wrote in message
...
On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:38:08 -0400, "Existential Angst"
wrote:

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.


I gave you the answer. The aerial drop triplex is alloy 1350 aluminum
... all 3 wires, along with virtually all aerial cable.
That is what the alloy was designed for.
It is also used in some aircraft construction.

Indeed, it does look like that twisted support/guy wire is aluminum!

So what is a 1350 alloy, visavis a 6061 alloy? Do you know the ohms per
foot of each, vs. that of copper?
--
EA