A distribution circuit changes construction three or four times between the substation and the meter. It leaves the substation on MV-105 feeder cable, crosses the county as ACSR or covered line wire, drops underground as URD triplex where the run is buried, and finishes at the meter base on a service drop. Each stage has its own spec sheet, and on most jobs each stage comes from a different supplier. Commodity Cables carries all of those constructions in one catalog it has built out since 2001, with inventory positioned across 11 locations so the overhead and underground phases of the same project ship on the same PO.
| Cable Family | What We Stock | Common Utility Use |
|---|---|---|
| ACSR Conductor | Bare aluminum 1350-H19 over galvanized steel core, code word sizes 6 AWG through 4/0 and larger kcmil | Primary and secondary overhead distribution, reconductor spans, messenger support |
| Covered Line Wire | 1350-H19, 6201-T81, or ACSR cores under polyethylene, HDPE, or XLP covering | Overhead secondary through tree canopy and shared pole space |
| Duplex Service Drop | XLP covered, 600V or lower, 75°C maximum, code word sizes Walnut 6 AWG through Buckeye 4/0 | 120 volt aerial service at construction sites, outdoor and street lighting |
| URD Triplex and Quadruplex | 600V, 1350 series aluminum, black XLP insulation, yellow-striped neutral (Sweetbriar Ruggedized) | Underground secondary distribution in duct or direct burial, street light feeders |
| Aluminum XHHW-2 / USE-2 | Compact 8000 series aluminum, XLPE, 600V, sunlight resistant | Direct burial service laterals and conduit runs |
| MV-105 Medium Voltage Cable | 15kV and 35kV, EPR 133% insulation level, copper tape shield, ez-Pull PVC jacket | Substation exit and feeder runs in conduit, duct, direct burial, or tray |
| Aluminum MC Cable | AA-8030 conductors, XHHW-2 cores, interlocked armor, 600V, PVC jacket optional | Substation control buildings, metering cabinets, site lighting panels |
| SER and SEU Cable | Service entrance constructions by ampacity size | Meter disconnects and service entrances on utility structures |
| Aluminum PV Wire | UL 4703, 1000/2000V, -40°C to 90°C, sunlight and direct burial rated | Solar collection circuits per NEC Article 690 |
Line crews rebuilding primary and secondary spans after storms, or running scheduled reconductor work, specify bare ACSR by code word, stranding, and rated strength. ACSR conductor from Commodity Cables is aluminum 1350-H19 wire concentrically stranded over a class A galvanized steel core, meeting ASTM B230, B232, B498, and B500. Variable steel core stranding sets the strength-to-ampacity balance the line design calls for, without a separate messenger. Where the circuit passes through tree canopy or shared pole space, covered line wire puts a polyethylene, HDPE, or XLP covering over the same 1350-H19, 6201-T81, or ACSR cores. The covering is for weatherproofing, and the conductor is still installed and treated as bare per the spec sheet. Code word sizes run from 6 AWG through 4/0 and into larger kcmil, each with rated strength and ampacity tables downloadable before the quote goes out.
Buried secondary circuits pull triplex and quadruplex URD. URD cable stocked by Commodity Cables uses concentric or compressed 1350 series aluminum phase conductors under black XLP insulation, rated 600V and 90°C in wet or dry locations, meeting ICEA S-81-570 and UL 854 for Type USE-2. Sweetbriar Ruggedized triplex carries a yellow extruded stripe on the neutral so phase and neutral read correctly on the reel and in the trench. The duplex overhead service drop that street lighting crews hang for 120 volt aerial service at construction sites and on municipal poles is stocked in the same family, rated 600 volts or lower at 75°C maximum. For direct burial service laterals, aluminum XHHW-2 and USE-2 adds compact 8000 series aluminum under abrasion, heat, and moisture resistant XLPE, rated 600V, sunlight resistant, and listed to UL 44 and UL 854 for use in conduit or in the ground at 90°C wet or dry.
Shielded medium voltage carries the circuit from the substation fence to the distribution point. MV-105 cable ships in 15kV and 35kV classes, no lead EPR insulation at 133% insulation level, a 5 mil copper tape shield helically wrapped at 25% overlap, and a low friction ez-Pull PVC jacket over a glass tape binder. The construction is rated 105°C continuous, 140°C emergency overload, and 250°C short circuit, suited to wet and dry areas in conduit, duct, direct burial, and tray. Conductor is Class B compressed or compact stranded copper per ASTM B3 and B8. Listing follows UL 1072 and ICEA S-93-639, with UL 1685 CT flame exposure test on the jacket. Spec sheets for both voltage classes are downloadable so the insulation level and shield configuration can be checked against the utility standard on file before the PO drops.
Control buildings, metering cabinets, and site lighting panels inside the fence still need feeder and branch wiring. Aluminum MC cable runs those circuits without conduit, AA-8030 aluminum conductors under XHHW-2 rated cores with interlocked aluminum armor and an optional PVC jacket, 600V at 90°C in wet or dry locations per UL 44 and UL 1569. Where the circuit terminates at a service entrance or meter disconnect on a utility structure, SER and SEU cable is stocked in the sizes that match the service ampacity. On the generation side, aluminum PV wire handles solar collection wiring per NEC Article 690, UL 4703 listed at 1000/2000V and -40°C to 90°C with sunlight resistance and direct burial rating.
Covered line wire and duplex service drop sizes run by code word from Walnut at 6 AWG and 105 amps through Buckeye at 4/0 and 345 amps, with Almond 1/0 at 235 amps and Pecan 2/0 at 270 amps between them. The gauge follows the service ampacity on the utility standard, and every code word size carries its rated strength, weight, and ampacity on a downloadable spec sheet.
A typical circuit pulls MV-105 15kV or 35kV for the substation exit and feeder runs, ACSR or covered line wire for the overhead spans, URD triplex or XHHW-2 USE-2 for the buried secondary, and aluminum MC for the control building and site panels. Commodity Cables stocks all four stages in one catalog, so the overhead and underground phases ship on one PO instead of four supplier schedules.
Yes. Duplex overhead service drop is specified for 120 volt aerial service including street lighting at construction sites and municipal poles, and URD triplex is stocked in the sizes used for street light feeder runs between poles. Both carry spec sheets listing insulation, voltage rating, and ampacity by code word before the quote goes out.
For a quote on any utility construction in this catalog, call 866-945-5051 or request a quote online. Stocked orders placed by 2:30 PM ship the same day.
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