AAC – All Aluminum Conductor

What Is an AAC Conductor?

AAC (All Aluminum Conductor) is a bare overhead conductor made entirely of hard-drawn 1350 aluminum wires, stranded together in a concentric-lay pattern. The full form of AAC is “All Aluminum Conductor,” sometimes also written as “All Aluminium Conductor” in IEC and British English contexts.

Unlike ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced), AAC contains no steel core — every strand is 1350-H19 aluminum, giving the conductor the highest conductivity-to-weight ratio among standard overhead conductors. A typical AAC construction uses 7, 19, 37, 61, 91, or 127 wires arranged in concentric layers, with the layer count determined by the cross-sectional area required.

Where AAC Conductors Are Used

AAC is the preferred choice for overhead distribution lines in scenarios where mechanical strength is less critical than electrical performance and corrosion resistance:

• Urban distribution networks — short spans between supports, where AAC’s higher conductivity reduces line losses at lower voltage levels.
• Coastal and marine environments — pure aluminum construction resists salt-spray corrosion far better than steel-reinforced alternatives.
• Substation jumpers and bus connections — flexibility and high conductivity make AAC well-suited for short, current-carrying connections.
• Service drops and secondary distribution — economical for low-voltage applications under 1 kV.
• Bare neutrals on multiplex cables — AAC frequently serves as the messenger or neutral conductor in service entrance assemblies.

For long-span transmission lines requiring high tensile strength, ACSR or AACSR remains the better choice. AAC is purpose-built for shorter spans where corrosion resistance and conductivity matter more than mechanical loading.

Key Advantages of AAC Conductors

• Highest conductivity per unit weight — pure 1350 aluminum delivers approximately 61% IACS conductivity.
• Excellent corrosion resistance — no dissimilar-metal galvanic corrosion since the conductor is single-material.
• Lightweight — easier handling during installation; lower dead load on supports compared to ACSR of equivalent ampacity.
• Cost-effective — no steel core means simpler manufacturing and lower material cost per unit length.
• Long service life in benign mechanical environments — typical design life exceeds 40 years on properly engineered distribution lines.

Standards Compliance

ZD Cable manufactures AAC conductors to all major international standards. Full data tables for each standard are available in the Technical Data tab above:

• IEC 61089 — Round wire concentric lay overhead electrical stranded conductors
• ASTM B 231 / B 231M — Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Aluminum 1350 Conductors
• BS EN 50182 — Conductors for overhead lines: Round wire concentric lay stranded conductors
• BS 215-1 — Aluminium stranded conductors for overhead power transmission
• AS 1531 — Conductors — Bare overhead — Aluminium and aluminium alloy
• GB/T 1179 — Round wire concentric lay overhead electrical stranded conductors (Chinese national standard, equivalent to IEC 61089)

Every reel ships with a mill test certificate verifying tensile strength, DC resistance at 20°C, wire diameter, and stranding compliance. CNAS-accredited third-party test reports are available on request.