is only like 12 AWG size or something close to it and is usually covered and not bare.

I did not look real close at it. #6 copper clad steel is definitely is not electrically equivalent to #6 copper. Even if it was acceptable to use per the NEC I'm guessing you would need to use a much larger conductor.

#6 copper clad steel is definitely is not electrically equivalent to #6 copper. Even if it was acceptable to use per the NEC I'm guessing you would need to use a much larger conductor.

It is just a gec.

It is just a gec

So the sizing specified by the NEC for copper, aluminum and copper-clad aluminum can be ignored?

Also remember that if the if the GEC is connected to an underground metal water service there may be some current flow.

So the sizing specified by the NEC for copper, aluminum and copper-clad aluminum can be ignored?

The code does not specify a size for copper clad.

Think of it this way. If it is connected to a rod the rod might we'll be made of steel. Logically, Why can the rod be steel but not the conductor?

The code does not specify a size for copper clad.

Think of it this way. If it is connected to a rod the rod might we'll be made of steel. Logically, Why can the rod be steel but not the conductor?

Look at Table 250.66. It states sizes for copper-clad aluminum. Aluminum is a better conductor that steel so who know what the equivalent size of copper-clad steel would be.

For a ground rod it probably doesn't matter much but as I mentioned it could make a difference on a water pipe bond.

The code does not specify a size for copper clad.

Think of it this way. If it is connected to a rod the rod might we'll be made of steel. Logically, Why can the rod be steel but not the conductor?

The rods are supposed to have at least 10 mils of cladding on a 5/8 rod which is SUPPOSED to be equal to a #6 copper rod.
Haven’t put a lot of thought into the whole cu clad steel wire…