Solid vs Stranded wire in Commercial construction

[sharan]

For wiring #10 and less, what is best to use stranded or solid, why?

 

[roger3829]

If you are pulling conductors in a raceway, then stranded is easier to use in my opinion. Solid wire is easier to terminate around screws. So........:smile:

 

[480sparky]

This is going to turn into a ground-up v. ground-down issue. Their's pros and cons to each.

 

[220/221]

Stranded woks better with crimp on fork/ring terminals etc.

Solid terminates to devices better.

Stranded terminates/lays in position in contactors/control wiring better.

Solid is less expensive.

Stranded is more flexible when adding conductors to existing conduit.

Solid doesn't curl up as bad when you need to pull it off the roll.

Stranded lays into conduit better when you have to fill it to the max.

I determine which to use depending on the situation.

 

[spoon]

When pulling wire from a spool, stranded is the only way to go IMO. In every single commercial electrical install I have been a part of, stranded wire has been used. If you don't mind my asking, why the comparison... jobsite argument?

 

[russ]

In commercial and industrial in the Chicago area, stranded is the norm, usually 12 or larger
Residential is solid, mostly 14 and 12

 

[Rockyd]

Not a code issue. I would recommend checking the scope of the work documents.

 

[infinity]

Here's a recent thread about the same thing:

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=106874&highlight=stranded+wire

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I work a lot by myself and I can pull stranded in by myself, not solid though. The extra cost of wire and terminations is worth it to me.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Its usually a truck answer or what we had in the shop. If long pull i want stranded. If its a lot of 5 to 20 foot runs i take solid.