This is a new one on me:
Is copper coated ali really bad news? I know all about aluminium, but CCA would seem to overcome more or less all the problems of ali.
NT
BASEC says don't buy cable that isn't marked "BASEC" and isn't tested by a third party? Any independent confirmation of their claims? Yawn.
Be interesting to know where such cables are on sale - if only to avoid them. I can't see normal sources selling them. Perhaps Ebay?
We recently had the 300 metres or so of overhead from the 22kV transformer to our house replaced (*). The new cable is aluminium. I was quite surprised, since I though Al wasn't used much in this sountry....
(* We complained about flickering lights, and the overheads running through a tree, so after a 6 month wait, someone came and looked at it, said the overheads needed replacing (we had bare twin wires and they now install twisted pair) and so did the poles because of woodpecker damage. Took 2 blokes 2 days to replace all the poles and wiring. The power was off for 7 hours. The 6x6 machine they used to "drill" the new post holes and place the posts was most impressive, especially hauling itself out of a wheat field, buried to its hubs in mud...! And they installed taller poles so the combine doesn't bring the lines down each autumn.)
The conductors you see strung up between pylons are aluminium. It has a higher conductivity than copper for the same weight.
Robert
So I take it no-one here's ever seen such dud cable. As you say, whats new.
NT
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