The Usage of Bimetallic Lugs
To terminate aluminium conductors onto copper bus bars, bimetallic lugs are used. These lugs are made with a copper aluminium barrel with a copper palm. The main purpose of bimetal lugs is to prevent corrosion that often happens in control panels, combiner boxes and switchgear in a solar plant. These lugs prevent corrosion from happening and increases the lifespan of the cables.
How bimetallic lugs are manufactured?
There are several methods that you can use to make bimetallic lugs. One of these methods is when the electrolytic copper palm is welded to the electrolytic aluminium barrel. In this method, both aluminium and copper molecules are strongly bonded together by force in order to create a durable and strong joint that requires high force for separation.
Likewise, both aluminium and copper cables are joined together using connectors called bi-metal in-line connectors. The aluminium barrel is provided by the aluminium cable and the copper barrel comes from copper cables. Similar to the aforementioned method, both of these parts are joined using friction welding. The pin-type and in-line connectors and similar connectors are made while considering the application of bimetallic terminals. There are different blends of bi-metallic combinations available. Such bi-metallic combinations are also made as per the unique current carrying capacity of different cables.
To avoid corrosion and contact resistance happening, aluminium barrels are treated using chemicals. The chemicals used are corrosion inhabitants that ensures no oxidation happens at exposed surfaces of cables and after that, the barrel ends are capped to avoid ingress of dust.
The uses of bimetallic lugs
The use of a bimetallic lug is quite specific and is used mainly when aluminium cables require termination to the copper contact or copper bus bar. This is a cost-effective way that ensures low monetary loss and also a safe way. Mainly used in solar plants, these are used to eliminate aluminium conductors onto copper bus bars in control panels, switch gears, electrical applications and combine boxes in solar plants.
Can’t we use single metal cable lugs?
This is one common question that most experts hear from consumers. In simple words, bimetallic lugs are used to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. Such corrosion happens when two dissimilar metals come in contact with each other causing a galvanic action. So, aluminium and copper barrels are two variant metals that are dissimilar to each other and cause metal corrosion.
To prevent this, the best method is the use of bi-metallic lugs. The copper with the forged flat palm with a hole will be attached with the busbar made of copper and the aluminium barrel will be touching the aluminium cable. This way a galvanic action is avoided and corrosion is avoided leaving behind durable and strong joints.
Also, there are other lugs as well that you may see made of aluminium and copper separately. Which one should you choose? It depends on the use, if you want to use lugs for electrical wiring of your home, you should go for copper lugs because aluminium has a bad history of causing a lot of fires because of electrical failures. On the other hand, bimetallic lugs are best for use in solar plants in control panels, and in other similar areas. The copper lugs came as a replacement for aluminium lugs, they are used all around the world because of their hazard-free nature. The combinations of both work best overall.
