Common Types of Electrical Cable and Conductors

The most common type of conductor used is standard stranded conductor with strands from seven to one hundred and twenty seven strands of varying diameter depending on the required cross section. Hard drawn copper conductors are stranded and commonly used for overhead lines and underground earthing. 

Cable manufacturers compact the conductor strands to reduce the overall conductor diameter so that they can use less material for insulation, outer sheaths and fillers.

Solid sector is common in aluminium cable for use in power distribution. Cable manufacturers reduce material and overall cable diameter by arranging the conductors to fit together.

Stranded sector cable is common in four and three core distribution cables. Cable manufacturers reduce material and overall cable diameter by arranging the conductors to fit together. 

Fine stranded cable is commonly used where flexibility is required. Strands can number from seven to many thousands of strands depending on the cross section required. The strands have small diameters, but the overall conductor diameter will be larger than standard strand conductors. The strands splay outward when the insulation is removed and it is difficult to insert them into a lug or link barrel. 

There are various types of overhead line conductors with ACSR (aluminium conductor steel reinforced) being one type. The steel strands in ACSR increase the conductor’s tensile strength. Other overhead conductors are AAC (All Aluminium Conductor), AAAC (All Aluminium Alloy Conductor), SC/GZ (Steel conductor/ galvanised) and SC/AC (steel conductor/aluminium clad).