Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

Lab Title:
Testing of Power Cables Sample:

Apparatus:
 Cable Sample
 Meter Rod
 Micrometer
 DC Supply (10 Amp)
 DC voltmeter (mV)
 DC Ammeter (10 Amp)
 Thermometer

Theory:
 Conductor:
Annealed copper is better than hard drawn copper but flexibility is main issue in using
the copper conductor.
 Insulation:
Above the conductor the very first layer is called insulation. There are Different types of
insulations used:
 Paper insulation:
o It is a special Paper known as Impregnated Paper.
o It has improved insulation properties.
o It is made from Paper, Oil and Rinse Solution
 Varnish Cambric:
o Varnish is Dipped in Nankeen or Cotton ( Soti Kapra)
o Then Dried and used as insulation.
 Bitumen:
o If there is a sewerage system nearby or water level beneath the ground is high
then this insulation is necessary.
o It is actually mixture of Sulpher, Vegetable Oil and Bitumen.
o It provide a Water Proof Cover on the Cable
 Poly Vinyl Chloride:
o It is the Best and very commonly used insulation.
o It provides help to overcome Atmosphere & Moisture Problems.
o Flexibility is Feature of PVC.
o One main benefit of PVC is that if it get fired then it will not allow the fire to
Expand.
 XLPE:
o Abbreviated for ‘Cross Linked Poly Ethylene’.

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

o On composition Basis, also known as ‘Hydrogen Carbon thermo Plastic’.

o It’s Insulation & mechanical Properties are very high.
o It is a dielectric of very fine quality.
o Its properties are comparable with PVC.
o Thickness & Hardness is very high.
o It can sustain 500KV & 220KV.
o It cannot be cut even with a saw.
o Polymer’s whole string weight is equal to one disc of Porcelin. This is the
main benefit of it.

 Insulation Screen:
o It is Made of Copper or Aluminum.
o Provide additional protection from Moisture.
o Also provide Protection from Leakage Current

 Filler:
o Protect the cable From Moisture
o Main Job is to bear thrust or Pressure exerted on cable.
o It controls the Vibration of cable so known as vibration controller.

 Armouring:
o Steel Wire is used for this purpose.
o Steel Wire Covers the Whole Cable.
o Avoid or protect from Mechanical Stress.
o Cables are available in Armored & Non Armored
o The places where we don’t have to form a channel rather we lay down the Cables
Directly in Earth, We use Armored Cables there.
o These Cables are prepared on Order. They are not available on the spot anywhere.

 Sheath:
o It is made up of PVC.
o It Provides an External Cover

 Serving:
o To protect the Sheath
o External Cover of a cloth or Tat or Put sun.

Types with Respect to Voltage:

 Low Tension Cables( <1000V)
 High Tension Cables ( 11KV)

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

 Super Tension Cables ( 33KV)

 Extra High Voltage Cables ( >33KV)

Types With Respect to Size Standard:

There are generally two types of Cables used with respect to Size Standard.

 Imperial Size
 They are House Wiring Cables
 They are Part of Old System
 They are gradually being replaced with the Metric size cables
 Standard sizes are 3/0.029, 7/0.029 and 7/0.036.
 3/0.029 means there are 3 strands and each strand is of diameter 0.029.
 For Imperial Size Calculations, Resistance Standard Table is BSS3360
 For Imperial Size Calculations Insulation & sheath Standard Table BSS2004
 All the Measurements in this System are in inches i.e. Length is in Yard and Area
is in inches2
 Metric Size
 They are part of Modern System and Gradually taking the place of Imperial Type
Cables
 All measurements in this system are in mm2 i.e. Length is in meter or Kilometer
(m or Km).
 Standard size Cables are of 6mm2 , 95mm2, 1000mm2 .
 The overall size of all the strands in the Metric Size Cable is 95mm2 .
 In Pakistan Available Metric Cables sizes are: [0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6, 10, 16,
25, 35, 50, 70, 95, 120, 150, 185, 240, 300, 400, 500, 630, 800, 960, and 1000]
mm2 .
 Standard Resistance Table is BSS6360.
 Standard Insulation & Sheath Table:
o For 600/1000V is BSS6346
o For 300/450V,500/750V and Less than 750V is BSS6004

Temperature Correction Factor:

 Temperature Correction Factor is Very Important. It must be in our Knowledge at
the time of taking the Measurement.
 Standard Value of Temperature is 20℃ for taking the Measurement.
 First we will check the Room temperature, where we are taking the Measurement,
then we will take our Measurement.
 In the End we will multiply our reading with the Multiplying temperature to
convert the Measurement to standard Value taken at 20℃, so that we can balance
our reading with Standard one.

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

Temperature Multiplying
Factor

1) 16℃ 1.015
2) 20℃ 1
3) 22℃ 0.992
4) 24℃ 0.984
5) 27℃ 0.973
6) 30℃ 0.962
7) 32℃ 0.954
8) 35℃ 0.944
9) 40℃ 0.927
10) 50℃ 0.894

Comparison between Imperial & Metric Size Cables:

1. They are OLD type Cables. 1. They are Modern Type Cables.

2. Size of Imperial Cables in inches2 2. Size of Metric Cables in mm2

converted in mm2 i.e.- mm2
i.e.inches2 - (mm2 )

 3/0.029 inches2 - (1.28 mm2 ) o 1.5mm2

 7/0.029 inches2 - (2.98 mm2 )

o 2.5 mm2
 7/0.036 inches2 - (4.60 mm2 )

 7/0.044 inches2 - (6.87 mm2 ) o 4 mm2

 7/0.052 inches2 - (9.59 mm2 )

o 6 mm2
 7/0.064 inches2 - (14.53 mm2 )

o 10 mm2

o 16mm2

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

Circuit Diagram:

Procedure:
i. Sample Size
Total Number of Strands = 37
Diameter of Single Strand = 3.357mm
Area of Single Strand = A = π/4*(d 2)
Size = Total Number of Strands * Area of single Strand

There are generally Cables of two types of Sizes:

 Round/Circular Sized
 They are often used for house Wiring.
 Their Diameter is generally less than 35mm.
 Power Cables are shaped type to reduce the Skin Effect.

 Shaped Size
 They are flat after every mm along the Diameter of Cable
 Diameter is not mentioned
 It is very difficult to check their size due to their flatness after every mm.
 One way to check is to measure their resistance directly and then convert
that resistance into area or size.

ii. Area:
Now with the Help of Micrometer Find the Area of the Cable.

iii. Resistance Measurement:

We can simply find the resistance by Ohm’s Law. Be careful about the units.
mV Ω
R=
A∗1000 m

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

mV Ω
R= * 1000
A∗1000 Km
mV Ω
R= .
A Km
Which means that if we are given with voltage drop in mili volts then resistance units
would be automatically in ohms per kilometer which is standard unit for resistance in
power system.

Alternative Method:

We have some standard values of resistance for some specific Area. Like
Ω
For 6mm2 we have 3.08 so we can perform any conversion but by keeping one thing in
m
mind that the area of the sample, whose resistance is to be find, is always in denominator.
Like if we want to find the resistance of 4 mm2 then
6 Ω
Resistance = ∗3.08
4 m

iv. Application of Temperature Correction Factor:

Now check the Room Temperature with the help of thermometer.

Room temperature = ℃ =?
Resistance at Room temperature =?
Resistance at 20℃ = Resistance at room Temperature * Temperature correction Factor

v. % Purity:

Now Percentage purity can be checked by

Standard Value of Resistance

% Purity= ∗100
Measured Value of Resistance

We can measure purity by weight also. Every metal has its own unique Density and if we
are sure about its 100% purity, make it standard. Then we can find the purity of any other
sample of the metal by measuring its Weight. Formula is same as in case of resistance.
Now Percentage purity can be checked by
Standard Value of Weight
% Purity= ∗100
Measured Value of Weight

Since our Sample is of 300 mm2 which have 2.759kg/m of weight according to Standard.

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

Measured Value of Weight can be more or less than standard Value because of
Aluminum and steel impurities. But Measured Value of Resistance will always be greater
than standard Value and less only if conductor would be oversized.

Observation Table:
Cable Name: 300mm2 PVC/PVC Copper Conductor Single Core Cable

Sr.No. Measurement Measure Standard Remarks

Value Value
1. Resistance at 20℃ for 1000m Cable 0.0601Ω
2. Thickness of Insulation 2.4m
3. Thickness of Sheath 1.9mm
4. Overall Diameter 32.1mm
 Standard Tables followed are
 BSS 6360
 BSS6346

Precautions:
There are no Special precautions for this but just keep in mind some points given below while
performing the Experiment.
 The battery voltage does not matter, which matters is that the battery should be
able to supply a current of at least should be able to provide a current of 9-10Amp
because our sample’s resistance is very low. Since resistance is low so if we will
pass very low current then voltage will be in micro volts and voltmeter will not
capture it. So, as current is high voltage drop will be more and accuracy of
reading will be more.
 Don’t take too much time for taking the reading because at high current cable will
heat up and its resistance changes.
 All Cable Strands should be part of the Circuit so that chance of Error would be
less.

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1

Power Transmission Lab Manual Lab # 03

Hafiz Muhammad Awais 12-EE-67 Section – C1