Question 1

What material bus bars are made of?

Accepted Answer

The material we use for our bars is a solid C11000 Copper Alloy with a conductivity of 101% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard). Anything above 100% IACS is considered to be an excellent conductivity rating. C11000 alloy has Ag (Silver) content, which improves its conductivity ratings, hence ratings above 100% IACS.

Question 2

Is nickel-plating increasing internal resistance?

Accepted Answer

With regards to the increase of electrical resistivity due to nickel-plating, the short answer is, that it is negligible. Nickel is conductive but much less than copper, and because plating thickness is only 6 µm, electrical current penetrates the microscopic thin layer of nickel with ease and flows freely through the C11000 copper alloy material. 
In addition, since C11000 contains Ag (Silver), it is technically more conductive than pure Cu (Copper) and makes up for conductivity losses due to nickel-plating, yet it provides a layer of protection to the surface of copper from coming in direct contact with very high Ph, corrosive electrolytes of NiMH modules.

Frequently Asked Questions

What material bus bars are made of?

Is nickel-plating increasing internal resistance?