Aluminium T&E ccc?

get a micrometer on it, and measure diameter in two directions and take average ~(compensates for ovality, to a degree), and then get an R1 reading over a long length, we can probably work out a rating from those measurements.


apologies about the dates of the regs - I know the 1970 metric edition had some of the aluminium tables deleted so only the large sizes remained, I assumed that what came before included the smaller sizes - clearly not.

Mike.

A salvaged sample from my eclectic collection has  Aerialite Limited 250/440V TW/E cable with no other markings. Looks like PVC very light grey sheath. Very bright red PVC insulation on solid aluminium cores.  Probably early 60's.


cpc is 2.00 mm diameter, live is 2.50 mm diameter equating to 3.1416 mm2 and 4.9087 mm2.


Using conductor equivalence of say 1.63 for copper gives 1.93 mm2 and 3.01 mm2 respectively or in imperial 0.00299 in2 and 0.00467 in2, pretty much in imperial stranded 3/.036 and 7/.029.


Interesting that the "old" 2.5 mm2 TW/E had 1.0 mm2 cpc, a ratio of 40%, newer 2.5 mm2 TW/E has 1.5 cpc, a ratio of 60% whereas this old aluminium has a ratio of 64%. Ahead of its time?


Found this on www
Aerialite Limited

of Castle Works, Stalybridge, Cheshire.

of Romiley (wire drawing mill).

1932 Became private company.

1945 Became public company.

1947 Acquired Nettle Accessories.

1961 Manufacturers of power and lighting electric cable, "Nettle" electric wiring accessories, television aerials and associated equipment. 2,000 employees.^[1]

A March 1957 advert for Ashathene thermoplastic cables declares made to BS1557/1954.


Regards


BOD

Still begs the question why verify the voltage drop on a fifty year old socket circuit with aluminium conductors?


The next question will be “what was the permitted voltage drop at the time it was installed”? I presume the original circuit was designed to allow the connection of two 3 kilowatt loads at two separate sockets with there possibly being no more than half a dozen single sockets on the circuit. So the circuit may have been extended in an inappropriate manner, a bit of investigation will reveal if that’s so with additional sockets wired copper cables.


Note it on the EICR and crack on with something else or consider running a new circuit for additional sockets if that is what is required.

A few years back I rewired the odd installation or two that contained lead sheathed T & E.

Quite interesting.

One such I remember was occupied by an elderly couple so I rewired before stripping out the old therefore the only power loss was a couple of hours on changeover day.

I looked in the loft and the cpc joints were interesting - wrapped twisted "fusewire" stuff connecting all sheaths just prior entry to the joint boxes (which were often old tobacco tins) . 

When moved slightly there were some interesting little sparks seen. (Yes I did isolate off those circuits before walking in the loft)

Joyous