Lead coated insulated wire

[JPWH 6,033]

This is 500 insulated copper with a lead outer jacket. Anyone have any knowledge to share about it.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

3 minutes ago, JPWH said:

Anyone have any knowledge

 

That's so that Superman can't see the copper.  He's a big scrapper ya know.  If he sees copper wire in your house he'll rip it out and scrap it before you know it!

 

Seriously... I've never heard of such a thing.  Wonder if it's for direct burial in the olden days?  Or maybe for use in a nuke plant.

 

Like I said... no idea!

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Jeff-C175

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

[JPWH 6,033]

This wire was removed from a building built in the early 60's. It was the wire from a power company vault to the main service.

In my 45 years of electrical experience this is the first I have seen.

[kpinnc 12,004]

Telcos used lead as an outer jacket on whats considered "underground" cabling. Typically in a metro environment, not in the dirt but more like drainage tunnels. They're also typically pressurized with a nitrogen mix. 

 

What's different with yours is its a single heavy conductor. Telco uses hundreds of insulated twisted pairs. 

[953 nut 55,188]

There was a lot of it used in cable trays in the older part of the Carrier Air Conditioning plant in Syracuse, NY. I figured the lead encasement was an added layer of protection for the insulation.

[oldlineman 1,481]

We use it in URD construction. Some Power companies use it in city URD systems in manholes, newer cable has a poly. jacket over lead for pulling protection, in duct work. Used in downtown Pittsburgh and I would think many other cities.

[CCW 1,293]

Keep learning something new on this site.  That wire must weight a ton!

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

39 minutes ago, CCW said:

That wire must weight a ton!

 

And at the scrap price of lead and copper it would not be on a pallet in my garage for long!

Might need to figure a way to strip the lead jacket and scrap separately though... for best price.

[JPWH 6,033]

4 hours ago, CCW said:

Keep learning something new on this site.  That wire must weight a ton!

About 3lbs per ft. About 43% lead weight 

[JPWH 6,033]

4 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

And at the scrap price of lead and copper it would not be on a pallet in my garage for long!

Might need to figure a way to strip the lead jacket and scrap separately though... for best price.

We have about 3000lbs of it.

Scrap man offered .62lb. I have started hauling it home to strip it out because I want the lead to make wheel weights. 

[JPWH 6,033]

6 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

And at the scrap price of lead and copper it would not be on a pallet in my garage for long!

Might need to figure a way to strip the lead jacket and scrap separately though... for best price.

I have the stripping part figured out.

[peter lena 8,609]

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[Jeff-C175 7,199]

4 hours ago, JPWH said:

stripping part

 

NICE!  looks like you made a cutting wheel for a bead roller?

 

[oliver2-44 9,731]

The 6 Hydro Plants I worked at all originally used  500, 750 or 1000 MCM, leaded jacketed power cable in underground duct banks from the generator to substation transformer. 1938 to 1952 vintage. Some of the lead cables had an oil fill which of course had PCB in it. It was a bear to pull out to replace. The lead jacket takes a set in the bends.  Some of the CT wiring was also lead jacketed. Most of the control wire was true rubber jacket with asbestos wrap around the copper.  When I became a Project Manager that asbestos shot my 1st projects budget to hell.  Amazing I didn’t get fired, but no one else knew about the asbestos either.  Over my 40 year career we spent millions abating  Asbestos, Lead Paint and PCB’s. Even had to abate mercury filled level switches and fly ball governor over speed switches. 

[JPWH 6,033]

4 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

NICE!  looks like you made a cutting wheel for a bead roller?

 

@Jeff-C175 I started stripping the wire with a drill powered stripper with the help of my son. When I tried to again alone I couldn't hold the wire and run the drill so I had to come up with something. I had built this bead roller a couple years ago so it was a simple mod to have a wire stripper.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by JPWH

[JPWH 6,033]

3 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Over my 40 year career we spent millions abating  Asbestos, Lead Paint and PCB’s. Even had to abate mercury filled level switches and fly ball governor over speed switches. 

@oliver2-44 Thanks for the detailed information.

That explains why we had to have this wire tested before we could remove it.

[JPWH 6,033]

I have never melted lead before so I decided to make a couple molds and give it a try.

This was the first batch. The second batch looked much better.

 

Second batch in the skillet.

I finally got it all cut up and ready to process.

[953 nut 55,188]

           You could mold some "Tombstone Weights"           

[SylvanLakeWH 25,535]

Cool stuff! 

 

I hope you are exercising appropriate caution with that lead... ventilation etc...

[JPWH 6,033]

They would have to be smaller or they might be too heavy! About 5 times the weight of cast iron. I would like to find one for a pattern and give it a try. I hope to be casting some lead hubcap style wheel weights soon.

[JPWH 6,033]

5 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Cool stuff! 

 

I hope you are exercising appropriate caution with that lead... ventilation etc...

Yes sir! Outside with a fan, face shield, and covered with leather.