There are different standards of “OFC”. In any case, OFC or regular copper wire are both a lot better than copper-clad or pure aluminum. It's often recommended to buy a gauge larger if you're going with CCA over OFC, but you should just go with OFC wire instead.18 Apr 2019
What is the benefit of oxygen-free speaker wire?
According to tests, oxygen-free copper also runs cooler than other conductors. It's more resistant to shorts, more durable and long-lasting, and is far less likely to corrode, due to the reduced oxygen content—at least, that's the common wisdom.8 Feb 2018
Is oxygen free copper pure copper?
C10100 also known as oxygen-free electronic (OFE). This is a 99.99% pure copper with 0.0005% oxygen content. While OF is considered oxygen-free, its conductivity rating is no better than the more common ETP grade below. It has a 0.001% oxygen content, 99.95% purity and minimum 100% IACS conductivity.
Why is oxygen free copper used?
Oxygen-free copper is used for industrial applications, such as for the windings in large electrical generators where the wire is constantly exposed to high temperatures and vibration, as well as for audio and video cabling, where the increased conductivity is believed to improve low-frequency transmission.4 Jun 2010
Why is oxygen free copper used for high conductivity?
The high purity levels of oxygen-free copper enhance the properties typical of standard copper material, such as thermal and electrical conductivity, ductility, impact strength, and machinability. Due to these advantageous properties, the material finds use in a variety of industrial applications.
What is copper oxygen-free wire?
Overview of OFHC Copper Oxygen-free, high-conductivity (OFHC) copper—sometimes referred to as simply oxygen-free copper—is a copper material that has undergone electrolytic refinement to reduce the oxygen contained within it to very low levels (typically less than 1/100 of a percent).19 Mar 2021
What is oxygen free copper used for?
Oxygen-free copper is used for speaker wires, audio/video connector cable assemblies, and amplifier wires. Due to its high purity, it is supposed to have higher conductivity and a better ability to transfer low-frequency sounds.
Is pure copper oxygen-free?
During copper smelting, oxygen is added to the metal to help remove impurities. Oxygen-free copper has been refined to reduce the amount of oxygen in the metal in order to increase conductivity and resistance to oxidation. There are three levels: C10100 (oxygen-free electronic or OFE) — 99.99% pure copper.4 Jun 2010
What is oxygen free copper made by?
Oxygen-free copper—also referred to as OFC, Cu-OF, Cu-OFE, and oxygen-free, high-conductivity copper (OFHC)—is formed by melting copper and combining it with carbon and carbonaceous gases.