ACWU Cable Overview
ACWU stands for Armored Cable, Wet & Underground. It is a CSA-approved aluminum armored cable designed for direct burial and outdoor installations under the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC).
By meeting CSA C22.2 No. 131 (Armored Cables) and CSA C68.10 (XLPE Insulated Wires and Cables), ACWU ensures your installation is both compliant and long-lasting.
ACWU cable applications include: direct burial, ventilated or non-ventilated trays, outdoor runs, and underground ducts. It is commonly specified in hospitals, commercial facilities, agricultural operations, and rural distribution networks.
- Built for Harsh Environments
- Moisture & Corrosion Resistant
- Quick & Cost-Effective Installation
- High Electrical Performance
- Code-Approved & Certified
Your Reliable ACWU Cable Manufacturer in China
Honest ACWU cables are designed and optimized for many environmental conditions, such as dry, wet, exposed, directly buried, ventilated, and unventilated cable trays. As its name suggests, “aluminum conductor, wet, underground” (ACWU), these cables have aluminum conductors, with a maximum operating temperature of 90°C, and a 600V voltage rating.
As your certified CSA cables manufacturer, all our ACWU cables are tested according to CSA C22.2 No. 51. This ensures Honest ACWU cables are safe and provide optimal power transmission in both dry and wet installations, even in underground environments.
Honest ACWU cables feature 1 to 4 aluminum conductors, which are color-coded and insulated with a cross-linked polyethylene material. Additionally, the insulated cables are covered with aluminum interlocking armour exterior and an outer PVC jacket. This produces a strong, weather-resistant conductor that complies with the Canadian Electrical Code.
At Honest, we offer many wire gauges for the ACWU cables, ranging from 8 AWG to 2 AWG, depending on the amperage. We customize every ACWU cable to match your power infrastructure project needs – request a quote now.
Why Choose Honest ACWU Cable
Certified under CSA C22.2 No. 131 and CSA C68.10, Honest ACWU cable meets all requirements of the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC), eliminating compliance risks for your project.
With 90 °C XLPE insulation and heavy-duty aluminum armor, Honest ACWU withstands temperature fluctuations, moisture ingress, crushing forces, and impact, making it highly reliable in harsh outdoor and underground conditions.
Aluminum’s conductivity is about 61% that of copper, which means that to carry the same current, an aluminum conductor must have a larger cross-sectional area (typically two AWG sizes larger). While this results in a slightly larger cable diameter and weight, the material cost savings are significant, especially for long runs or large-scale projects.
Honest ACWU can be directly buried, installed outdoors, or placed in trays. Its broad installation flexibility allows you to streamline project planning and minimize the need for multiple cable types.
ACWU Cable Construction
Conductors: 1–4 aluminum conductors, sized according to load
Insulation: Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) with a 90 °C continuous operating temperature, 130 °C emergency overload rating, and 250 °C short-circuit withstand. XLPE also provides superior moisture resistance (meets CSA water treeing tests).
Armor: Interlocked aluminum armor offering robust mechanical protection, capable of resisting significant crushing and impact forces as required under CSA C22.2 No. 131.
Jacket: PVC outer sheath for chemical, corrosion, and weather resistance
Although both ACWU and TECK cables are armored and suitable for demanding environments, there are key distinctions:
Conductor Material: ACWU typically uses aluminum, while TECK is often copper (though aluminum versions exist).
Cost: ACWU is more economical due to its aluminum design.
Ampacity: Because ACWU cables use aluminum conductors, their ampacity is naturally lower than that of copper-based TECK cables. Aluminum has about 61% of the conductivity of copper, which means you generally need a larger conductor size to match the current-carrying performance of TECK.
Voltage Ratings: Low-voltage ACWU cables are typically rated up to 600V (phase-to-phase), in compliance with CSA standards. However, medium-voltage ACWU designs are also available for 5kV, 15kV, and 25kV applications. In comparison, TECK cables are commonly offered in 600V, 1kV, and higher ratings, making them suitable for both standard and heavy-duty industrial systems.
Applications: ACWU is preferred in non-industrial settings such as hospitals, commercial facilities, and agricultural projects, whereas TECK is widely used in industrial sites with higher power demands and mechanical stress.
Ask yourself these questions to guide your choice:
- Is your project a commercial building, agricultural site, or rural network? → ACWU cable is usually sufficient.
- Is it a heavy industrial facility with high mechanical stress and high voltage needs? → TECK cable is the safer option.
- Is your priority lower upfront cost or maximum lifecycle reliability?
- Will the cable run mostly in wet/underground conditions (ACWU) or industrial environments with extreme stress (TECK)?
By aligning these answers with your project needs, you can quickly identify which armored cable fits best.