Why is this rusting?

[Denray]

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[Jim Katen]

That's where the bird sits & poops.

[Denray]

Aluminum rusts?

[Jack Davenport]

Aluminum rusts?

Triplex cable has a strand of high strength steel inside the bare grounded conductor. This what is used to attach it to poles and structures. That is what you are seeing in the picture.

That is why you NEVER use cable cutters to just cut through the bare conductor on that cable - it will ruin the cutters

[Jim Port]

From Southwire,

http://www.southwire.com/products/ACSR.htm

[Tom Corrigan]

The brown stain is on the "dead end" wrap on, not on the grounded conductor.

http://www.preformed.com/index.php?opti ... &start=100

Tom Corrigan

[Denray]

Most excellent! Thanks all

[Marc]

The brown stain is on the "dead end" wrap on, not on the grounded conductor.

http://www.preformed.com/index.php?opti ... &start=100

Tom Corrigan

I'm not sure the neutral conductor of service drops is described within that link.

I had thought that the center strand of that bare stranded cable was steel. The rest were aluminum. The steel strand bears the tension forces. The aluminum provides most of the conductivity.

Marc

[David Meiland]

From Southwire,

http://www.southwire.com/products/ACSR.htm

What's up with the "code words" on that page? Several dozen bird names. Some of the other products have similar, some do not. Maybe linemen are bird enthusiasts?

And, why is the conductor in the OP photo only rusting where tied off to the porcelain? Is there something about the AL wrapped around it that inhibits rust?

[kurt]

The birds don't poop on that part.....

[mlparham]

Aluminum rusts?

No. The word rust, when used in a discussion about corrosion, is reserved to describe the formation of iron oxide.

[Jim Baird]

Aluminum rusts?

No. The word rust, when used in a discussion about corrosion, is reserved to describe the formation of iron oxide.

exactly...it "oxidizes", just like iron, just like us. Burn, baby...