1 Conductor Spacing

Conductors need to be spaced to prevent clashing and/or flashover under operating

conditions. Your local electricity authority will provide values for separation to cater for
movement of conductors under wind conditions.

This module allows you to determine suitable spacing of conductor attachment points
using variables such as vertical spacing, cross arm lengths and sag. You can calculate the
spacing of two conductors in the same circuit (eg two 22kv conductors) or two conduc-
tors of different circuits (such as one LV conductor and one HV conductor) when both
conductors are attached to the same two poles. There are two approaches to spacing:

1. given the dimensions of the construction you can work out the maximum safe sag
and therefore span length, or

2. knowing the vertical spacing of the construction and sag you can determine what
length cross arm is needed

The formula used by this module1 is found in AS7000:2010 sect 3.7.3.2.

Opening the module you will see the window shown in figure 1.

Figure 1: Conductor Spacing module

1.1 Calculating maximum sag/span length

Select the first tab to work out the maximum sag that avoids clashing given the con-
structions on the two poles. From the sag you can then calculate the maximum span
length.

Step 1 Enter the relative spacings on each pole. If the construction on pole 2 is the same
as pole 1 just tick the box. Then the data will be copied from pole 1 to pole 2

Step 2 Edit the default values in the Common Values section as required
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p U √
X 2 + (1.2Y )2 ≥ 150 + k D + li

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Step 3 Click the green calculate button. The result (maximum sag) will be displayed

Step 4 If you want to now calculate the corresponding maximum span length click Send
Sag to sag tension calc. See the worked example for further details about using this
function.

1.2 Calculating cross arm length

The second tab allows you to calculate the needed horizontal spacing between conduc-
tors if you know the vertical spacing and maximum sag. This allows you to select a
suitable cross arm length.

The window is shown in figure 2

Figure 2: Cross arm length tab

Step 1 Enter the vertical separation and sag

Step 2 Click calculate. The minimum horizontal spacing between attachment points
will be shown.

1.3 Common Values

These values are filled with default values initially and can be edited as needed.

Max Suspension Insulator length The length of any free swing suspension insulator
associated with either conductor. Use the longer value if they are different at the two
ends. Use zero if pin or post insulators.

Voltage, Mid span separation constant See the description in section 1.4.

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1.4 Options

The relevant options are found on the Conductor Spacing tab in Options as shown in
figure 3. These default values are loaded into the Conductor Spacing window upon
opening or after clicking Clear.

Figure 3: Options

Line to line voltage

This value is the RMS (root mean square) vector difference in potential in kV between
the two conductors when each is operating at its nominal voltage. In determining the
potential between conductors of different circuits or between an earthwire and an aerial
phase conductor attention should be paid to any phase differences in the nominal volt-
ages.

Mid span separation constant

A constant normally equal to 0.4. Where local conditions have shown that other values
are appropriate you can use those. AS7000:2010 section 3.7.3 gives recommended values
for extreme conditions such as high bushfire prone areas.

1.5 Other functions

1.5.1 Clear

Clear results and reset options to defaults.

1.5.2 File

Open and Save – to save the conductor spacing details.

1.5.3 Project name

Enter a title, which is then used as the default file name to save. If you do not enter a
project name here you will be asked for one when saving or printing.

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1.5.4 Print

Generates a report. Select a printer from the print dialog as desired. To save as a PDF
document select a PDF printer.

1.6 A worked example

Figure 4: Pole 1 and Pole 2

Figure 5: Plan and profile view of the conductors and constructions

What is the maximum sag that these two 11kv constructions will permit to avoid clash-
ing? What is the maximum span length allowable for Moon conductor strung to 15%CBL
and 75 degrees?

You first need to determine the relative spacing of the attachment points ie where the
conductors are attached to the insulators. Let’s consider the two insulators on the same
side of Pole 1; they have a horizontal spacing of zero and vertical spacing on 1200mm.
They correspond to two adjacent insulators on the flat construction which are relatively
spaced 900mm horizontally and zero vertically.

Enter these four values as shown in fig 6 then click the green Calculate button to get
the result of 3.76m.

Having obtained the result you can now put that result in the sag tension calculator to
derive the maximum span length. Clicking the Send sag to Sag Tension Calc closes
the spacing window and opens the sag tension module with the sag of 3.76 already
entered in the sag text box. The additional data to enter is the conductor code, actual

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 Figure 6: Values entered

temperature and stringing tension (circled in Figure 7). Click the yellow Calculate
button to get the maximum span length, in this example 129m.

Figure 7: Maximim span length calculation