ASTM B8-11

Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft

ABSTRACT
This specification covers standard requirements for bare-concentric-lay stranded conductors made from round copper wires, either uncoated or coated with tin, lead, or lead alloy for general use for electrical purposes. These conductors shall be constructed with a central core surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid wires. The conductors shall be classified as follows: Class AA, Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D. Sizes, number of wires, and diameter of wires in the various classes of concentric-lay-stranded conductors shall conform to the prescribed requirements. Welds and brazes may be made in rods or in wires prior to final drawing. The completed conductor of varying classes shall conform to the minimum distance required between the joints. Diameters, areas, and mass of concentric-lay-stranded copper conductors shall conform to the prescribed requirements. Physical and electrical tests of conductors stranded of hard-drawn or medium-hard-drawn wires shall be conducted before but not after stranding. The approximate mass and electrical resistance may be determined using the required increments. The material shall also conform to the temperature corrections factor for conductor resistance.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers bare concentric-lay-stranded conductors made from round copper wires, either uncoated or coated with tin, lead, or lead alloy for general use for electrical purposes. These conductors shall be constructed with a central core surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid wires.
Note 1—This specification also permits conductors for use as covered or insulated electrical conductors.
Note 2—Sealed conductors, that are intended to prevent longitudinal water propagation and are further covered/insulated, are also permitted within the guidelines of this specification.  
1.2 For the purposes of this specification, conductors are classified as follows (Explanatory Note 1 and Note 2):  
1.2.1 Class AA—For bare conductors usually used in overhead lines.
1.2.2 Class A—For conductors to be covered with weather-resistant (weather-proof), slow-burning materials, and for bare conductors where greater flexibility than is afforded by Class AA is required.
1.2.3 Class B—For conductors to be insulated with various materials such as rubber, paper, varnished cloth, and so forth, and for the conductors indicated under Class A where greater flexibility is required.
1.2.4 Class C and Class D—For conductors where greater flexibility is required than is provided by Class B conductors.
1.3 The SI values for density are regarded as the standard. For all other properties, the inch-pound values are to be regarded as standard and the SI units may be approximate.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2011
• ICS: 29.060.20 - Cables
• Technical Committee: B01 - Electrical Conductors
• Drafting Committee: B01.04 - Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM B8-04 - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Replaced By: ASTM B8-11(2017) - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2017
• Referred By: ASTM B226-11(2021) - Standard Specification for Cored, Annular, Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Referred By: ASTM B784-01(2017)e1 - Standard Specification for Modified Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Use in Insulated Electrical Cables
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Referred By: ASTM B913-21 - Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Crimped Electrical Connections to 16-Gauge and Smaller Diameter Stranded and Solid Conductors
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Referred By: ASTM F1835-97(2018) - Standard Guide for Cable Splicing Installations
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Referred By: ASTM F1883-20 - Standard Practice for Selection of Wire and Cable Size in AWG or Metric Units
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011
• Referred By: ASTM B173-17 - Standard Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2011

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:B8 −11
Standard Specification for
Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard,
1
Medium-Hard, or Soft
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B8; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope B2Specification for Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
B3Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
1.1 This specification covers bare concentric-lay-stranded
B33Specification for Tin-Coated Soft or Annealed Copper
conductors made from round copper wires, either uncoated or
Wire for Electrical Purposes
coatedwithtin,lead,orleadalloyforgeneraluseforelectrical
B172Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conduc-
purposes. These conductors shall be constructed with a central
torsHavingBunch-StrandedMembers,forElectricalCon-
core surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid wires.
ductors
NOTE 1—This specification also permits conductors for use as covered
B173Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conduc-
or insulated electrical conductors.
tors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Electrical
NOTE 2—Sealed conductors, that are intended to prevent longitudinal
Conductors
water propagation and are further covered/insulated, are also permitted
B174Specification for Bunch-Stranded Copper Conductors
within the guidelines of this specification.
for Electrical Conductors
1.2 For the purposes of this specification, conductors are
B189Specification for Lead-Coated and Lead-Alloy-Coated
classified as follows (Explanatory Note 1 and Note 2):
Soft Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
1.2.1 Class AA—For bare conductors usually used in over-
B193Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor
head lines.
Materials
1.2.2 Class A—For conductors to be covered with weather-
B246Specification for Tinned Hard-Drawn and Medium-
resistant (weather-proof), slow-burning materials, and for bare
Hard-Drawn Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
conductors where greater flexibility than is afforded by Class
B263Test Method for Determination of Cross-Sectional
AA is required.
Area of Stranded Conductors
1.2.3 Class B—For conductors to be insulated with various
B354Terminology Relating to Uninsulated Metallic Electri-
materials such as rubber, paper, varnished cloth, and so forth,
cal Conductors
and for the conductors indicated under Class A where greater
B787/B787M Specification for 19 Wire Combination
flexibility is required.
Unilay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Subsequent Insu-
1.2.4 Class C and Class D—For conductors where greater
lation
flexibility is required than is provided by Class B conductors.
1.3 The SI values for density are regarded as the standard.
3. Ordering Information
For all other properties, the inch-pound values are to be
3.1 Ordersformaterialunderthisspecificationshallinclude
regarded as standard and the SI units may be approximate.
the following information:
2. Referenced Documents
3.1.1 Quantity of each size and class,
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.2 Conductor size: circular-mil area orAWG (Section 6),
B1Specification for Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
3.1.3 Class (see 1.2 and Table 1),
3.1.4 Temper (see 13.2),
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on
3.1.5 Whether coated or uncoated; if coated, designate type
Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on
Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys. of coating (see 13.1 and 13.2),
Current edition approved April 1, 2011. Published May 2011. Originally
3.1.6 Details of special-purpose lays, if required (see 5.4),
approved in 1915. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as B8–04. DOI:
3.1.7 Whenphysicaltestsshallbemade(seeSections7and
10.1520/B0008-11.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
8),
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3.1.8 Package size (see Section 15),
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. 3.1.9 Lagging, if required (see section 15.2),
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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B8−11
TABLE 1 Construction Requirements of Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors
A
Area of Size, Class AA Class A Class B Class C Class D
Cross-Section, American
Number of Diameter of Number of Diameter of Number of Diameter of Number of Diameter of Number of Diameter of
cmil Wire Gage
Wires Wires, mils Wires Wires, mils Wires Wires, mils Wires Wires, mils Wires Wires, mils
...

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:B8–04 Designation: B8 – 11
Standard Specification for
Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard,
1
Medium-Hard, or Soft
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B8; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 Thisspecificationcoversbareconcentric-lay-strandedconductorsmadefromroundcopperwires,eitheruncoatedorcoated
with tin, lead, or lead alloy for general use for electrical purposes. These conductors shall be constructed with a central core
surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid wires.
NOTE 1—This specification also permits conductors for use as covered or insulated electrical conductors.
NOTE 2—Sealed conductors, that are intended to prevent longitudinal water propagation and are further covered/insulated, are also permitted within
the guidelines of this specification.
1.2 For the purposes of this specification, conductors are classified as follows (Explanatory Note 1 and Note 2):
1.2.1 Class AA—For bare conductors usually used in overhead lines.
1.2.2 Class A—For conductors to be covered with weather-resistant (weather-proof), slow-burning materials, and for bare
conductors where greater flexibility than is afforded by Class AA is required.
1.2.3 Class B—For conductors to be insulated with various materials such as rubber, paper, varnished cloth, and so forth, and
for the conductors indicated under Class A where greater flexibility is required.
1.2.4 Class C and Class D—For conductors where greater flexibility is required than is provided by Class B conductors.
1.3 The SI values for density are regarded as the standard. For all other properties, the inch-pound values are to be regarded
as standard and the SI units may be approximate.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
B1 Specification for Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
B2 Specification for Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire
B3 Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
B33 Specification for Tin-Coated Soft or Annealed Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
B172 Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Bunch-Stranded Members, for Electrical Conductors
B173 Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Electrical Conduc-
tors
3
B174 Specification for Bunch-Stranded Copper Conductors for Electrical Conductors
B189 Specification for Lead-Coated and Lead-Alloy-Coated Soft Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
B246 Specification for Tinned Hard-Drawn and Medium-Hard-Drawn Copper Wire for Electrical Purposes
B263 Test Method for Determination of Cross-Sectional Area of Stranded Conductors
B354 Terminology Relating to Uninsulated Metallic Electrical Conductors
B787/B787M Specification for 19 Wire Combination Unilay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Subsequent Insulation
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee B01 on Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on Conductors
of Copper and Copper Alloys.
CurrenteditionapprovedApril1,2004.2011.PublishedApril2004.May2011.Originallyapprovedin1915.Lastpreviouseditionapprovedin19992004asB8–99.B8–04.
DOI: 10.1520/B0008-04.10.1520/B0008-11.
2
ForreferencedASTMstandards,visittheASTMwebsite,www.astm.org,[e-mail]ards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Available from American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), 444 N. Capitol St., NW, Suite 249, Washington, DC 20001.
3
Withdrawn.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

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B8–11
3. Ordering Information
3.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include the following information:
3.1.1 Quantity of each size and class,
3.1.2 Conductor size: circular-mil area or AWG (Section 6),
3.1.3 Class (see 1.2 and Table 1),
3.1.4 Temper (see 13.2),
3.1.5 Whether coated or uncoated; if coated, designate type of coating (see 13.1 and 13.2),
3.1.6 Details of special-purpose lays, if required (see 5.4),
3.1.7 When physical tests shall be made (see S
...