[TowerTalk] XHHW wire

[jimlux]

On 2/24/20 9:51 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
> 

> 
> The clamps shown in the photo do sort of look like they
> might be steel, but I know at least the ones I use are
> 100% aluminum.  I don't have splices every 100 feet
> like Bob does.  The 1000 ft run used two 1000 foot
> spools of wire.   There are only clamps at the ends.
> 
> I will agree with you that the clamps will lose their
> grip in a few years, "I guarantee it".  In the 20 year history of this 
> line I have had to retighten them every few years.  I can
> live with this minor issue.  It's not the big deal like
> it would be in a 200 amp 60 Hz feeder.
> 

I would think that a properly crimped aluminum ferrule splice connection 
would last essentially forever. I'm pretty sure that's what they use for 
overhead power distribution wiring on the primary (HV) side, and I think 
once crimped they last for decades.  Granted a lot of that might be 
aluminum clad steel, but still, aluminum is aluminum.

I've used AWG2 splices, and I think they have smaller ones, but maybe 
not as small as AWG8 or AWG10.  The electrical splices are kind of 
expensive (compared to the ferrules you use for steel cable) because 
they're filled with goop. I'd definitely want to find 1000 ft spools of 
wire rather than buying 20 splices at a couple bucks each, and then 
applying the muscle power to do the crimps.

For what it's worth, with biggish copper wires (AWG 10 through AWG 2), 
crimped lugs and a single bolt works better than a split bolt, in the 
long run.

Once you've invested in the big lever arm tool (I have a manual one 
which I use mostly for steel cable), it's a matter of getting the right 
die set, and then it's pretty quick.

But for big cables (2/0, for instance) I go to a place that does welding 
and battery cables.  They have the lugs, and a big hydraulic crimper 
that does a perfect crimp every time in a few seconds.  I have soldered 
2/0 fine strand welding cable ONCE, and I will never do that again.