The copper specimens were tested on their ampacity in order to assure that the correct material could be selected for the conductive strip. The amperage rating was set to 10 amps at maximum through a voltage supplier and the copper strip was connected with the circuit.
The copper strip of 0.02 inches thick and 0.5 inches wide showed no signs of failure but the specimen was slightly warm (5 degrees F change) after removing it from the connectors.
The copper strip of 0.01 inches thick and 1 inch wide showed no signs of failure and nearly no change in temperature (1 degree F change at most)
In researching the ampacity of copper a chart on the manufacturer’s website listed the general limits for different gages of wires. Since a 1 inch width may be too wide for the half scale model, it is preferable to choose a width of 0.75 inches. By calculating the cross section, the result is a 9.6774 mm2 area, equivalent to a gage 7 wire which has the ampacity of 45 amps. Therefore, we will proceed with the 0.75 inch width plating.
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