  The optimization of a HTS cable design with respect to AC-losses is of
crucial importance for the economic viability of the respective concept.
However the experimental determination of AC-losses is not straightforward
since for short cable samples the distribution of current among the
super-conducting tapes is mainly determined by the contact resistances of the
individual tapes. The resulting inhomogeneous current distribution definitely
falsifies the results. To solve this experimental problem we present a new
experimental technique. The setup is a 2m-long three phase concentric cable
model for which, within each phase, the superconducting tapes (up to 30) are
connected in series. The Cu-braid backwards conductors were assembled in a
rotational symmetric cage type arrangement, such that their self fields at the
cable cancel. If experimental peculiarities of this setup, as the strong
inductive coupling between the phases and the suitable positioning of the
voltage contact leads, are correctly taken into account, the currents can be
controlled independently and the electrical properties of the cable can be
measured unambiguously. In this paper preliminary results are presented. The
work is part of the German government funded cable project AMPACITY (1 km / 20
kV/ 2 kA)
