Copper Clad Aluminum vs Copper: The Ultimate Test on a Fluke Versiv DSX CableAnalyzer

Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Marketing Specialist, BICSI TECH, INSTC, INSTF, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT Certified

Many customers are confused by the availability of cheap, lightweight twisted-pair Category cable made using copper clad aluminum (CCA). Why doesn’t trueCABLE sell it? Because in most areas of the United States, installation of twisted pair Category cable containing CCA in structures occupied by people is flatly illegal. But even if it wasn’t prohibited by code, we still wouldn’t sell it, because it doesn’t perform to expectations. From data loss to undervolting PoE (Power over Ethernet) devices, CCA is the bane of the communications cable industry.

In this blog, I will produce actual test results that demonstrate the abject failure of CCA “communications cable” to live up the claim of being a less expensive yet a valid alternative.

Take a look at the following video to see the tests being performed, then read on for further analysis.

What is Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA)?

CCA cable appears to be the same as solid or stranded copper cable from the outside. Even when stripping back the cable jacket to expose the twisted pairs you still cannot tell the difference. The difference between CCA vs. solid copper lies in how the conductor wire itself is constructed. A CCA cable conductor is an aluminum wire coated on the outside with a thin layer of copper.

Why is CCA a Problem?

If you read my previous blog, “Check Your Specs, CCA is Different from Solid Copper,” then you know that Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA) is bad...very bad. To recap some of the reasons:

• CCA is specifically excluded from ANSI/TIA standards for use in copper twisted pair Category cable (aka Ethernet) cable applications due to poor data and PoE transmission characteristics. No reputable industry standard organization recognizes the use of CCA in any scenario.

• CCA is prohibited by the National Electric Code (NEC) / NFPA 70 for twisted pair Category cable communications cabling due to a potential for fire hazard. The bi-metal construction is prone to excessive heating and in extreme edge case scenarios may get hot enough to literally melt its own conductor insulation and/or cable jacket!

• Copper clad aluminum cable will typically undervolt PoE devices such as WiFi access points and surveillance cameras, leading to equipment damage.

These industry and regulatory bodies only approve of solid or stranded pure copper for Category cable (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, etc.). Many people think data cable carrying Ethernet signaling somehow is not electrical in nature. In actuality, it is an electrical cable but falls into the low voltage category -- even if operating with PoE.

Yet, there are manufacturers still making CCA and sellers still selling CCA. 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 the difference between copper clad aluminum and solid copper Ethernet? Well, the blog I referenced earlier goes into detail. For now, know that the easiest way to tell the difference is by weight. Aluminum has one-third the density of copper, so a sample of CCA cable will feel ridiculously lightweight compared to an equivalent sample of copper cable.

How We Tested: CCA vs Copper on the Fluke Versiv DSX

For this particular experiment we will use the Fluke Versiv2 DSX-8000 cable analyzer. This is a rather expensive device, but will show precisely where copper wins and CCA fails miserably. The Fluke tester measures a cable under test according to the TIA standard for a certain Category. In order to pass this test, the cable must pass the Category printed on the cable jacket!

So let’s see how this CCA stuff performs next to our solid copper cable. Here are the test conditions:

• I picked a Brand X “Cat6” CCA cable from Amazon, 295 feet long to conduct a full length permanent link test.

• I then compared it to our Cat6 Riser U/UTP solid copper (Part Number: 6ECMR), and cut it to 295 feet also.

• Both cables were terminated at both ends to trueCABLE brand unshielded Cat6 punch-down keystone jacks. The T568B color code pattern was used.

• The Fluke DSX-8000 was set up for TIA Cat6 Permanent Link +PoE testing to get a comprehensive performance analysis. LinkWare PC was used to generate the results I am presenting.

Here are the results, and they speak for themselves. I won’t even bother to comment further. Well, maybe a little...but first the results:

Test Results: CCA Cable

As you can see, the test result above looks really bad. Notice the Resistance limit is 21.00 ohms, and this cable gave 31.08 ohms. Also notice the Resistance Unbalance test failed. That means one or more pairs are providing significantly more or less resistance than one or more other pairs.

Considering copper twisted pair Category cable relies upon equal resistance and balance to perform well, this is extremely bad.

These failures are common characteristics of CCA. It is simply bad at transmitting electrical impulses. PoE or data, for all intents and purposes, is essentially the same thing. So, it failed PoE but also basic metrics like Insertion Loss which is signal degradation over distance. Yup, that’s to be expected. I cannot overstate just how much risk you run of damaging your expensive electronic equipment if your intention is to run PoE. Oh, the cable failed the cross talk (NEXT) and RL (Return Loss) tests too.

Aluminum might be great in airplanes, but not Ethernet. Basically, CCA cable is good for stringing up your laundry if you aren’t into dryers.

Test Results: Solid Copper Cable

As you can see from the results above, our Cat6 Unshielded Riser performs well enough to pass the toughest test of them all, a Fluke Versiv CableAnalyzer. It handles PoE extremely well and passes all metrics. This is how a test report should look.
So now you know what an expensive test instrument has to say about CCA vs solid copper Category cable and results are not good. How about a less expensive tester like a bandwidth qualifier that pushes application data across the cable to determine how many bad Ethernet frames you get (like 1G, 5G, 10G)? Will CCA pass that? This is also known as BERT or Bit Error Rate Testing. Yes, we have those results too! See Copper Clad Aluminum vs Copper: Testing with the netAlly LinkRunner® 10G for more information!

Compliance, Codes, and Real-World Consequences

In the United States, it is not illegal to manufacture CCA communications cable. It is not illegal to sell CCA communications cable. It is illegal to install it. Even if a property owner gives you some CCA cable and directs you to install it, you—the installer, are liable for the consequences. And those consequences can be severe. If flagged by an inspector you will be responsible for replacing all of it with more expensive copper cable. If it mistakenly passes inspection, or if an inspection is not required in your area, you still have liability. Use of CCA communications cable can result in property damage and even loss of life in extreme circumstances. And even if it doesn’t burn, it will never perform properly.

Conclusion

So, there it is. Now you know for a fact just how badly CCA performs and how well our solid copper cable performs right next to it. CCA communications cable fails testing for resistance, resistance unbalance, near-end crosstalk, and return loss. Also, use of CCA cable to transmit PoE carries significant risks for your equipment and maybe even you or your customer. For data transmission, CCA is never the right choice. So when it comes to our products, we will never make that choice available. You can be sure that all of trueCABLE’s wire and cable products use conductors composed of 100% pure copper.

Happy Networking!

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