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Aluminum corrosion in salty environments often takes the form of a surface pitting -- while this does little to damage the structural value of the aluminium, it can be an issue for mating contexts. Some aluminum alloys, such as the 6000 series, resist pitting well, and are used in applications such as boats as a result; others, such as aircraft-grade 7000 series alloys, resist pitting poorly and need corrosion protection help when deployed in applications where pitting corrosion is a factor.

How well do the 8000 series alloys used for modern aluminum electrical components (i.e. wiring, cable armor, and I presume busbars and such as well) fare in their resistance to pitting corrosion?

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  • Keep in mind, extreme use cases are not the market position of aluminum wire. It is made for a) routine usage where cost is a factor; and b) specialty usage where weight is a factor. Since it conducts nearly twice as well as copper, by weight.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jun 8, 2016 at 2:05
  • I was more asking for cable armor and busbars, actually...
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented Jun 8, 2016 at 2:57

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The areas for buss bars and wire connections are dry locations not subject to much influence of salt air. I always use a anti-oxidant compound with any aluminum wire or buss bar installations. (Newport Oregon) Only a couple of jobs there where Aluminum was used close to 20 years ago I did a small update 2 years ago and other than the "grey oxide" that aluminum develops it looked the same as the stuff in the valley 60 miles away from the coast.

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