Power cables with bare concentric neutral wires are used extensively in buried power distribution networks throughout the United States. There is an increasing awareness of the fact that the neutral wires are corroding to the point of complete failure (see Figure 1). As a result of these failures, alternating currents of high intensity can leak into the earth or onto other structures, such as telephone cables in joint random buried plant, which are not designed to carry these currents. Since the earth is a relatively good conductor, the neutral wire failure often goes unnoticed by the power companies and their customers. In order to gain a better understanding of this problem, and to be in a position to evaluate proposed resolutions, this author has been involved in the search for causes and mitigation of concentric power cable neutral corrosion.

Subject
Differential aeration, Wiring, Copper alloys, Cables, Sodium chloride solution, Mechanical failure, Carbon, Copper, Polyethylene, Differential aeration cells, Corrosion potential, Electrode potential, Anodes
© 1978 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1978
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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