Within certain parameters, CCA wire allows to utilize all of copper’s benefits for a drastically lower cost. At the same time, a CCA cable network helps balance out the world’s copper supply. A copper clad aluminum wire is composed of an aluminum inner core and a copper outer ‘skin’. While the wire contains less copper than solid copper wire, it provides virtually the same conductivity with only slightly higher resistance. This is possible due to do an electrical phenomenon known as “skin effect.”

Yet, there are manufacturers still making it and sellers selling it. Why? Here are some reasons:

YOU. Yes, you heard it right. Not you specifically, but people in general. If there was no one buying it, there would not be a market for it. Some people knowingly buy CCA, which leads us to the next possible reason…

Taking advantage of people who don’t know any better. Folks shop for price alone quite often, and if the product seems legitimate then why not pay less?

Straight up dishonesty. The manufacturer and seller know it is CCA, but label it as copper anyway or don’t disclose what it is made out of. This is the worst case scenario but it does happen. In fact, recent information even indicates that these folks will go as far as putting weights into the box to make them heavier. Copper weighs more, you see.

So how do you tell? Well, the blog I referenced earlier goes into detail. For now, let’s see how this CCA stuff performs next to our solid copper cable.