On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:26:19 -0400, "RBM" wrote:


"Existential Angst" wrote in message
...
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

In "your" neck of the woods, in NY, you'd be pretty hard pressed to find a
copper service entrance cable, conductors in conduit, yes, but cable no, not
in the last thirty some odd years, and a ConEd service drop is aluminum,
except for a steel strand in the bare messenger.



Which is required in order to give the cable enough tensile strength
to self support.