ZINC WIRE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 46, 15 June 1917, Page 2

ZINC WIRE.

It is stated that German manufacturers are producing zinc wire which is but slightly interior to copper wire from a mechanical standpoint. The new zinc wire is now authorised by the Electrotechnical Union for electrical wiring! purposes, such as for insulated wires or cables employed in steel conduits for house wiring, or for large conduits. Lead-covered cables are now made with the conductors in zinc. The main advantage of zinc over iron lies in the fact that zinc has double the electric conductivity of iron, and besides, it is nonmagnetic. Again, zinc wire is more •flexible than iron, hence it works better upon insulators ; and another point is that it does not need to be

protected from rust. It took some time, however, for the new wire or cables to enter into practice, especially as during the first stages the manufacture of it was far from perfect, and on this account there were considerable difficulties in handling the wire and installing wires or cables, but it is claimed that all the drawbacks are overcome at the present time. The wire and cable commission has now prepared the needed data on the subject, including the

physical properties of zinc and the difference it presents from copper, also the advantages which it has over iron. The directions also include the proper methods of laying zinc, or wires or cables as well as mounting bars of thin metal for switchboards. However, iron wire is still preferred to zinc for overworked electric lines in default of copper, on account of its greater strength.