Product Corner – ACSR

ACSR (aluminum conductor steel-reinforced) is a preferred choice for overhead power transmission and distribution projects. ACSR is widely used due to its low cost, dependability, and strength to weight ratio. The combined light weight and high conductivity of aluminum, combined with the strength of the steel core enables higher tensions, less sag, and longer spans than any typical alternative.

Classic ACSR construction features a concentrically stranded conductor with one or more layers of hard drawn aluminum wire on a galvanized steel wire core. The core can be a single wire, but more often it is constructed using a stranded configuration designed with the overall diameter of the wire in mind. The steel core is available in varying levels of galvanization for corrosion protection. The proportion of steel and aluminum in an ACSR conductor can be selected based on the mechanical strength and current carrying capacity required by a specific application.

ACSR conductors are available in numerous specific sizes, with single or multiple center steel wires and generally larger quantities of aluminum strands. An ACSR conductor can in part be denoted by its stranding, for example, an ACSR conductor with 72 aluminum strands with a core of 7 steel strands will be called “72/7 ACSR” conductor. To help avoid confusion due to the numerous combinations of steel and aluminum strands, industry-standard code words are used to specify a specific conductor version. In North America, these code words are bird names such as “Swan”, “Hawk”, “Eagle”, “Partridge”, etc. Each of these names are used to delineate the varying configurations of conductors and cores.

DWC is your source for ACSR! Contact an Account Manager today for answers to your questions as well as pricing and availability on a full range of copper and aluminum specialty wire & cable products.