ASTM B172-01a

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Designation: B 172 – 01a
Standard Specification for
Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Bunch-
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Stranded Members, for Electrical Conductors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 172; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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1. Scope Area of Stranded Conductors
B 354 Terminology Relating to Uninsulated Metallic Elec-
1.1 This specification covers bare rope-lay-stranded con-
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trical Conductors
ductors having bunch-stranded members made from round
2.3 American National Standard:
copper wires, either uncoated or coated with tin, lead, or
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ANSI C42.35 Definitions of Electrical Terms
lead-alloy for use as electrical conductors (Explanatory Notes
1 and 2).
3. Classification
1.2 Coated wires shall include only those wires with fin-
3.1 For the purpose of this specification rope-lay-stranded
ished diameters and densities substantially equal to the respec-
conductors having bunch-stranded members are classifed as
tive diameters and densities of uncoated wires.
follows:
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound or SI units are to be
3.1.1 Class I—Conductors consisting of wires 0.0201-in.
regarded separately as standard. Each system shall be used
(0.511-mm) diameter (No. 24 AWG) to produce rope-lay-
independently of the other. Combining values from the two
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stranded conductors up to 2 000 000 cmil (1013 mm ) in total
systems may result in nonconformance with the specification.
cross-sectional area. (Typical use is for special apparatus
For conductor sizes designated byAWG or kcmil, the require-
conductor.)
ments in SI units have been numerically converted from
3.1.2 Class K—Conductors consisting of wires 0.0100-in.
corresponding values, stated or derived, in inch-pound units.
(0.254-mm) diameter (No. 30 AWG) to produce rope-lay-
For conductor sizes designated by SI units only, the require-
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stranded conductors up to 1 000 000 cmil (507 mm ) in total
ments are stated or derived in SI units.
cross-sectional area. (Typical use is for special portable cord
1.3.1 For density, resistivity, and temperature, the values
and conductors.)
stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.
3.1.3 Class M—Conductors consisting of wires 0.0063-in.
2. Referenced Documents (0.160-mm) diameter (No. 34 AWG) to produce rope-lay-
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stranded conductors up to 1 000 000 cmil (507 mm ) in total
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect at the
cross-sectional area. (Typical use is for welding conductors.)
time of reference form a part of this specification to the extent
referenced herein:
4. Ordering Information
2.2 ASTM Standards:
2 4.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include
B3 Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
the following information:
B33 Specification for Tinned Soft or Annealed Copper
2 4.1.1 Quantity of each size and class,
Wire for Electrical Purposes
4.1.2 Conductor size: circular-mil area or AWG (see 7.1),
B 173 Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Con-
4.1.3 Class (Section 4 and Table 1),
ductors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Elec-
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4.1.4 Whether coated or uncoated; if coated, designate type
trical Conductors
of coating (see 11.1),
B 189 Specification for Lead-Coated and Lead-Alloy-
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4.1.5 Details of special-purpose lays, if required (see 6.2,
Coated Soft Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
6.3, and Explanatory Note 3),
B 263 Test Method for Determination of Cross-Sectional
4.1.6 Package size (see 15.1),
4.1.7 Special package marking, if required (Section 14),
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4.1.8 Lagging, if required (see 15.2), and
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on
Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on
Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 2001. Published November 2001. Originally
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issued 1942 to replace portions of B 158–41 T. Last previous edition B 172 – 01. Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd Street,
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.03. 13th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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B 172 – 01a
A
TABLE 1 Construction Requirements of Rope-Lay Stranded Copper Conductors Having Bunch-Stranded Members
Class I Class K Class M
Wire Wire Wire
Area of
Diameter Diameter Diameter
Cross
0.0201 0.0100 0.0063
Section
Size in. in. in.
AWG (0.511 Approximate (0.254 Approximate (0.160 Approximate
B B B
mm) Mass mm) Mass mm) Mass
cmil mm Nominal Strand lb/ kg/ Nominal Strand lb/
...