Need help finding a pure copper UTP cable (CCA vs pure copper UTP cables)

[dinisvale]

Hello.

I'm a DIY enthusiast and I made some home network installations, mainly for security cameras. For more than 2 years, I've been using this CCA utp cable. This one is clearly listed as CCA. At the time, I didn't pay attention to how it was made.

A few weeks ago, I ran out of cable, so I decided to buy a new one. This time I paid more attention to the conductor properties of the cable and I found a lot of reasons to avoid CCA cables and stating they are not complaiant with IEC/IEN, TIA standards. So, I decided to be careful when buying an UTP and only buy solid copper cables. I ordered this cable since it had the IEN/IEC, TIA... standards.

When it arrived, I did the burn test and I was surprised to see that it melted right away, proving that it is a CCA cable although it was not listed as a CCA and on the box it doesn't have "CCA" written anywhere. I checked that it even has the IEN/IEC, TIA standards written on it. I also checked my previous cable (that is explicitly) listed as a CCA cable and it also has the IEN/IEC and TIA standards written on it.

I'm kinda lost here... I see everybody in the internet discouraging people from buying CCA cables, since they have much higher resistance. They always state that CCA cables are not compliant with standards. However:
Firstly, at least here in my country (Portugal), I can almost find no cable that says pure copper. So, there seems to be 100% advice against CCA, but I only see CCA being sold, almost no copper. Secondly, I don't understand how the cable that is explicitly listed as CCA can have standards approvals. Are they fake? For me it's hard to believe they are fake because the cable has been arround for more than 3 years. Or did IEC/IEN started approving CCA cables now? And for this one that is not explicitly listed as CCA, are the standards printing on the cable also fake?

So, I would like you guys to explain me what is going on with the whole pure copper vs CCA thing. And, if you think that I should really avoid CCA, can you please give me some advice on what should I watch for to buy one on the internet (and where can I get one)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SJD]

I can understand using solid copper rather than copper clad aluminium, due to the electrical properties, also mechanical (bending etc). But what is this burn test you refer to?

To my mind, how well a cable resists melting/burning depends more or less on the insulation, and not the conductor material? Or is there more to it that that?

 

[snowhead]

I'd assume the burn test is to prove it has alluminium in it so has a lower average time to melt as opposed to it's fire resistance.
GIven the csa of the individual cores you'd probably need to have it analysed to prove it had ally in it.

 

[dinisvale]

I can understand using solid copper rather than copper clad aluminium, due to the electrical properties, also mechanical (bending etc). But what is this burn test you refer to?

To my mind, how well a cable resists melting/burning depends more or less on the insulation, and not the conductor material? Or is there more to it that that?

The burn test consists of striping the inner wires (so that the conductor is exposed) and then burn the conductor with a lighter. The test doesn't involve burning the insulation, but the conductor itself. By searching "cca vs copper" on google, this show be the first multiple results, with videos of people performing those tests.

I performed the test on some old communications on my house and they didn't melt right away. Whereas this cable, melts right away.
I also scraped the inner copper cable and it started to turn silver. In my view, this means that it is not pure copper, but instead aluminium coated with copper.

 

[dinisvale]

I'd assume the burn test is to prove it has alluminium in it so has a lower average time to melt as opposed to it's fire resistance.
GIven the csa of the individual cores you'd probably need to have it analysed to prove it had ally in it.

Exactly the burn test melts the copper coating of the CCA fast because it is very tiny and then, when it gets to the aluminum, it melts fast because it has a lower melting point than copper.

On a pure copper wire, the entire conductor needs to heat up to melt, so it takes more time than a CCA.