Quote:
Originally Posted by Station X
The use of iron (actually I think it was steel) coated copper for drop wire had nothing to do with a shortage of copper. It was done to impart strength to what would otherwise been comparatively small diameter cadmium copper wire. Before the advent of drop wire two bare copper wires weighing 40 pounds per mile were run from the distribution pole to the premises.
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Thanks for that, Graham. I well remember open-wire cadmium-copper wires to pot-heads on the premises, but I can't remember what went from pot-head on the wall to lightning arrestor in the hall. Was it two single-core lead-sheathed secured by lead cleats on steel wedges? Or was it twin lead-sheathed cable secured similarly?
Iron or steel core, what happened with mine is the water got in, rotted away the core leaving two 'hollows' of copper plate and nothing in the middle!