ASTM B498/B498M-22

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Designation: B498/B498M − 19 B498/B498M − 22
Standard Specification for
Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Steel Core Wire for Use in
Overhead Electrical Conductors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B498/B498M; 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
1.1 This specification covers round, zinc-coated, steel core wire with two classes of zinc coating for use in overhead electrical
conductors.
1.2 This specification covers wire of diameter from 0.0500 to 0.1900 in. or 1.27 to 4.82 mm, inclusive.
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each
system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the
two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on date of material purchase form a part of this specification to the extent
referenced herein.
2.2 ASTM Standards:
A90/A90M Test Method for Weight [Mass] of Coating on Iron and Steel Articles with Zinc or Zinc-Alloy Coatings
A370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products
A751 Test Methods and Practices for Chemical Analysis of Steel Products
B6 Specification for Zinc
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
E29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.05 on Conductors
of Ferrous Metals.
Current edition approved March 1, 2019Oct. 1, 2022. Published April 2019October 2022. Originally published as B498 – 69 to replace B245 and B261. Last previous
edition approved in 20162019 as B498/B498M – 08 (2016).B498/B498M – 19. DOI: 10.1520/B0498_B0498M-19.10.1520/B0498_B0498M-22.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
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B498/B498M − 22
3.1.1 lot—unless otherwise specified in the contract or order, a lot shall consist of all coils of wire of the same diameter and unit
lengths submitted for inspection at the same time.
3.1.2 product code—Definesdefines product coating type, coating class and strength grade. Twograde; two product codes for
product produced to this specification: Class A Zinc Coated (Code GA2); and Class C Zinc Coated (Code GC2).
4. Classification
4.1 The wire is furnished in two classes of coating, Class A or Class C, as specified, in conformance with the requirements of
Section 10 and Table 6 or Table 7.
5. Ordering Information
5.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include the following information:
5.1.1 Quantity of each size,
5.1.2 Wire diameter in inches or millimeters (Section 14),
5.1.3 Product Codecode (see 3.1.2 and 4.1),
5.1.4 Certification, if required (Section 19),
5.1.5 Test report, if required (Section 19), and
5.1.6 Package size (Section 20).
5.1.7 Order Example—Order Example: Five multiple lengths of 12 000 ft.ft each, 0.1327 in. GA2 wire, packaged onto wooden
nonreturnable reels, with certified test report.
6. Materials and Manufacture
6.1 The base metal shall be steel produced by the open-hearth, electric-furnace, or basic-oxygen process.
6.2 The wire shall be cold drawn and coated with zinc to produce the desired properties.
6.3 The slab zinc used for coating shall be high-grade or better, conforming to Specification B6.
7. Chemical Composition
7.1 The steel shall conform to the requirements prescribed in Table 1.
7.2 Chemical analysis shall be conducted in accordance with Test Methods, Practices, Methods and TerminologyPractices A751.
8. Tensile Test
8.1 The zinc-coated steel core wire shall conform to the tensile and elongation requirements prescribed in Table 2 or Table 3 and
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements
Element Composition, %
Carbon 0.50 to 0.88
Manganese 0.50 to 1.10
Phosphorus, max 0.035
Sulfur, max 0.045
Silicon 0.10 to 0.35
B498/B498M − 22
TABLE 2 Tensile Requirements
Stress at 1 % Extension, min, Kpsi Ultimate Tensile Strength, min, Kpsi Elongation in 10 in., min, %
Specified
Class Class Class Class Class Class
Diameter, in.
A C A C A C
0.0500 to 0.0899, 190 170 210 190 3.0 3.0
incl
0.0900 to 0.1199, 185 165 205 185 3.5 3.0
incl
0.1200 to 0.1399, 180 160 205 185 4.0 3.0
incl
0.1400 to 0.1900, 170 155 200 180 4.0 4.0
incl
TABLE 3 Tensile Requirements (Metric)
Stress at 1 % Extension, min, MPa Ultimate Tensile Strength, min, Elongation in 250 mm, min, %
MPa
Specified Diameter, mm
Class Class Class Class Class Class
A C A C A C
1.27 to 2.28, incl 1310 1170 1450 1310 3.0 3.0
2.29 to 3.04, incl 1280 1140 1410 1280 3.5 3.0
3.05 to 3.55, incl 1240 1100 1410 1280 4.0 3.0
3.56 to 4.82, incl 1170 1070 1380 1240 4.0 4.0
TABLE 4 Initial Settings for Determining Stress at 1 % Extension
Specified Diameter, Initial Stress, Initial Setting of Extensometer,
in. Kpsi in./ in.
0.0500 to 0.0899, incl 14 0.0005 (0.05 % extension)
0.0900 to 0.1199, incl 28 0.0010 (0.10 % extension)
0.1200 to 0.1900, incl 42 0.0015 (0.15 % extension)
TABLE 5 Initial Settings for Determining Stress at 1 % Extension
(Metric)
Specified Diameter, Initial Stress, Initial Setting of Extensometer,
mm MPa mm/mm
1.27 to 2.28, incl 100 0.0005 (0.05 % extension)
2.29 to 3.04, incl 190 0.0010 (0.10 % extension)
3.05 to 4.82, incl 290 0.0015 (0.15 % extension)
TABLE 6 Zinc Coating
Area Density of Coating, min, of
Specified Diameter of Coated 2
Uncoated Wire Surface, oz/ft
Wire, in.
Class A Class C
0.0500 to 0.0599, incl 0.60 1.80
0.0600 to 0.0749, incl 0.65 1.95
0.0750 to 0.0899, incl 0.70 2.10
0.0900 to 0.1039, incl 0.75 2.25
0.1040 to 0.1199, incl 0.80 2.40
0.1200 to 0.1399, incl 0.85 2.55
0.1400 to 0.1799, incl 0.90 2.70
0.1800 to 0.1900, incl 1.00 3.00
a minimum breaking strength (lbs(lb [N]) calculated from the minimum required tensile and nominal wire diameter. The wire
tensile strength used to determine compliance to Table 2 or Table 3 shall be calculated using the actual wire breaking strength and
the nominal finished diameter of the wire.
8.2 Tensile tests shall be conducted in accordance with Test Methods and Definitions A370, using the initial settings for
determining stress at 1 % extension given in Table 4 or Table 5 of this specification.
8.3 Test Specimens—The test specimens shall be free of bends or kinks other than the curvature resulting from the usual coiling
B498/B498M − 22
TABLE 7 Zinc Coating (Metric)
Area Density of Coating, min, of
Specified Diameter of Coated 2
Uncoated Wire Surface, g/m
Wire, mm
Class A Class C
1.27 to 1.52, incl 183 549
1.53 to 1.90, incl 198 594
1.91 to 2.28, incl 214 642
2.29 to 2.64, incl 229 687
2.65 to 3.04, incl 244 732
3.05 to 3.55, incl 259 777
3.56 to 4.57, incl 274 822
4.58 to 4.82, incl 305 915
operations. Any hand straightening necessary to permit insertion of the specimen in the jaws of the testing machine shall be
performed by drawing between wood blocks or by some other equally satisfactory means.
9. Wrap Test
9.1 The material, as represented by the test specimens, shall not fracture when the galvanized wire is wrapped at a rate not
exceeding 15 turns/min in a close helix of at least eight turns around a cylindrical mandrel with a diameter equal to two times the
specified diameter of the wire under test, 65 %. The edge-to-edge spacing of consecutive turns shall not exceed two times the
diameter of the wire.
10. Coating Test
10.1 The material, as represented by the test specimens, shall conform to the coating requirements of Table 6 or Table 7. for the
diameter and class of coating specified.
10.2 The coating test shall be conducted in accordance with Test Method A90/A90M.
11. Adherence of Coating Test
11.1 The zinc-coated wire shall be capable of being wrapped in a close helix at a rate not exceeding 15 turns/min around a
cylindrical mandrel having a diameter as prescribed in Table 8 or Table 9, without cracking or flaking the zinc coating to such an
extent that any zinc can be removed by rubbing with the bare fingers.
NOTE 1—Loosening or detachment during the adhesion test of superficial, small p
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