CCA cable is being sold as copper in Canada and the USA: what it means for your install
We’re seeing more copper-clad aluminum (CCA) network cable sold in Canada and the USA as a cheaper equal to solid copper. It isn’t. Here’s why it matters for cameras, door access, intercoms and Wi-Fi, how to spot it, and what to do if it’s already in your walls.
Published
The short answer
Why CCA isn’t the same as copper
Four reasons the savings don’t last.
Higher resistance
Aluminum carries current less well than copper, so CCA loses more voltage over the same run. Devices at the far end of a PoE run can get less power than they need.
More heat in bundles
Higher resistance means more heat, especially in bundles carrying higher-power PoE. Heat raises the losses further.
Breaks and corrodes
Aluminum is more brittle. CCA can crack when it’s pulled, bent or punched down, and where aluminum meets the copper contacts in jacks it can corrode over time.
Fails the standard
Category cable standards call for copper conductors, so CCA doesn’t meet them, and CCA runs can fail certification testing.
What it means for your install
The systems that suffer first are the ones that take their power from the cable.
| System | What CCA can cause |
|---|---|
| PoE security cameras | Cameras that reboot or drop off, often at night when the infrared lights come on and draw more power. See security cameras. |
| Door access | Readers and PoE-powered door controllers that fault on and off, and doors that don’t release when they should. See access control. |
| Video intercoms | Intercoms that freeze, drop calls or lose video at the front door. See video intercom. |
| Wi-Fi access points | Access points that restart under load or never reach full speed. |
| The building network | Slow links, errors and ports that drop, with faults that are hard to trace. See business networks. |
| Inspections and warranties | Cable without genuine certification or the right fire rating can be flagged at inspection, and equipment and cabling warranties generally assume standards-compliant cable. |
Not code advice. Check with your electrical inspector or authority having jurisdiction for your project.
How to spot CCA cable
Six checks before a box goes into the ceiling.
Read the jacket
Look for “CCA” or “copper clad”. Genuine cable is marked with the conductor size, the category, the fire rating (such as FT4 or FT6) and a certification mark.
Scrape a conductor
Cut a short piece and scrape a conductor with a knife. CCA shows silver-grey aluminum under the copper. Solid copper is copper all the way through.
Feel the weight
A box of CCA is noticeably lighter than a box of solid copper of the same length.
Check the price and the seller
A price far below the major brands is a warning sign. Buy through an electrical or data distributor you know.
Look up the certification
Search the file number printed on the jacket in the certifier’s online directory (CSA, UL or Intertek). If it isn’t listed, don’t install it.
Try a magnet
Some cheap cable uses copper-clad steel (CCS) instead. A magnet sticks to it. It has the same problems as CCA.
If CCA is already in your building
You don’t have to pull everything out at once.
Test what you have
We check the markings, scrape a sample at a termination and test suspect runs, so you know what’s in the walls before anything else.
Replace the runs that matter first
Start with PoE cameras, door readers, intercoms and Wi-Fi, then plan the rest with your next renovation or tenant change.
Fix a system someone else installed
If another company installed it, system rescue covers the testing, the repairs and the paperwork.
Get it in writing on new work
Ask every installer to name the cable brand in the quote, and state in writing that it’s solid copper. See our questions to ask a cabling company.
The cable we install instead
Solid copper and fibre from established makers.
Not sure what’s in your walls?
Call 587-920-1610 (Alberta) or 236-473-1610 (BC) before you sign off on a cabling job or a camera upgrade. We’ll check the cable, tell you what we find, and give you a written quote if anything needs replacing.
CCA cable questions
What is CCA cable?
CCA stands for copper-clad aluminum: an aluminum conductor with a thin coating of copper. It looks like copper when you strip it, but it carries power and signal worse than solid copper and is more fragile.
Is CCA cable as good as solid copper?
No. CCA has higher resistance, runs hotter under PoE, breaks more easily and can corrode where it meets copper contacts. Category cable standards (ANSI/TIA-568) call for copper conductors, so CCA isn’t genuine Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6A.
Can CCA cable be used for PoE cameras and door readers?
It’s a poor choice. PoE is designed for standards-compliant copper cabling. On CCA, devices at the end of longer runs can get too little power and the cable runs warmer, which shows up as cameras rebooting, readers faulting and intercoms dropping out.
Is CCA cable allowed in buildings?
Network cable installed in buildings in Canada needs genuine certification and the right fire rating for where it runs, under the Canadian Electrical Code and local rules. Some CCA is printed with ratings and marks it hasn’t earned. Check with your electrical inspector for your project. This is not code advice.
How can I tell if my cable is CCA?
Read the jacket for “CCA” or “copper clad”, scrape a conductor to see if it’s silver under the copper, compare the weight with a box of solid copper, and look up the certification number in the certifier’s online directory.
Why is CCA cable so much cheaper?
Aluminum costs much less than copper, so CCA can be sold for less. The savings disappear quickly if cameras, readers or Wi-Fi start failing and the cable has to be pulled out and replaced.
What cable does Hightower install?
Solid copper category cable and fibre from Belden, CommScope, Panduit and Hubbell, with the right fire rating for each space. See business networks and cabling.
Can you check the cable in our building?
Yes. We check the markings, test suspect runs and tell you what we find. If another company installed it, system rescue covers the repairs.
How much does it cost to replace CCA cabling?
It depends on how many runs there are, how hard they are to reach, and which devices they feed. We check the building and give you a written quote.
More answers: Network questionsGlossary: PoEstructured cabling
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We test, repair and take over cabling and systems installed by other companies, including runs of CCA cable, and document everything so you’re never stuck.
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See all service areas. Alberta and BC are our main markets, and we support customers right across Canada and in the USA, with a parachute team ready to go anywhere. Ask us about it.
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