What is Enamelled Wire and Its Relationship with Copper?

Enamelled wire is a type of winding wire. It is electromagnetic wire made by coating copper, aluminum, and other metal conductors with a layer of insulation varnish and then drying it through various processes. This layer of insulating varnish ensures that the conductors remain insulated from each other, preventing electrical leakage and withstanding certain voltages. Enamelled wire is mainly used in electrical equipment such as motors, transformers, reactors, and relays.

For example, in common small DC motors, the enamelled wire is wound around the rotor and stator of the motor. When current flows through the enamelled wire windings, a magnetic field is generated, driving the motor to rotate. Copper is one of the most commonly used materials for making enamelled wire because of its excellent electrical conductivity and low resistivity. At standard atmospheric pressure and normal temperature, copper has very low resistivity, which effectively transmits current and reduces energy loss.

For instance, in power transmission, using copper conductors compared to some other metals enables electrical energy to be transmitted more efficiently to the destination. Therefore, many enamelled wires use copper as their core material. When a copper conductor is coated with insulating varnish, it becomes enamelled wire. The insulating varnish can be a variety of types such as polyester varnish, polyimide varnish, etc. These insulating varnishes allow the copper conductor to safely carry current in the windings of electrical equipment without causing short circuits through contact with other components or the windings themselves.

For example, in transformers, enamelled copper conductors are wound tightly together. Without the protection of insulating varnish, current would stray between the conductors, likely rendering the transformer inoperative.

Enameled wire also has disadvantages

For instance, different enamelled wires have varying temperature resistance levels, but overall these ranges are narrower compared to some special high-temperature resistant materials. Common polyester enamelled wire, for example, typically has a long-term use temperature of around 130°C-155°C.

When used in high-temperature environments, the insulating varnish of the enamelled wire ages faster. Excessive temperatures can change the physical and chemical properties of the insulating varnish, such as making it soft or brittle. When these issues occur, the insulation performance diminishes.

During motor operation, if the motor runs overloaded for a long time or has poor heat dissipation, the temperature around the enamelled wire increases beyond its thermal limit, which may lead to short circuits, affecting the motor's normal operation.

Additionally, the insulating varnish is easily damaged. The insulation of enamelled wire largely relies on its outer layer of insulating varnish. During actual installation and use, the enamelled wire is prone to mechanical damage. In environments with vibrations or frequent bending, the insulating varnish can easily crack or peel off.

Some enamelled wires with weaker overload capacity have a certain current-carrying capacity by design. If the current flowing through the enamelled wire exceeds its rated capacity, excess heat is generated. Given the limited heat dissipation capacity of enamelled wire, the excess heat accelerates the aging of the insulating varnish and increases the resistance of the metal conductor.

For example, in transformer short-circuit failures, the short-circuit current increases instantly. Enamelled wire cannot withstand such overload currents, potentially damaging the insulating varnish, leading to short circuits in the transformer windings and causing equipment damage.

How does the enamelled wire price compare to other winding wires?

Firstly, raw material costs are relatively high. Enamelled wire typically uses copper or aluminum as conductors, especially copper enameled wire, which costs more. Copper constitutes a significant portion of enamelled wire costs. When market copper prices rise, enamelled wire prices follow suit.

Secondly, enamelled wire production requires multiple processes, including drawing, annealing, varnishing, and baking to form an even and good insulating varnish layer on the metal wire surface. These complex manufacturing processes increase production costs, making the price to buy enameled wire relatively high.

For some high-performance enamelled wires, such as corona-resistant enamelled round copper wire for variable frequency motors, higher production process requirements further increase the price.

Enameled copper wire prices are significantly higher than aluminum enamelled wire. Some companies, in applications with low requirements for conductivity and corrosion resistance, choose aluminum enamelled wire to reduce costs.

Additionally, prices vary significantly based on the diameter, length, and other specifications of the enamelled wire.

Compared to some emerging high-tech winding wire materials, enamelled wire is a traditional and mature product, so its price is relatively stable. In a balanced market supply and demand situation, price fluctuations for enamelled wire are typically small. However, there have been significant fluctuations in recent years. This is because the main raw materials for enamelled wire, copper, and aluminum, are significantly affected by international market supply and demand as well as macroeconomic conditions! When raw material prices fluctuate significantly, so do enamelled wire prices. If global economic recovery boosts the demand for copper, pushing its price up, enamelled wire prices will rise accordingly.

Jintian Copper is a reliable enameled wire supplier

Jintian Copper has rich experience in manufacturing various types of enamelled wire, including polyimide magnet wire, direct welding polyurethane enamelled round copper wire, polyester enamelled round copper wire, nylon composite enamelled wire, corona-resistant enamelled round copper wire for variable frequency motors, and enameled flat copper wire.

Jintian Copper is dedicated to producing enamelled wire with durable insulation performance that meets the highest industry standards, ensuring the safe flow of current in electrical components while preventing short circuits. Their products are manufactured through rigorous processes, including drawing, annealing, coating, and baking, to meet diverse application needs. Whether you need standard or high-performance enamelled wire, Jintian Copper has the expertise and technology to provide exceptional quality. As a leading enameled wire supplier, Jintian Copper is committed to delivering innovative solutions for your wiring needs, helping you achieve excellent performance and reliability in electrical equipment.