Now you can surf your way to proper copper busbar sizing for your electrical system. The Copper Development Association (CDA), New York, N.Y., has established a new Web site at busbar.copper.org to help users find the busbar system with the lowest life-cycle cost by comparing the costs of installing and operating systems with different-size conductors.

In addition to the sizing analysis program, the site also includes information on U.S. sources of copper busbar, busbar ampacities and typical busbar sizes. The site also provides utilities with a tool and benchmark for establishing electrical energy efficiency programs, including a basis for determining rebates.

According to David Brender, CDA's national program manager for electrical, the site was created to help overcome a first-cost bias in the purchase and installation of wire and busbar systems. Contracts are often awarded to the firm offering the lowest bid, rather than for systems with the lowest life-cycle cost.

More detailed information about the site can be found in the current issue of Innovations, the CDA's online magazine, at innovations.copper.org.

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