solid or stranded

Status
Not open for further replies.
220/221 said:
It depends on the application and TERMINATIONS.

A lot of control work uses spade/fork/ring terminals. Stranded is the obvious choice here. Stranded would also be easier to manage and would look cleaner.

I feel that wire nuts work better on solid and screw type devices terminate easier.

Stranded pulls easier but comes off the edge of new rolls and gets all curly at the end of the roll.

Solid wire pushes easier ;)

Solid wire is cheaper and works better as a ladder tie down.
Click to expand...

Hey these are my top choices too . I hate it when the stranded gets all twisted up on ya. I prefer the solid myself.
 
realolman said:
So would you say there is no compelling reason to use stranded?
Click to expand...

No I would not, I would say choose the right conductor for the job, with machinery wiring that is IMO stranded.

Besides, solid conductors larger then 10 are not allowed to be pulled into raceways. :wink:
 
iwire said:
No I would not, I would say choose the right conductor for the job, with machinery wiring that is IMO stranded.

Besides, solid conductors larger then 10 are not allowed to be pulled into raceways. :wink:
Click to expand...

This is all #14 and #12 AWG.

I agree with stranded being the choice for machinery wiring. The problem is the EC who is a large GC, who did the job, and the boss who says in a wise guy tone," The reason for using stranded would be...?"

I guess it's the IMO part that is the problem. Apperently we don't care about O's.

Is there a part of the NEC or any other regs. that specifies stranded rather than solid for use in conduit to machines? Under what circumstances?
 
Last edited:
realolman said:
Is there a part of the NEC or any other regs. that specifies stranded rather than solid for use in conduit to machines?
Click to expand...

Not that I am aware of.

That said I can not think of any piece of machinery, foreign or domestic that I have worked on that used solid for its internal wiring.

I use both types depending on my mood and job specs, each has advantages and disadvantages.

I recall a trade mag story that claimed solid would save money on the utility bill over the long haul, I don't know if that is a fact or not.
 
I can honestly say that I have repaired many more pipe and solid wire problems than stranded wire problems.

I like the sparks it makes when you try to get solid wire back in the box with an outlet connected to it. Makes me think I might want to wonder over to the device and wirenut tapers camp.
 
this sounds like a great new rule:

if stranded wire is used, the ground prongs have to be up,

if solid is used, the ground prongs have to be down.
 
If electrons flow on the out side of the conductor it would make sence that stranded wire would be a better conductor. The more surface area the better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top