Designation: B836 − 00 (Reapproved 2015)

Standard Specification for

Compact Round Stranded Aluminum Conductors Using
Single Input Wire Construction1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B836; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope B354 Terminology Relating to Uninsulated Metallic Electri-

1.1 This specification covers aluminum/single input wire cal Conductors
(SIW) stranded conductors made from round or shaped wires B400 Specification for Compact Round Concentric-Lay-
for use in covered or insulated electrical wires or cables. These Stranded Aluminum 1350 Conductors
conductors shall be composed of one or more roller or die B609/B609M Specification for Aluminum 1350 Round
compacted layers of helically applied wires (Explanatory Note Wire, Annealed and Intermediate Tempers, for Electrical
1, Explanatory Note 2, and Explanatory Note 3). Purposes
B800 Specification for 8000 Series Aluminum Alloy Wire
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded for Electrical Purposes—Annealed and Intermediate Tem-
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical pers
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only B801 Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Conductors
and are not considered standard. of 8000 Series Aluminum Alloy for Subsequent Covering
1.2.1 For density, resistivity, and temperature, the values or Insulation
stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. B830 Specification for Uniform Test Methods and Fre-
NOTE 1—The aluminum and temper designations conform to ANSI quency

Practice E527. http://qstandard.org/

H35.1. Aluminum 1350 and Aluminum-Alloy 8XXX correspond to
Unified Numbering System A91350 and A98XXX, in accordance with

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the

E29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to
Determine Conformance with Specifications
E527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the
Unified Numbering System (UNS)
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 2.3 ANSI Standard:
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- ANSI H35.1 Alloy and Temper Designation Systems for
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- Aluminum3
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 2.4 NIST Standard:
Handbook 100 Copper Wire Tables NBS 4
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on date 3. Classification
of material purchase form a part of this specification to the 3.1 The conductors described in this specification are in-
extent referenced herein. tended for subsequent insulation or covering. The classification
2.2 ASTM Standards:2 of these conductors is SIW Compact.
B230/B230M Specification for Aluminum 1350–H19 Wire
4. Ordering Information
for Electrical Purposes
B263 Test Method for Determination of Cross-Sectional 4.1 Orders for material in accordance with this specification
Area of Stranded Conductors shall include the following information:
4.1.1 Quantity of each size and class (Table 1);
4.1.2 Conductor size, circular-mil area or AWG (Section 7);
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on 4.1.3 Temper (Section 12);
Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.07 on
Conductors of Light Metals. 4.1.4 Lay direction, if nonstandard (see 6.2 and 6.3);
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2015. Published October 2015. Originally 4.1.5 Special tension test, if required (see 16.2);
approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as B836 – 00 (2011).
DOI: 10.1520/B0836-00R15.
2 3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
4
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100
the ASTM website. Bureau Dr., Stop 1070, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1070, http://www.nist.gov.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 B836 − 00 (2015)
TABLE 1 Construction of Compact Round, Concentric-Lay-Stranded Aluminum Conductors
Minimum Nominal Compact Conductor Nominal
Conductor Size Nominal Nominal dc Resistance at 20°C
Number of Diameter Mass/1000
Mass/km, kg
Circular, mils AWG mm 2 Wires in. mm ft,A lb Ω/1000 ft Ω/km
1 000 000 ... 507 53 1.060 26.9 937 1394 0.0173 0.0563
900 000 ... 456 53 0.999 25.4 844 1257 0.0193 0.0632
800 000 ... 405 53 0.938 23.8 750 1116 0.0217 0.0712
750 000 ... 380 53 0.908 23.1 703 1046 0.0231 0.0759
700 000 ... 355 34 0.877 22.3 656 976 0.0248 0.0813
650 000 ... 329 34 0.845 21.5 609 906 0.0267 0.0875
600 000 ... 304 34 0.813 20.7 563 838 0.0289 0.0948
550 000 ... 279 34 0.775 19.7 516 768 0.0315 0.103
500 000 ... 253 30 0.736 18.7 468 696 0.0347 0.114
450 000 ... 228 30 0.700 17.8 422 628 0.0385 0.126
400 000 ... 203 24 0.659 16.7 375 558 0.0434 0.142
350 000 ... 177 24 0.616 15.6 328 488 0.0495 0.162
300 000 ... 152 18 0.570 14.5 281 418 0.0578 0.190
250 000 ... 127 18 0.520 13.2 234 348 0.0694 0.228
211 600 0000 107 17 0.475 12.1 198 295 0.0820 0.269
167 800 000 85.0 15 0.423 10.7 157 234 0.103 0.338
133 100 00 67.4 12 0.376 9.55 125 186 0.130 0.428
105 600 0 53.5 7 0.336 8.53 98.9 147 0.164 0.539
83 690 1 42.4 7 0.299 7.59 78.4 117 0.207 0.680
66 360 2 33.6 6 0.268 6.81 62.2 92.6 0.261 0.857
52 620 3 26.7 6 0.238 6.05 49.3 73.3 0.330 1.08
41 740 4 21.2 6 0.213 5.41 39.1 58.2 0.416 1.36
26 240 6 13.3 6 0.169 4.29 24.6 36.6 0.661 2.17
16 510 8 8.37 6 0.134 3.40 15.5 23.1 1.05 3.44
A
Weights are based on Aluminum 1350 with a density of 0.0975 lb/in.3

4.1.6 Place of inspection (Section 17); 8. Rated Strength of Conductor

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4.1.7 Packaging and package marking (Section 18), and 8.1 The rated strength of SIW conductors made from any
4.1.8 Material for conductor. and all alloys and tempers covered in this specification shall be
taken as the percentage, indicated in Table 2, of the sum of the
5. Joints strengths of the component wires, calculated on the basis of the
5.1 Joints may be made in any of the wires of any stranding equivalent diameter of these wires and the specified minimum
by electric-butt welding, cold-pressure welding, or electric- average tensile strengths given in Specifications B230/B230M,
butt, cold-upset welding. B609/B609M, and B800.
5.1.1 Joints in the individual wires in a finished conductor 8.2 Rated-strength and breaking-strength values shall be
shall not be closer together than 1 ft (0.3 m) for conductors of rounded to three significant figures, in the final value only, in
19 wires or less, or closer than 1 ft (0.3 m) in a layer for accordance with the rounding method of Practice E29.
conductors of more than 19 wires.
8.3 Rated strengths of conductors are given in Table 3 of
5.2 No joint or splice shall be made in a stranded conductor Specification B400 for conductors made of Aluminum 1350 in
as a whole. all tempers.
6. Lay 8.4 Rated strengths of conductors made from any and all
tempers of 8000 series aluminum alloys are given in Table 3 of
6.1 The length of lay of each layer for SIW conductors shall Specification B801.
not be less than 8 or more than 17.5 times the outside diameter
of the finished conductor. 9. Density
6.2 The direction of lay of the outer layer shall be left-hand 9.1 For the purpose of calculating mass, cross-sections, and
and may be reversed or unidirectional in successive layers. so forth, the density of Aluminum 1350 shall be taken as 2705
6.3 Other lay requirements may be furnished upon special
agreement between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

7. Construction TABLE 2 Rating Factors

Stranding Rating Factor, %
7.1 The construction of the conductors shall be as given in Number of Layers
Table 1. 1 96
7.2 Wire used in the fabrication of conductors shall be of 2 93
3 91
such dimensions as to produce a finished conductor as pre- 4 90
scribed in Table 1.

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 B836 − 00 (2015)
TABLE 3 Temperature Correction Factors for Conductor 12.3 For conductors made from all other alloys and tempers
Resistance covered in this specification with shaped wires, the tensile
Temperature,° C Multiplying Factor for Conversion to 20°C requirements for the wires shall be the same as those for round
0 1.088 input wires of equal nominal area. The area tolerances for
5 1.064
10 1.042
shaped wire of all alloys and tempers shall be such that the
15 1.020 finished conductor conforms to Section 13.
20 1.000
25 0.980 13. Variation in Area
30 0.961
35 0.943 13.1 The cross-sectional area of the conductor shall not be
40 0.925
45 0.908
less than 98 % of the cross-sectional area as specified in
50 0.892 Column 1 of Table 1.
55 0.876
60 0.851 13.2 The manufacturer shall determine the cross-sectional
65 0.846 area by Test Method B263. In applying this test method, the
70 0.832 increment in weight resulting from stranding may be the
75 0.818
80 0.805 applicable value specified in 10.1, or it may be calculated from
85 0.792 the measured dimensions of the sample under test. In case of a
90 0.780 question regarding area compliance, the actual weight incre-
ment due to stranding shall be calculated.
NOTE 2—The term “weight” is used in this specification because of
kg/m3 (0.0975 lb/in.3) at 20°C, and the density of 8000 series established trade usage in place of the technically correct term “mass.”
aluminum alloys shall be taken as 2710 kg/m3 (0.098 lb/in.3)
at 20°C. 14. Variation in Diameter

10. Mass and Resistance 14.1 The average diameter of the conductor shall vary by
not more than plus 1 % and minus 2 % from the diameter
10.1 The mass and electrical resistance of a unit length of specified in Table 1.
stranded conductor is a function of the length of lay. The
approximate weight and electrical resistance may be deter- 15. Sampling

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mined using an increment of 2 %. When greater accuracy is 15.1 The aluminum cross-sectional area (Section 13) and
desired, the increment based on the specific lay of the conduc- diameter (Section 14) shall be measured on a sample of
tor may be calculated (Explanatory Note 4). completed conductor. At least one sample shall be tested on
10.2 The maximum electrical resistance of a unit length of each size of conductor on each order of quantities from 5000 to
stranded conductor shall not exceed the nominal dc resistance 100 000 ft (1500 to 30 000 m), and one additional sample shall
(Table 1), plus 2 %. be tested from each 100 000 ft (30 000 m) thereafter.
10.2.1 When the dc resistance is measured at other than 15.2 In addition or instead of the acceptance testing outlined
20°C, it is to be corrected by using the multiplying factor given in 15.1, the sampling may be in accordance with Specification
in Table 3. B830 (see Explanatory Note 5).
10.3 For conductors to be used in covered or insulated wires
or cables, dc resistance measurement may be used instead of 16. Mechanical and Electrical Tests of SIW Conductors
the method outlined in Section 13, to determine compliance 16.1 Tests for the mechanical and electrical properties of
with this specification; however, the referee method shall be wire composing the conductor shall be made before, but not
that outlined in Section 13. after, stranding unless otherwise agreed upon by the manufac-
turer and the purchaser as provided in 16.2 (Explanatory Note
11. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
6).
11.1 The conductor shall be clean and free of imperfections
16.2 At the option of the purchaser, at the time of placing
not consistent with good commercial practice.
the order, tensile and elongation tests of wire before stranding
12. Requirements of Wires may be waived, and the completed conductor may be tested as
a unit. The minimum breaking strength of the conductors so
12.1 Before stranding and compacting, the round input wire tested shall not be less than the rated strength of the conductor
used shall meet the requirements of Specifications B230/ (per Section 8 of this specification) if failure occurs in the free
B230M, B609/B609M, or B800, whichever is applicable. length at least 1 in. (25 mm) beyond the end of either gripping
12.2 Wire shaped before stranding shall meet the require- device, or it shall not be less than 95 % of the rated strength if
ments of the appropriate specification listed in 12.1 except for failure occurs inside, or within, 1 in. (25 mm) of the end of
tensile and elongation requirements and diameter tolerance. either gripping device. The maximum breaking strength for
For the 1350-H19 temper, the minimum tensile and elongation tempers other than -H19 shall not be greater than their
requirements shall be 96 % of those for round wire of the same maximum rated strengths as provided in Section 9 of this
nominal area, provided the completed conductor is capable of specification and in Table 3 of Specification B400 and Table 3
meeting the requirements of Sections 8 and 16. of Specification B801. The free length between grips of the test

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 B836 − 00 (2015)
specimen shall not be less than 24 in. (600 mm), and care shall 18.2 The conductors shall be protected from damage during
be taken to ensure that the wires in the conductor are gripped ordinary handling and shipping.
evenly during the test (Section 8 and Explanatory Note 7).
18.3 There shall be only one length of conductor on a reel
17. Inspection unless otherwise agreed upon by the manufacturer and pur-
17.1 Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase chaser at the time of placing the order.
order, the manufacturer shall be responsible for the perfor-
18.4 The net weight, length (and number of lengths, if more
mance of all inspection and test requirements specified.
than one length is included in the package), size, kind of
17.2 All inspections and tests shall be made at the place of conductor, and purchase order shall be marked on a tag
manufacture unless otherwise especially agreed upon between attached to the end of the conductor inside of the package. The
the manufacturer and the purchaser at the time of the purchase. same information, together with the manufacturer’s serial
17.3 The manufacturer shall afford the inspector represent- number (if any) and all shipping marks required by the
ing the purchaser all reasonable facilities to satisfy him that the purchaser, shall appear on the outside of each package.
material is being furnished in accordance with this specifica-
tion. 19. Keywords
18. Packaging and Package Marking 19.1 aluminum; aluminum stranded conductors; compact;
18.1 Package sizes for conductors shall be agreed upon by concentric lay stranded conductors; electrical conductors; re-
the manufacturer and the purchaser during the placing of verse concentric; Single Input Wire; SIW; SIW Compact;
individual orders. unidirectional; unilay

EXPLANATORY NOTES

NOTE 1—In this specification, only compact round/SIW conductor length of lay
constructions are specifically designated. Constructions not included in n5
diameter of helical path of the wire
this specification should be specifically agreed upon by the manufacturer The derivation of the above as given in NBS Handbook 100 is based on
and the purchaser when placing the order.
round wire constructions that are applicable to compacted wire construc-
NOTE 2—For definitions of terms relating to conductors, refer to

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tions.
Terminology B354.
NOTE 3—Single Input Wire Construction—A stranded conductor design NOTE 5—Cumulative historic results secured on the product of a single
methodology that varies the number of wires within a range of conductor manufacturer indicating a record of continual conformance of that product
sizes in order to permit that range of conductor sizes to be constructed with the requirements of this specification are necessary to ensure that the
from a single wire size. sample can be assumed to be representative of the lot and that the
NOTE 4—The increment of weight or electrical resistance of a com- conformance criteria will largely ensure compliance of the lot with this
pleted concentric-lay-stranded conductor (k), in %, is as follows: specification. The sample sizes and conformance criteria are applicable
only to lots produced by manufacturers that meet this requirement.
k 5 100 ~ m 2 1 !
where m = the stranding factor and is also the ratio of the weight of NOTE 6—Individual wires should not be unlaid from compact round
electrical resistance of a unit length of stranded conductor to that of a solid conductors for testing purposes. Some physical properties of the indi-
conductor of the same cross-sectional area or of a stranded conductor with vidual compacted wires may be altered by the deformation brought about
infinite length of lay, that is, all wires parallel to the conductor axis. The by compacting, unlaying, and straightening for test.
stranding factor m for the completed stranded conductor is the numerical NOTE 7—To test stranded conductors for breaking strength successfully
average of the stranding factors for each of the individual wires in the as a unit requires adequate means of gripping the ends of the test specimen
conductor, including the straight core wire, if any (for which the stranding without causing damage that may result in a failure below the actual
factor is unity). The stranding factor (mind) for any given wire in a strength of the conductor. Various means are available, such as compres-
concentric-lay-stranded conductor is as follows: sion sleeves, split sleeves, and performed grips, but ordinary jaws or
clamping devices are usually not suitable.
m ind=11 ~ 9.8696/n 2 !
where:

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