7 No. 8 AWG Alumoweld Aluminum clad steel manufacture of bare overhead conductor with good quality

ASTM B-415 Hard-Drawn Aluminum-Clad Steel Wire
ASTM B-416 Concentric-Lay-Stranded Aluminum-Clad Steel Conductors

The reliable, uninterrupted transmission of electrical power is vital to the electric utility industry. Transmission lines carrying large blocks of power must be permanently protected against damage from lightning. Alumoweld overhead ground wires provide the best means of obtaining this protection. They combine conductivity, , and high strength–all of the properties necessary for such assurance.

The thick aluminum cladding on each wire offers optimum protection against atmospheric corrosion while providing the conductivity important in proper operation of protective relays. The high conductivity of Alumoweld strand also reduces the temperature rise of the static wire under fault current conditions.

Excellent Conductivity
Due to a thick aluminum cladding, Alumoweld overhead ground wire provides one-third the conductivity of an aluminum conductor of equal size, and several times the conductivity of steel. Each Alumoweld product is tested for resistivity, a practice not generally used for steel. This insures known electrical properties in Alumoweld overhead ground wires.

These properties are maintained throughout the life of the line, as contrasted to the properties of steel wires with other protective coatings which can deteriorate over time. Such deterioration further reduces the already low conductivity of steel overhead ground wires.

Effect of Short Circuit on Overhead Ground Wire
Assuming complete absorption of heat by the ground wire

20 degree C, D.C. Resistant:
7 No. 8 AWG Alumoweld, .446 ohms/1,000 feet
3/8-inch steel, 1.140 ohms/1,000 feet

Temperature Coefficient of Resistance:
7 No. 8 AWG Alumoweld, .0036/degree C
3/8-inch steel, .0035/degree C