Our modern, all electric furnaces provide copper alloy castings of the highest quality possible. The alloy used will vary according to the requirement of the component. Connectors requiring high tensile strength and corrosion resistance in application are cast from Anderson Alloy 112 (ASTM B-30 Alloy No. C95500). The 112 alloy is a 10% aluminum, 4.5% nickel copper alloy with a minimum tensile strength of 90,000 PSI.

Connectors requiring current-carrying abilities and reasonable strength are cast from Anderson Alloy 123 (ASTM B-30 Alloy No. C84400). The 123 metal is a 81% copper-3% tin-7% lead-9% zinc alloy.

For heavy duty copper compression connectors CDA 110 copper is used. This 110 alloy is 99.9% pure copper.

Other copper compression connectors are made from commercially pure high conductivity wrought copper.

Conductivity is purposely omitted in the above descriptions because it is often confused with current-carrying capacity. While connector alloys may vary in conductivity, design parameters are applied in each case to assure adequate capacity. While connector alloys may vary in conductivity, design parameters are applied in each case to assure adequate capacity to meet the particular application.

Bronze Bolted Connectors - Contact sealants are not normally required in copper connections. However, the use of sealant is recommended in severe corrosive environments and direct burial applications such as ground grids.

Vigorously clean the conductor and connector contact surfaces with a stainless steel wire brush.

Alternately and evenly tighten bolts with a torque wrench to the values shown in Recommended Torque Values table.

Hardware - Silicon bronze hardware is normally supplied for all conductor clamping bronze components. Stainless steel hardware may be substitued where and when necessary.

Copper Compression Connections - Vigorously clean the conductor contact surfaces with a stainless steel wire brush. Do not attempt to clean connector barrel. In general it is not necessary to apply sealant to the conductor or connectors. Copper connectors requiring sealant have the sealant applied at the factory. The use of sealant is recommended in severe corrosive environments and direct burial applications such as ground grids. Sealants may be designated for a copper connector by adding the appropriate suffix to the basic catalog number.

When making copper to aluminum connections, using bronze or copper connectors, best results will be obtained by using the following methods.

• Tin plate the copper base connection and use sealant between the aluminum and copper. (Tin plating may be specified by adding suffix "-TP" to bronze and copper connectors).
• Copper pad connectors may be attached directly to an aluminum pad if sealant is freely used.
• The use of an aluminum conductor in a standard copper base connector (plated or unplated), is not recommended.
• An aluminum to copper cable transition may be made directly using an aluminum connector as covered in the preceding section on Aluminum Connectors.

Note With Any Transition Method: Do Not Position The Aluminum Member In Such A Way That Would Allow Water To Drain From The Copper Connector Over (Or Into) The Aluminum Connection Point.

In regard to bolted connectors; components to be in contact with cable and tube are supplied with "as cast" surfaces. Conductor grooves for cables are designed with ample radii to prevent conductor damage.

Connector Design - In all of our bronze and aluminum power connectors, the temperature rise of the connector shall not exceed the temperature rise of the conductor with which it is intended to be used. The temperature rise of an electric power connector which connects conductors of varying sizes shall not exceed the temperature rise of the conductor having the highest temperature rise. All temperatures are based on the conductor being rated at 30 degrees rise over a 40 degrees ambient, indoors, in still but unconfined air. Our bronze and aluminum connectors conform to one of the following as applicable:

NEMA Standard Publications No. CC-1-1993
CC-3-1973 (ANSI C119.4-1976)
U.L. 486

Contact Sealants - Various sealant formulations have been developed to provide improved electrical and mechanical performance as well as environmental protection to the contact area. Non-petroleum base sealants are provided for underground applications and other applications where natural or synthetic rubber goods might be adversely affected.

The use of sealants are recommended for aluminum to aluminum or aluminum to copper connections which are subjected to severe corrosive environments and when used in direct burial applications such as ground grids.

Non-gritted sealants are recommended for flat connections and as a groove sealant in bolted connectors.

Our gritted sealants are primarily used in compression connectors. Aluminum compression connectors have sealant applied at the factory.

Aluminum stud connectors are supplied with factory applied sealant in the threaded portion. To obtain factory applied sealant in other connectors add the desired sealant suffix designation to the basic catalog number. Example: ACF-6-C-XB

"-XB" for petroleum based sealant