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Copper Clad Steel Wire
copper-clad-steel-wire
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Copper Clad Steel Wire
APPLICATIONS
Copper Clad steel wire and strand combines the electrical characteristics of copper with the mechanical properties of steel. Often used for buried ground grid systems, overhead ground wire and messenger wire, it can resist mechanical damage during installation, as well as electrical damage during a fault condition. Copper Clad steel has virtually no scrap value, and is extremely difficult to cut with traditional wire and cable cutting tools, greatly reducing the potential of theft.
CONSTRUCTION
Dead Soft Annealed (DSA) Copper Clad steel (CCS) conductors are a concentric lay-stranded construction. The CCS strands are a 40% conductivity grade of material using a low carbon steel core rendering greater flexibility to enable easier handling during installation.
STANDARDS- ASTM B193 - Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
- ASTM B227 - Standard Specification for Hard-Drawn Copperclad Steel Wire
- ASTM B228 - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copperclad Steel Conductors
- ASTM B258 - Standard Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round
- ASTM B910 - Standard Specification for Annealed Copperclad Steel Wire
NOTES
Dimensions and weights are nominal values, subject to standard manufacturing tolerances. The ampacity rating and the DC and AC resistance of the Copper Clad steel wire conductor is not equivalent to that of a copper conductor.
To select the correct equivalent please see — Proper Product Sizing: Diameter Comparison for Copper Equivalent Fusing Current for Grounding Applications.
Updated 12/6/2021
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Proper Product Sizing: Diameter Comparison for Copper Equivalent Fusing Current for Grounding Applications
APPLICATIONS
Copper Clad steel wire and strand combines the electrical characteristics of copper with the mechanical properties of steel. Often used for buried ground grid systems, overhead ground wire and messenger wire, it can resist mechanical damage during installation, as well as electrical damage during a fault condition. Copper Clad steel has virtually no scrap value, and is extremely difficult to cut with traditional wire and cable cutting tools, greatly reducing the potential of theft.
CONSTRUCTION
Dead Soft Annealed (DSA) Copper Clad steel (CCS) conductors are a concentric lay-stranded construction. The CCS strands are a 40% conductivity grade of material using a low carbon steel core rendering greater flexibility to enable easier handling during installation.
STANDARDS- ASTM B193 - Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
- ASTM B227 - Standard Specification for Hard-Drawn Copperclad Steel Wire
- ASTM B228 - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copperclad Steel Conductors
- ASTM B258 - Standard Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round
- ASTM B910 - Standard Specification for Annealed Copperclad Steel Wire
NOTES
Dimensions and weights are nominal values, subject to standard manufacturing tolerances. The ampacity rating and the DC and AC resistance of the Copper Clad steel wire conductor is not equivalent to that of a copper conductor.
To select the correct equivalent please see — Proper Product Sizing: Diameter Comparison for Copper Equivalent Fusing Current for Grounding Applications.
Updated 12/6/2021
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Approximate Short Term Fusing Currents for 40% CCS (amps)
40% DSA Copper Clad Steel for Grounding Applications
Approximate Short Term Fusing Currents for 40% CCS (amps)
Time (sec)
Cycles
19
No.5
19
No.6
19
No.7
19
No.8
19
No.9
19
No.4
7
No.57
No.67
No.77
No.87
No.97
No.10Solid
No.2Solid
No.4Solid
No.6628,917
CMIL498,762
CMIL395,542
CMIL313,684
CMIL248,767
CMIL292,171
CMIL231,706
CMIL183,754
CMIL145,726
CMIL115,568
CMIL91,651
CMIL72,683
CMIL66,365
CMIL41,738
CMIL26,250
CMIL0.05
3
330,426
262,044
207,814
164,807
130,700
153,504
121,736
96,543
76,563
60,718
48,152
38,187
34,867
21,929
13,792
0.1
6
233,647
185,293
146,947
116,536
92,419
108,543
86,080
68,266
54,138
42,934
34,049
27,002
24,655
15,506
9,752
0.2
12
165,213
131,022
103,907
82,403
65,350
76,752
60,868
48,271
38,281
30,359
24,076
19,094
17,434
10,965
6,896
0.3
18
134,896
106,979
84,840
67,282
53,358
62,668
49,698
39,413
31,257
24,788
19,658
15,590
14,235
8,953
5,630
0.4
24
116,823
92,647
73,473
58,268
46,209
54,272
43,040
34,133
27,069
21,467
17,024
13,501
12,328
7,753
4,876
0.5
30
104,490
82,866
65,716
52,116
41,331
48,542
38,496
30,529
24,211
19,201
15,227
12,076
11,026
6,935
4,361
0.6
36
95,386
75,646
59,991
47,576
37,730
44,313
35,142
27,869
22,102
17,528
13,900
11,024
10,065
6,330
3,981
0.7
42
88,310
70,034
55,541
44,046
34,931
41,026
32,535
25,802
20,462
16,228
12,869
10,206
9,319
5,861
3,686
0.8
48
82,607
65,511
51,953
41,202
32,675
38,376
30,434
24,136
19,141
15,180
12,038
9,547
8,717
5,482
3,448
0.9
54
77,882
61,764
48,982
38,845
30,806
36,181
28,693
22,755
18,046
14,311
11,350
9,001
8,218
5,169
3,251
1
60
73,886
58,595
46,469
36,852
29,225
34,324
27,221
21,588
17,120
13,577
10,767
8,539
7,797
4,903
3,084
2
120
52,245
41,433
32,858
26,058
20,665
24,271
19,248
15,265
12,106
9,600
7,614
6,038
5,513
3,467
2,181
The most economical choice is to replace dead soft annealed (DSA) copper with DSA copper clad steel for grounding applications (down-pole and mats). Below are a few of the major advantages:Life Equivalent to copper in corrosion resistanceFatigue Resistance Superior to annealed copperHandling Flexible and manageable like copper, yet more robust and durable than dead soft annealed copperMechanical Higher mechanical strengths minimize physical damage during installation and serviceWeight Lighter than copper by 8.5% for equivalent sizesTheft Resistance Zero scrap valueCOMPARISON: Approximate Short Term Fusing Currents for Copper (amps)
Time
(sec)Cycles
500
MCM
500,000
CMIL400
MCM
400,000
CMIL300
MCM
300,000
CMIL250
MCM
250,000
CMIL4/0
Strand
211,563
CMIL3/0
Strand
167,779
CMIL2/0
Strand
133,057
CMIL1/0
Strand
105,521
CMILSolid
No.1
83,683
CMILSolid
No.2
66,365
CMILSolid
No.4
41,738
CMILSolid
No.6
26,250
CMILSolid
No.8
16,510
CMIL0.05
3
317,543
254,034
190,526
158,771
134,361
106,555
84,503
67,015
53,146
42,148
26,508
16,671
10,485
0.1
6
224,537
179,629
134,722
112,268
95,007
75,345
59,753
47,387
37,580
29,803
18,744
11,788
7,414
0.2
12
158,771
127,017
95,263
79,386
67,180
53,277
42,251
33,508
26,573
21,074
13,254
8,336
5,243
0.3
18
129,636
103,709
77,782
64,818
54,853
43,501
34,498
27,359
21,697
17,207
10,822
6,806
4,281
0.4
24
112,268
89,815
67,361
56,134
47,504
37,673
29,876
23,693
18,790
14,901
9,372
5,894
3,707
0.5
30
100,416
80,333
60,249
50,208
42,489
33,696
26,722
21,192
16,806
13,328
8,382
5,272
3,316
0.6
36
91,667
73,333
55,000
45,833
38,787
30,760
24,394
19,346
15,342
12,167
7,652
4,813
3,027
0.7
42
84,867
67,893
50,920
42,433
35,909
28,478
22,584
17,911
14,204
11,264
7,084
4,456
2,802
0.8
48
79,386
63,509
47,631
39,693
33,590
26,639
21,126
16,754
13,287
10,537
6,627
4,168
2,621
0.9
54
74,846
59,876
44,907
37,423
31,669
25,115
19,918
15,796
12,527
9,934
6,248
3,929
2,471
1
60
71,005
56,804
42,603
35,502
30,044
23,826
18,895
14,985
11,884
9,424
5,927
3,728
2,345
2
120
50,208
40,166
30,125
25,104
21,244
16,848
13,361
10,596
8,403
6,664
4,191
2,636
1,658
Updated 12/6/2021
