AAC-IEC61089
AAC All Aluminium Conductor to IEC 61089 / ASTM B231
The 1350-O all-aluminium conductor that short distribution spans are strung with, sold by weight against the metal index.
AAC is the simplest overhead conductor there is: concentric-lay stranded wires of 1350-O aluminium, nothing else. That simplicity is the selling point. Electrical conductivity is high, at 61% IACS, the conductor is light, and the price per metre is the lowest of the three common overhead designs. Where the span is short and the towers are close, there is no reason to pay for an alloy or a steel core.
The limit is mechanical. 1350-O aluminium is a soft, annealed alloy with a tensile strength around 160 MPa, so an AAC conductor sags under its own weight more than AAAC or ACSR of the same diameter and strings at greater sag for the same span. Voltcore supplies AAC to IEC 61089 and to ASTM B231, in 16 mm² to 1000 mm², with the breaking load and the mass per kilometre tabulated for the sag-tension calculation.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | All aluminium concentric lay stranded conductor |
| Alloy | 1350-O aluminium, 61% IACS conductivity |
| Area range | 16 – 1000 mm² |
| Stranding | 7, 19, 37, 61 wires depending on size |
| Density used for mass | 2.703 g/cm³ |
| Resistivity at 20 °C | 28.264 nΩ·m for A1 aluminium |
| Typical tensile strength of wires | 160 MPa minimum for 1350-O |
| Maximum operating temperature | +90 °C continuous |
| Linear expansion coefficient | 23 × 10⁻⁶ /K |
| Standard | IEC 61089, ASTM B231 |
| Grease | Not applied; bare bright finish |
| Supply form | Wooden drums with steel-tyred flanges, lengths to 4000 m |
Layer-by-layer construction
Listed from the conductor outward. Read this alongside the specification table — the two together tell you whether the cable will survive its installation method.
- 1. Centre wireSingle 1350-O aluminium wire, the king wire of the concentric lay
- 2. First layer6 aluminium wires laid over the centre, opposite hand to the king wire lay
- 3. Outer layer12 to 24 further aluminium wires, lay direction reversed per IEC 61089 practice
- 4. Lay and finishConcentric lay, lay ratio 10 to 14 on the outer layer, smooth surface free of burrs and die marks
- 5. PackingContinuous length on a wooden drum with steel-tyred flanges, ends sealed and tagged with size and length
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal area (mm²) | Stranding (Al wires × mm) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. mass (kg/km) | Rated breaking load (kN) | Max. DC resistance at 20 °C (Ω/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 7 × 1.70 | 5.1 | 44 | 2.5 | 1.77 |
| 25 | 7 × 2.15 | 6.4 | 69 | 3.8 | 1.13 |
| 35 | 7 × 2.52 | 7.6 | 97 | 5.3 | 0.808 |
| 50 | 7 × 3.00 | 9.0 | 138 | 7.6 | 0.566 |
| 70 | 19 × 2.15 | 10.7 | 193 | 10.6 | 0.404 |
| 95 | 19 × 2.52 | 12.6 | 262 | 14.4 | 0.298 |
| 120 | 19 × 2.85 | 14.2 | 331 | 18.2 | 0.236 |
| 150 | 19 × 3.15 | 15.8 | 414 | 22.8 | 0.189 |
| 185 | 37 × 2.52 | 17.6 | 510 | 28.1 | 0.153 |
| 240 | 37 × 2.85 | 20.0 | 662 | 36.5 | 0.118 |
Reference figures for preliminary sizing and drum planning. Overall diameter and weight vary with strand construction and sheath thickness tolerance; certified drawings are issued with each quotation.
Engineering characteristics
- 61% IACS conductivity from 1350-O aluminium, the highest of the three common overhead designs.
- Lightest of the three designs at 2.703 g/cm³, which reduces the dead load on every pole.
- Lowest cost per metre, and priced directly against the aluminium index you trade on.
- Concentric-lay stranding in 7, 19, 37 or 61 wires, to IEC 61089 and ASTM B231.
- Breaking load tabulated per size in kN, so the sag-tension calculation can be done before ordering.
- Available up to 1000 mm², which covers distribution and light transmission duties.
- No steel core, so there is no bimetallic corrosion and no galvanising to inspect.
Typical applications
- Urban and peri-urban distribution spans up to about 100 m
- Rural electrification feeders on short pole spacings
- Substation busbar and jumper connections
- Temporary site and construction power spans
- Replacement conductor for existing light-duty lines
Ordering options
- 16–1000 mm² in 7, 19, 37 and 61 wire strandings
- IEC 61089 or ASTM B231 designation on the drum tag
- Drum lengths to 4000 m, or cut to a stringing schedule
- Bright finish as standard; grease-coated for coastal atmospheres
- Drum stencilling with the buyer's project reference and metre marks
Standards manufactured to
- IEC 61089
- ASTM B231
- IEC 60889
- IEC 61232
Manufactured to other standards on request. Send the standard number with your RFQ and we will quote against it rather than against a near-equivalent.
Price and availability for AAC All Aluminium Conductor
Include cross-section, core count, voltage grade, route length and installation method — those five determine price more than anything else on the page.
- Engineer-reviewed before pricing
- Reference drawings issued with the quotation
- Free sample up to free sample up to 5 m
AAC All Aluminium Conductor — frequently asked questions
AAC or AAAC: which should I string?
It comes down to span. AAC in 1350-O aluminium is cheaper and more conductive, but it sags more under its own weight. AAAC in 6201-T81 alloy roughly doubles the tensile strength at the same diameter, which lets you string longer spans or use fewer poles. For a short distribution span AAC is the economical choice; past about 150 m AAAC usually wins on total installed cost.
How is the price calculated?
By weight against a metal index. A bare conductor is essentially its own mass of aluminium, so Voltcore quotes the aluminium content in kg/km and prices it against the metal reference you nominate, with a conversion charge on top. Send the sizes and the quantities and the quotation will show the metal content separately, so the arithmetic is visible.
What drum lengths do you supply?
Up to 4000 m per drum depending on the size, which lets a stringing crew cover a long section without a joint. Longer drums mean fewer mid-span joints, less scrap at the ends and less crew time. If your stringing schedule needs specific lengths for each section, Voltcore will pack to that schedule rather than to a fixed drum length.
Can AAC be used in a coastal atmosphere?
It can, and it is better there than ACSR, because there is no steel core to lose its zinc. Aluminium forms its own protective oxide. For a genuinely marine atmosphere the worth considering upgrade is AAAC or a greased construction; Voltcore supplies grease-coated conductor on request for that duty.