Solid and stranded wires see frequent use in electrical equipment, such as cable assemblies and wire harnesses. Solid wires consist of a solid core, whereas stranded wire consists of several thinner wires twisted into a bundle. Each has distinct advantages, with the right choice for an application depending on the specific project details. Some of the factors that may influence the choice between stranded vs. solid wire include:
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Amperage load
Use case
Costs
Metal type
Wire gauge
Learning more about the difference between the two types of wires will make it easier to determine the best choice for your needs. The following information should help to inform the selection process.
These thin, bundled wires are compressed and insulated with non-conductive materials. Stranded wire is more flexible, making it ideal for connecting electronic components in cramped spaces or for twisting and bending to fit intricate geometries. Stranded wire is more flexible and malleable than solid wire, and it won&#;t split or sever. It is often used for indoor applications such as electronic devices, circuit boards, and speaker wires.
Solid metal core wire is a much heavier, thicker product than stranded wire. It is ideal for outdoor use where more durability and higher currents are required. This rugged, low-cost wire is resistant to weather, extreme environmental conditions, and frequent movement. It is often used for carrying high currents throughout building infrastructure, vehicle controls, and various outdoor applications.
Comparing stranded vs. solid wire involves exploring the advantages and disadvantages of the two very different types of wire. A comparison narrows down the choices based on how the specific wire characteristics relate to their expected use and the project requirements. You must first determine your application&#;s requirements for weather resistance, flexibility, and resistance to splitting or severing. Then, choose the wire that most closely meets those needs.
Some key differences of stranded vs. solid copper wire include:
. Solid wire is thicker, which means less surface area for dissipation. The thinner wires in stranded wire contain air gaps and greater surface area with the individual strands, translating to more dissipation. When choosing between solid or stranded wire for house wiring, the solid wire offers higher current capacity.
. Stranded wires offer superior bendability and flexibility, making them easier to route around obstacles than solid wires.
. Stranded wires are more flexible and can sustain more vibration and flexing without breaking. Solid wires may require more frequent replacement than stranded wires in applications with significant movement or vibrations.
. The production costs of solid wire are much lower than stranded wire, which makes solid wire the more affordable choice.
. The single-core nature of solid wire makes it much simpler to manufacture. Stranded wires require more complex manufacturing processes to twist the thinner wires together.
. For longer runs, solid wires are the better choice because they feature less current dissipation. Stranded wire will perform well over shorter distances.
When it comes down to stranded vs. solid wire, there is no clear choice. Each option offers distinct advantages in particular situations.
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Penelope Stopit said:
Those cable sizes aren't close to what you should be using
I thought you meant I&#;m using wires that are too small. I was trying to work out how that could possible be. Makes sense now.Penelope Stopit said:
The relays you use will very likely be of 80 ohm coil resistance (0.15 Amp)
Bang on, I checked them this morning and they all came out at 80(ish) ohms.Penelope Stopit said:
All the lighting circuits will be far better if fusing is carried out for LH & RH
Seems obvious now you mention it. Good tip. ThanksPenelope Stopit said:
What you seem to have overlooked is the volt-drop along the length of cable, I could be wrong though and what you've done is simply go real big for most circuits
I&#;m aware of voltage drop, but by ignoring weight and size and over-sizing the wire, I felt I could ignore voltage drops. Now I know that weight and size is an issue, I guess I can&#;t be lazy anymore.Awesome, Thanks for all the information.When I read this in your original post:I thought you meant I&#;m using wires that are too small. I was trying to work out how that could possible be. Makes sense now.I&#;ll be honest, as I&#;ve never done this before, weight and size hadn&#;t even occurred to me to be an issue. So my plan was to go big and go simple.So appreciate the warning.I was following this chart which seems to suggest that 1.5mm2 and 2.5mm2 are the smallest that would be used and thought I was being naughty by going lower on the trigger wires.You're approach makes a lot more sense however and usign the calculator get figures more comparable with the ratings form suppliers which is more comforting.Bang on, I checked them this morning and they all came out at 80(ish) ohms.Seems obvious now you mention it. Good tip. ThanksI&#;m aware of voltage drop, but by ignoring weight and size and over-sizing the wire, I felt I could ignore voltage drops. Now I know that weight and size is an issue, I guess I can&#;t be lazy anymore.However, back to my old tricks, since I'll have a fuse boxes at the front and the back, I'll be surprised if I have a return length of more than 2m so according to that useful calculator I can go with 0.35mm2 for anything up to 3amps @ 13.5V which I think will be most circuits (I don't think I can get less than 0.35mm2).Then, for bigger loads, again, assuming 2m return fpor now, 0.5mm2 will do up to 6 amps which then only leaves a hand full of additional circuits that can probably be almost fully covered by 1mm2 with 14 amps rating subject to length.Since my body is GRP, I may add some oversized (sorry I wont go too big, promise, but I have to fitire proof it right?) earth busses for things like headlamps etc to keep my wiring to a minimum.If the above all souds sensible then I guess I mainly need a load of 0.35mm2 followed by 0.5mm2 and just a hand full of meters of 1mm2 unless I come across any special cases. And then decide which wire on a case by case subject to length.Thanks again. You've saved me from over spending which is always a good thing.
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