wrote in message
...
On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:38:12 -0400, "Existential Angst"
wrote:

esp. when you consider that many grounds are really crappy, often
using steel cables instead of copper.

Huh?

The neutral conductor in triplex is the same 1350 alloy of aluminum as
the phase conductors but it may be 2 sizes smaller assuming a fairly
large line/line load will be present.

Here, the neutral AND ground wires in house cable are copper, but I was
talking about from the weatherhead of the house out to the pole -- the house
copper is attached to stranded steel support cable -- at least in my neck of
the woods in NY. And then, from the pole to whereever, I don't know what
the ground/neutral is, but I suspect it continues as the steel tension cable
for the other hot copper wires.

I've asked linemen, but these guys don't know -- I get a different answer
with each guy I ask.
--
EA