Squirrel to Goat
ACSR Conductors
Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced to IS 398 (Part 2) — the full codeword ladder from Squirrel through Panther to Goat, stranded, tested and drummed on our own lines at 1,500 kilometres a month.
Stranding machine in the conductor hall
Overview
Sustained stranding output.
One standard basis throughout — never mixed with Part 5.
Conductor, tower, pole and transformer from one supplier.
The line between the towers.
ACSR is the workhorse of Indian overhead distribution and transmission. It is also one of the two products that lets us quote a complete line package — tower, conductor, pole and transformer — rather than a part of one.
The table below is the IS 398 (Part 2) basis we manufacture and test against. One caution worth stating plainly: IS 398 Part 5 publishes the same codewords with resistance around 2–3% lower and breaking loads 2–3% higher. Mixing rows from the two parts is the easiest way for a utility QA engineer to catch an error, so we quote Part 2 throughout and say so.
Technical data
Specification.
Built to the purchaser's schedule. Fields marked On enquiry are issued against a specific enquiry. Delivery as per the client's requirement, confirmed with the quotation. Open the rows below for construction details, reference tables and fittings.
General
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product | Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) |
| Standard | IS 398 (Part 2):1996; IEC 61089 for export |
| Codewords | Squirrel, Gopher, Weasel, Ferret, Rabbit, Mink, Beaver, Raccoon, Cat, Dog, Dingo, Wolf, Lynx, Panther, Bear, Goat |
| Aluminium | EC grade aluminium wire, high UTS |
| Steel core | Galvanized steel wire |
| Monthly capacity | 1,500 km |
| Drum length and packing | As per client requirement |
Quality
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Aluminium wire diameter tolerance | ± 0.05 mm |
| Steel wire diameter tolerance | ± 0.05 mm |
| Lay ratio | Per IS 398 (Part 2), verified per layer |
| Direction of lay | Per IS 398 (Part 2) |
| Galvanizing on steel core | Mass of zinc coating and uniformity to IS 4826 |
| Test certificate | Issued per drum with the consignment |
Reference data — what the standards requireTables from the Indian Standard, for checking any quotation against it
Codeword reference table
| Codeword | Nominal Al area mm² | Aluminium stranding | Steel stranding | Overall dia mm | Approx. mass kg/km | Max DC R at 20 °C Ω/km | Rated strength kN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mole | 10 | 6 × 1.50 | 1 × 1.50 | 4.50 | 43 | 2.780 | 3.97 |
| Squirrel | 20 | 6 × 2.11 | 1 × 2.11 | 6.33 | 85 | 1.394 | 7.61 |
| Gopher | 25 | 6 × 2.36 | 1 × 2.36 | 7.08 | 106 | — | — |
| Weasel | 30 | 6 × 2.59 | 1 × 2.59 | 7.77 | 128 | 0.9289 | 11.12 |
| Ferret | 40 | 6 × 3.00 | 1 × 3.00 | 9.00 | 171 | — | — |
| Rabbit | 50 | 6 × 3.35 | 1 × 3.35 | 10.05 | 214 | 0.5524 | 18.25 |
| Mink | 60 | 6 × 3.66 | 1 × 3.66 | 10.98 | 255 | — | — |
| Beaver | 70 | 6 × 3.99 | 1 × 3.99 | 11.97 | 303 | — | — |
| Raccoon | 80 | 6 × 4.09 | 1 × 4.09 | 12.27 | 319 | 0.3712 | 26.91 |
| Cat | 95 | 6 × 4.50 | 1 × 4.50 | 13.50 | 386 | — | — |
| Dog | 100 | 6 × 4.72 | 7 × 1.57 | 14.15 | 394 | 0.2792 | 32.41 |
| Dingo | 150 | 18 × 3.35 | 1 × 3.35 | 16.75 | 506 | — | — |
| Wolf | 150 | 30 × 2.59 | 7 × 2.59 | 18.13 | 726 | 0.1871 | 67.34 |
| Lynx | 175 | 30 × 2.79 | 7 × 2.79 | 19.53 | 842 | — | — |
| Panther | 200 | 30 × 3.00 | 7 × 3.00 | 21.00 | 974 | 0.1390 | 89.67 |
| Bear | 250 | 30 × 3.35 | 7 × 3.35 | — | 1214 | — | — |
| Goat | 320 | 30 × 3.71 | 7 × 3.71 | — | 1489 | — | — |
Where a cell reads “—”, that value is not published on the Part 2 basis in the sources we work from and we will confirm it against the printed standard on enquiry rather than interpolate it.
Standard and optional fittingsWhat is supplied as standard, and what is available to order
Testing
Acceptance and routine tests
- Surface condition of wires
- Wire diameter measurement
- Lay ratio verification per layer
- Breaking load of individual wires
- Ultimate tensile strength of the stranded conductor
- Stress–strain test
- Ductility and elongation
- Wrapping test
- DC resistance at 20 °C
- Galvanizing mass and uniformity (dip test) on steel wires
Drum marking
Stencilled on every drum
- Contract or award number
- Consignee
- Manufacturer
- Conductor size
- Length in metres
- Gross and net weight
- Arrow showing unwinding direction
- Conductor end position
- BIS / ISI mark where applicable
Compliance
Standards & testing.
Routine tests are performed on every unit before dispatch. Type tests are certified from CPRI, ERDA or NABL-accredited laboratories on request.
| Standard | Scope |
|---|---|
| IS 398 (Part 1) | Aluminium conductors for overhead transmission — general |
| IS 398 (Part 2):1996 | Aluminium conductors, galvanized steel reinforced — the ACSR standard |
| IS 398 (Part 5) | Aluminium conductors, galvanized steel reinforced — an alternative basis with different resistance and UTS values |
| IEC 61089 | Round wire concentric lay overhead electrical stranded conductors — the export equivalent |
| IS 4826 | Galvanized coatings on round steel wires |
| IS 1778 | Reels and drums for bare conductors |
Inside the works
Stranding and drumming.
Conductor and cable share the same hall, the same drum handling and the same test regime.
Walk the whole works
Applications
Where it goes to work.
Overhead transmission
Sub-transmission and transmission lines at 33 kV and above.
Distribution lines
11 kV and LT overhead distribution networks.
Rural electrification
Line construction under national programmes.
International supply
Supplied to IEC 61089 for overseas tenders.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Which ACSR codewords do you manufacture?
Why do different sources give different resistance values for the same codeword?
What drum lengths do you supply?
Do you supply test certificates with each drum?
Often supplied together
Send your conductor schedule.
Give us the codewords, sizes and drum lengths required and we will quote against your delivery programme.