What is the composition of the silver-colored wire in the image?

[shawnz1102]

I'd like to know what material the bottom wire is made of. I'm pretty sure the top one is copper, but the bottom wire is silver in color. Could it be aluminum or can copper wires come in silver color? Both of the wires are 24 awg but the one on the top is single stranded and the bottom one is multi-stranded. Will i be able to solder them together?

[PLAIN]http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4231/img01521.jpg


Thanks !

 

[Wetmelon]

I've wondered this myself, I assume that the silvery one is aluminum or some sort of tin alloy?

But yes, you can solder them together, I've done it myself :)

 

[Topher925]

That kind of wiring is made from steel.

 

[schip666!]

Could also be (solder) tinned copper. Is the color homogeneous on the chopped end? If it's aluminum I would doubt the solderability, and even steel doesn't like to tin without more corrosive fluxes. The best way to see if you can solder them is try...

 

[dlgoff]

Does the wire have a manufacture and/or part number printed on the insulation?

 

[shawnz1102]

Does the wire have a manufacture and/or part number printed on the insulation?

I see some words on it but it's way too small for my eyes to see. I will contact the seller and ask what material it is.

 

[Mike_In_Plano]

Almost certainly, the wire is tin plated copper. It's quite common, even more common than bare copper for small hook up wires. It has the advantage that it solders great and is corrode.

A little more rare is silver plated copper. It is used for wire wrapping, board modifications, and I use it for jumpers on solder-less bread-board.

silver plated AWG24 doesn't survive forever, but it makes great connections for short term use.

Mike

 

[dlgoff]

Yea, it's probably just tin plated, but there is a chance that it's thermocouple wire. In which case it could be made from a number of alloy/metal types.