Cable size Aluminium cable

[Storm93]

Hello all, recently been asked to look some incoming power supplies for some future works , and I’m trying to determine the size of these incoming aluminium cables as it’s not something I work / see on a regular basis. Would anyone be able to give me some inside to what they believe the incoming cable size could be? My belief is that is looks to be 35mm, as I feel 25mm is too small and 50mm to large , I know that old aluminium cable sizes can be misleading due to the sheathing so any advise would help , please see pics attached

 

[westward10]

Are you certain they are aluminium and not tinned copper, red white and blue identification could easily make them tinned copper.

 

[Storm93]

Are you certain they are aluminium and not tinned copper, red white and blue identification could easily make them tinned copper.

Could be possibly , if so what size would you go for?

 

[SparkySy]

I reckon @westward10 is right pic 2 at the terminal base it looks like tinned copper! It could be 35mm or its equivalent but it's really difficult to tell from a picture!

 

[Storm93]

I reckon @westward10 is right pic 2 at the terminal base it looks like tinned copper! It could be 35mm or its equivalent but it's really difficult to tell from a picture!

My initial thought it 35mm or equivalent when on site , harder to tell with the older cables !

 

[Yozza19]

I’d guess 50mm if I had to take a chance

 

[westward10]

It is as said difficult to say unless you are there. Considering it is almost certainly imperial if you think 35.0 then it could be 19/.064 which puts it at 38.70 in metric terms.
It would be unusual construction if it were aluminium as I would expect less and thicker strands.

 

[Storm93]

It is as said difficult to say unless you are there. Considering it is almost certainly imperial if you think 35.0 then it could be 19/.064 which puts it at 38.70 in metric terms.
It would be unusual construction if it were aluminium as I would expect less and thicker strands.

 

[Storm93]

That would make sense , I believe with the sizing on site looking larger than 35mm yet less than 50mm, do you know of any guides in terms of current carrying capacities of this cable vs what we use now?

 

[westward10]

This table gives single phase ratings but you may have to take it with a pinch of salt.

Comparison of imperial & metric conductor sizes

The table in this article show the comparison of imperial and metric conductor sizes in detail

www.daenotes.com

 

[Storm93]

This table gives single phase ratings but you may have to take it with a pinch of salt.

Comparison of imperial & metric conductor sizes

The table in this article show the comparison of imperial and metric conductor sizes in detail

www.daenotes.com

Thankyou for this , it shows no cable equivalent size for 50mm metric? Was there not a cable made between these sizes at the time? Which would make sense as the next size up at 64mm would be definitely too large for what I’m seeing on site.

 

[westward10]

Not really sure maybe at the time it wasn't a required size for the circuit protection of the time. I notice on the imperial table the strand size which maybe .064 in your case isn't unique to that cable size it is used elsewhere, this doesn't happen with metric conductors they are unique to each size but just guessing.

 

[Storm93]

Not really sure maybe at the time it wasn't a required size for the circuit protection of the time. I notice on the imperial table the strand size which maybe .064 in your case isn't unique to that cable size it is used elsewhere, this doesn't happen with metric conductors they are unique to each size but just guessing.

I guess the only was to check for sure is with callipers!

 

[westward10]

If you have pieces of 35.0 and 50.0 and it appears to be inbetween then assume it is 19/.064. You need to confirm it is tinned copper though.

 

[Storm93]

If you have pieces of 35.0 and 50.0 and it appears to be inbetween then assume it is 19/.064. You need to confirm it is tinned copper though.

I believe it is from other photos, I think I will go for 19/.064

 

[Marvo]

Looking at the tight bend radius on some of those wires I also doubt it's aluminium, also they usually use anti-corrosion paste on the terminations and in the lugs or ferrules which is usually either visible or you see the dust and crap sticking to it.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Agree this looks like 19/.064 tinned copper. Next up was 19/.072 but that was less often used IME. Next up from that is 19/.083 which is 0.1 sq. ins, and it really doesn't look that big although it can be hard to judge from a 2D picture.

 

[UNG]

I'm thinking if it was aluminium it would be more likely to be a single solid conductor

 

[westward10]

They are normally solid in AWA or SWA but are sectoral and not round. Can't say I have seen aluminium singles in that size but to me being circular strands hints at tinned copper. Worked with 300.0 aluminium singles a few moons back and they were sectoral stranded.