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Solid wire being used for solar systems

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JuanC

Member
Location
Maryland
Occupation
Electrician
I have only seen stranded wire being used to wire up solar systems (residential) but just today I was thinking how come they don’t use solid wire? Is it a code violation? Is stranded wire better to use for DC voltage? I’d like to get some thoughts on this mainly because my knowledge on solar systems is limited.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I have only seen stranded wire being used to wire up solar systems (residential) but just today I was thinking how come they don’t use solid wire? Is it a code violation? Is stranded wire better to use for DC voltage? I’d like to get some thoughts on this mainly because my knowledge on solar systems is limited.
Have you ever wrangled 10 AWG or 6 AWG solid? You'd only make that mistake once.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Even 12 AWG solid can be a pain and I can't believe people do it. Say a 3/4 pipe with 2-3 full boats. . Uggg, why 🤪
Exactly. I get the royal stink-eye from my techs if I tell them they have to use 12-2 to wire up the notification appliances.
 

jaggedben

Senior Member
Location
Northern California
Occupation
Solar and Energy Storage Installer
I have only seen stranded wire being used to wire up solar systems (residential) but just today I was thinking how come they don’t use solid wire? Is it a code violation? Is stranded wire better to use for DC voltage? I’d like to get some thoughts on this mainly because my knowledge on solar systems is limited.
Are you asking about DC wiring on array racking? Or in conduit? In conduit it's a code violation for 8awg and larger.
 

JuanC

Member
Location
Maryland
Occupation
Electrician
Are you asking about DC wiring on array racking? Or in conduit? In conduit it's a code violation for 8awg and larger.
So it’s a code violation to have solid wire running from the arrays to the inverters? Can you find me where it shows that?
 
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