LV & MV Aerial Bundle Cable (ABC)

Aerial Bundle Cables, often referred to as Aerial Bundled Conductors or simply ABC, are cables for overhead line power, so called for combining multiple single core cables together.

Aerial Bundle Cable Specification

With applications including temporary power distribution to street lighting and secondary pole-to-pole service cables, ABC are lightweight stranded aluminium conductors, both single core and multi-cores. Whilst Aerial Bundle Cables are used in rural power distribution in some countries, they are more commonly used in temporary power installations such as on construction sites. As insulated cables they are often preferred to bare conductors which are installed and separated by air gaps but where sparks and shorts in the event of high winds may cause resulting bushfires in dry climates or risk nearby property. The XLPE insulation material, and where relevant the sheathing material, allows the ABC to be tightly bundled together – additional steel wire supports similar to those in ACSR can also be incorporated as catenary wires .

Low Voltage ABC

Our Low Voltage ABC are manufactured in accordance with a range of national standards - British standard BS7870, French standard NF C33 209, Australasian standard AS/NZS 3560 Part 1, and IEC standards IEC 60502-1, TNB Specification, and HD 626 S1. They have a voltage rating of 0.6/1kV. With the insulation it also meets Class II according to IEC 61140 in protecting against electric shock. Aerial Bundle Cables have an operating temperature range of -40^oC to +80^oC and can be installed in temperatures as low as -20^oC. These ABC are unscreened and without an additional outer sheath.

The LV ABC have both phase conductors and a neutral conductor - both Class 2 stranded Aluminium - with core identification being provided by ribs on the insulation: Phases by longitudinal ribs (I, II, III), Neutral core by longitudinal ribs (≤ 50 mm2 min.12 ribs; ≥ 50 mm2 min.16 ribs).

Medium Voltage ABC

We also supply Medium Voltage Aerial Bundle Cables, in voltages of 6.35/11kV,  12.7/22kV and 19/33kV. Manufactured in accordance with IEC 60502-2, we also have variants made specifically to Australian and New Zealand standards AS/NZS 3599 Part 1. In addition to the XLPE insulation, these higher voltage cables are sheathed with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). They are available with and without additional screening, in light and heavy duty copper wire or tape, depending on the installation parameters and requirements.

Specifying ABC for overhead line power

Determining the suitability of Aerial Bundle Cables for your overhead line application and the accompanying cable size calculation can be supported by our technical team. They will consider the application, the installation environment, and the regulations of the project country, and will guide your decision to specify Aerial bundle cables or other OHL products along with accompanying cable accessories.