Key Features of Copper Braid Busbars

• Multi Axis flexibility and direction – Copper braid provides multi axis connection and transition. In addition, tackling opposing alignments through 180 degrees can be easily overcome with this type of design.
• Connection Styles to suit your needs – When matching up an incomer to the distribution network it is good to know that the size of connection pad can be tailored to best suit your requirements.
• Cost – Tranect can offer a fantastic value service to meet your needs – put us to the test.
• Adaptability – Electro tinned finish / Plain finish / Insulated / Sealed
• Lead Times – Manufactured in the UK, we stock a lot of the key materials required to turn your project around quickly and for development projects we are normally able to supply a sample, photos, or further technical within a few days.
• Possibilities: Suitable for power systems up to 6300

Other Features:

Volume – Copper Braid is not a solid form and even under a lot of pressure won’t recover to a matched CSA. For example, a 60x10mm copper bar has the Cross sectional area of 600mm2

• whereas the equivalent 60mm wide Braid Busbar may work out to be 20mm thick – guidance on dimensions can be given upon request.
• Performance – Due to the nature of copper braid the electrical performance will differ from that of a solid bar – please refer to our performance table for guidance or contact us for more information.

Design and Range:

Developed from either flat or round wire braids in a variety of wire sizes (0.1,0.15 and 0.2mm) for degrees of flexibility Tranect can produce the braided flexible busbar to suit your needs, with contacts either in red/plain copper, Electro tin plated to 5 microns or as required, Nickel plated or even Silver plated for the best in electrical contacts.

For simplicity we like to leave as many options open to the customer as possible – it’s your system, don’t feel constrained by too many standard features. We have developed a high performance range of tooling to provide contact faces at what we have found to be the most relevant contact face widths – standard pad widths are 30,32,40,50,60,80,100,120 and 150mm wide – there is always some degree of compromise in getting the right connection for you between flexibility and size, so it may be that multiples of a smaller size are used to compensate for a large CSA or that a wide busbar is the best solution.

Options:

• Wire Surface Treatment: Plain/Red Copper, Electro tin plated copper as standards for most busbar applications.
• Pad Finish: Standards include plain/red copper and electro tin plated to 5 microns although we can competitively offer both silver and nickel plated finishes to maximize the products lifecycle and performance.
• Flared pads: reduces the chance of wire pinching
• Pad form: To best suit customer requirements – for example Nema Pad designs can be produced
• Refinishing / Consolidation: Dependent on size we can offer a refinishing service in ‘tin’ to recover exposed copper during machining, to improve electrical performance and to eliminate water penetration through the pad and into the busbar through capillary absorption.

Technical Specifications of the wire:

• According to EN 13602
• Cu-ETP Copper – 99.9%
• Mechanical resistance 200 min. MPa

Technical Specification of Tubes:

• According to BSEN12449
• Cu-DHP Copper – 99.9%
• Annealed prior to forming to prevent surface cracking

Technical Specification of Surface Treatments:

Electrolytic Tin Plating

• 5μm (Normal Operating Conditions)
• 15μm (Harsh Operating Conditions)

Electrolytic Silver Plating

• 5μm (Normal Operating Conditions)
• 15μm (Harsh Operating Conditions)

Selection guidelines:

The table on the Applications page defines the maximum current-carrying capacity (I Max) for a fixed section connection in stabilized operation at an ambient temperature (T amb) of 25^oC. We have additional information in our office for 35^oC and 45^oC ambient temperatures, please contact us for more information.

The max temperature attained by the conductor (I Max) is limited to 105^oC for tinned copper. I max = Temp Raising + Ambient temp = (105^oC) tinned copper.

This table represents just a few design options and the information is given for informational purposes only as there are multiple variables in the performance of a busbar and this data only address a few of them.

Short circuit performance:

We can calculate the temperature rise in the conductor under short circuit temperature, please contact us for further information.

Further Information:

We have additional information on our Copper Braid Products page https://www.copperbraid.co.uk/busbar-braids/