What is the current carrying capacity of DOG conductor?

DOG ACSR (6/4.72 mm aluminium + 7/1.57 mm steel, 100 mm² nominal) carries about 310 A at 40 °C ambient, 75 °C conductor temperature and 0.61 m/s wind.

Which conductor is used for 132 kV lines in India?

PANTHER ACSR (30/3.00 mm aluminium + 7/3.00 mm steel, 200 mm² nominal, about 487 A) is the standard 132 kV transmission conductor.

What is the difference between ACSR, AAAC and AAC?

ACSR has a steel core for strength, AAAC uses an aluminium-magnesium-silicon alloy that is lighter and corrosion-free, and AAC is pure aluminium with the best conductivity but the lowest strength.

How are conductor code names decided?

They are animal and bird names from the old British/ASTM tradition — SQUIRREL, WEASEL, RABBIT, DOG, WOLF, PANTHER, ZEBRA, MOOSE — each fixed to a specific stranding and area in IS 398.

Conductor Types & Current Carrying Capacity

Full technical data for the standard overhead line conductors — ACSR, AAAC and AAC. Search by code name or size, filter by family, compare up to four side by side, and open any conductor for its complete specification and ampacity behaviour.

Ampacity basis: Ambient 40 °C, maximum conductor temperature 75 °C, cross-wind 0.61 m/s, solar radiation 1000 W/m², emissivity 0.9, absorptivity 0.8, outdoor overhead installation (IEEE 738 / IS 398 practice).

Conductor	Family	Stranding	Nominal mm²	Dia (mm)	Weight (kg/km)	R₂₀ (Ω/km)	UTS (kN)	Capacity (A)
SQUIRREL	ACSR	6/2.11 mm Al + 1/2.11 mm steel	20	6.33	85	1.3654	7.61	115
WEASEL	ACSR	6/2.59 mm Al + 1/2.59 mm steel	30	7.77	128	0.9116	11.12	150
FERRET	ACSR	6/3.00 mm Al + 1/3.00 mm steel	40	9.00	172	0.6795	14.85	185
RABBIT	ACSR	6/3.35 mm Al + 1/3.35 mm steel	50	10.05	214	0.5449	18.25	208
MINK	ACSR	6/3.66 mm Al + 1/3.66 mm steel	60	10.98	256	0.4565	21.67	234
RACCOON	ACSR	6/4.09 mm Al + 1/4.09 mm steel	80	12.27	319	0.3656	26.91	270
DOG	ACSR	6/4.72 mm Al + 7/1.57 mm steel	100	14.15	394	0.2745	32.41	310
WOLF	ACSR	30/2.59 mm Al + 7/2.59 mm steel	150	18.13	726	0.1828	67.34	405
PANTHER	ACSR	30/3.00 mm Al + 7/3.00 mm steel	200	21.00	974	0.1363	89.67	487
DEER	ACSR	30/4.27 mm Al + 7/4.27 mm steel	400	29.89	1975	0.0674	175.60	700
ZEBRA	ACSR	54/3.18 mm Al + 7/3.18 mm steel	420	28.62	1621	0.0687	130.32	735
MOOSE	ACSR	54/3.53 mm Al + 7/3.53 mm steel	520	31.77	1998	0.0559	159.60	836
ANT	AAC	7/2.21 mm Al	25	6.63	74	1.0930	4.60	130
GNAT	AAC	7/2.59 mm Al	35	7.77	101	0.7967	6.10	160
WASP	AAC	7/3.40 mm Al	60	10.20	174	0.4626	10.20	225
AAAC 50 (RABBIT EQUIVALENT)	AAAC	7/3.00 mm alloy	50	9.00	136	0.6740	14.10	195
AAAC 100 (DOG EQUIVALENT)	AAAC	19/2.59 mm alloy	100	12.95	275	0.3333	27.80	290
AAAC 150 (WOLF EQUIVALENT)	AAAC	19/3.15 mm alloy	150	15.75	407	0.2253	40.60	375

ACSR — Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced

Aluminium strands wound over a galvanised steel core. The steel carries the mechanical tension and the aluminium carries the current, which allows long spans at low cost. It is the default choice for Indian distribution and transmission lines, but the steel can corrode in coastal or industrial atmospheres.

AAAC — All Aluminium Alloy Conductor

Al-Mg-Si (6201-type) alloy strands with no steel. About 15–20% lighter than the equivalent ACSR with comparable strength and much better corrosion resistance, so it is preferred near the coast and where lighter towers or longer spans matter. Slightly higher resistance than pure aluminium.

AAC — All Aluminium Conductor

Pure (1350-grade) aluminium strands. The best conductivity per unit area and fully corrosion-resistant, but the lowest breaking load, so it is limited to short spans — urban LT distribution and substation connections.

How to read the stranding

'30/3.00 + 7/3.00' means 30 aluminium strands of 3.00 mm over a 7-strand steel core of 3.00 mm. Multiply π/4 × d² by the strand count to get the area of each layer; the sum is the total metallic area.

Why the ampacity column is only indicative

Every ampacity figure assumes weather. These use Ambient 40 °C, maximum conductor temperature 75 °C, cross-wind 0.61 m/s, solar radiation 1000 W/m², emissivity 0.9, absorptivity 0.8, outdoor overhead installation (IEEE 738 / IS 398 practice). Reduce the wind to zero and the same conductor loses 20–30% of its rating; drop the ambient to 25 °C and it gains a similar amount.

Choosing between families

Pick ACSR for maximum span and lowest cost, AAAC for coastal or polluted environments and lighter structures, and AAC for short urban spans where conductivity per mm² matters most. Always confirm the final choice against the utility's approved conductor schedule.