I have worked at a power company for over 30 years in maintenance of electrical power equipment rated from a few amps to over 30000 amps. Voltages from a few volts to over 500000. We use both aluminum and copper. Both require maintenance including scheduled shutdowns. It is not Ron Popiel you dont set it and forget it. Most of the problems I have seen are caused by the lack of maintenance or improper maintenance or installation. Over tightening of connections from both maintenance and manufacturers is a problem for both aluminum and copper. Both cold flow and cause loose joints. Unplated steel bolts corrode when used with aluminum or copper. Both oxidize and a joint compound is needed. Thermography, visual inspections, resistance checks, cleaning, checking connection tightness are all good tools to check for hot joints. Do not rely solely on methods that do not require shutdowns. If installed properly shutdowns can be once every 10 to 15 years. And that "IF" is a big one. As our failure analysis expert says "the correct answer is always depends". In this case both depend on good installation and maintenance practices and recognizing the appropriate design requirements and constraints.
g p edens
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