Optical ground wire · Georgia
We buy OPGW and ADSS for utility fiber lots
Optical ground wire that doubles as shield wire, and all-dielectric cable that hangs on its own strength members. Both are bought on fiber count, sheath type and the test records that came with the drum, not on the metal.
- 12 to 144 fiber
- Stainless tube or stranded
- OTDR records
01Overview
What this page covers
OPGW is a shield wire with a fiber package inside it: aluminum-clad steel or aluminum alloy strands around a stainless steel tube, or a slotted aluminum core, holding up to 144 fibers. It is strung like overhead ground wire, at transmission tensions, and it has to survive a fault current as well as a wind load.
ADSS is the opposite approach. All-dielectric self-supporting cable carries its own load in aramid yarn, hangs below the phase conductors on a separate attachment, and needs no grounding. Both arrive as drums with fiber inside, and both are reviewed on documents that have nothing to do with conductor footage.
02Specification
What the drum and the test file tell us
- Types
- OPGW (stranded or central tube) and ADSS (aramid strength members)
- Fiber count
- 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 144, single-mode or mixed
- OPGW sheath
- Stainless steel tube or slotted aluminum core, aluminum-clad steel strands
- ADSS sheath
- Track-resistant PE or AT sheath over aramid yarn
- Standards
- IEEE 1138 for OPGW, IEEE 1222 for ADSS, IEC 60794 for the cable itself
- Reels
- Wood or steel drums, typically 1,500 to 6,000 m per drum on line work
- Records
- OTDR trace, attenuation per fiber, length marking, factory test report
- Condition
- New surplus, canceled project, removed from line, damaged drum
Length is marked on the cable jacket every meter or every foot on most OPGW. Where the marking is legible, the drum does not need to be measured.
03Cable we buy
Cable we buy
OPGW in transmission sizes
Stranded OPGW with aluminum-clad steel outer wires, sized to match the shield wire it replaces. Fault current rating and short-circuit capability are set by the strand area, so the type number matters more than the fiber count alone.
Central tube and slotted core OPGW
Two different ways of holding the fibers. A central stainless tube is compact and common on new lines; a slotted aluminum core carries more fiber and is older. Both are reviewed on tube condition and on water blocking at the cut end.
ADSS on distribution and subtransmission
All-dielectric cable on its own attachments, common where a utility wanted fiber without a shield wire. The AT sheath is the tracking-resistant version, and it is the one specified where coastal humidity and salt fog are a factor.
Drum ends and spliced sections
Part drums, tails and lengths recovered with splice closures attached. Reviewed on remaining length and on whether the factory ends are still sealed, because a cut end that took water is a section that no longer tests out.
04Evaluation
How a fiber lot is reviewed
The paperwork leads. A factory test report, an OTDR trace per fiber and a length figure convert a drum from a gamble into cable. Where those exist, the review is quick. Where they do not, the drum is priced as untested and the buyer has to accept that some fibers will be dead or lossy.
Physical condition of the sheath and the tube comes next. A crushed or kinked drum is a problem even when the fiber tests out, because the bend radius inside a tube is small and damage shows up later. Water blocking compound at the cut end should be intact; a dry, chalky end means the drum has been open to Georgia humidity for a while.
Counts and lengths finish the review. Fiber count, drum length, number of drums and whether the run is continuous matter more than weight. Fiber cable is light and awkward, so freight is set by drum volume and by whether the drums can be lifted without a crane.
Fiber is a hazard in two ways. Never look into the end of a fiber or a connector, because the light is invisible and will damage the retina. Cleaved ends are glass splinters that lodge in skin and are hard to find; keep them off gloves and clothing and collect them in a sealed container.
05Seller terms
Before you sell: how it works
Four things a seller should be able to pin down before a truck is booked.
Verification
Footage is checked against the reel tag, the sequential marks on the jacket, the wrap count against the barrel, or a published weight per 1,000 ft — whichever the reel actually supports.
Payment
Payment method and timing are agreed in writing for the specific lot before anything is loaded or moved. No verbal number is treated as an agreement.
Paperwork
A bill of sale for the lot, and for utility material the owning utility’s release reference. Neither is optional and neither is created after the fact.
Freight
Collection is arranged as part of the terms. Say what can lift the reels and whether a 53-foot trailer can reach them, and the pickup is planned around that.
Sending a reel list and photographs costs nothing. A review is not a purchase, and nothing is bought, moved or scheduled until written lot terms are agreed for that material. Request a pickup when the lot is ready.
06Related
07Questions
OPGW and ADSS questions
Do you buy OPGW that has already been strung and removed?
Yes, as a used lot. Removed OPGW is reviewed on remaining length, drum condition and whether it was cut out in sections. It is rarely re-strung at transmission tension.
What is the single most useful document for a fiber drum?
An OTDR trace taken at the factory, with attenuation figures per fiber. It fixes both the length and the condition of the glass before the cable ever left the plant.
Does ADSS need to be grounded like OPGW?
No. ADSS is all-dielectric and carries no shield wire function. That is one reason utilities use it on distribution where grounding and fault current are a problem.
Can a damaged drum still be bought?
Often, at a reduced review, and usually for the sound sections either side of the damage. State where the damage is and how many meters in from the factory end.
Send the type number and the OTDR file
Cable type, fiber count, drum lengths and any test records are enough for a first review. Photographs of the drum and the cut end can follow.