OT Solid vs stranded copper wire

Ken/Wa

Member
I am replacing the wiring on my 1 hp pool pump after 30 years, as it is getting to short to attach to the post on the motor anymore, and the conduit is getting bad. I have solid #10 now,but would like to go to the stranded, as it is easier to attach to the new 115/230 motor. Will the stranded handle the job?
 
Yes.

Stranded is typically a bit higher-priced, but at 60HZ 10GA solid = 10GA stranded.
 
Stranded wire will carry more current than solid.
I will wait to see if anyone knows how it does that before I reveal the reason.
Richard in NW SC
 
Or, to put it another way, the "skin effect" on current flow in a 10GA wire at 60HZ is negligible.
 
Richard,

That difference at 60HZ is to small to measure, stranded handles vibration and movement better.
 
(quoted from post at 11:44:21 04/22/14) Stranded wire will carry more current than solid.
I will wait to see if anyone knows how it does that before I reveal the reason.
Richard in NW SC

According to NEC:
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DC resistance per 1000 feet for solid AWG 12 is 1.93 ohms.
DC resistance per 1000 feet for stranded AWG 12 is 1.98 ohms.
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At DC, the solid wire will carry more current than the stranded. However, for AC, as frequency increases, the current tends to increasingly flow on the surface of the wire (aka skin effect). Stranded wire has more surface area, so it can carry more current as frequency increases.

For AWG 12 at 60 Hz, the skin effect is pretty minimal. The skin effect can be enhanced if the individual strands are insulated from each other.
 
In the real world, since this is a relatively low vibration environment, the choice depends on how the wire is terminated. If the wire is wrapped directly around a terminal binding screw solid wire is best. If the termination method clamps the wire in a manner that doesn't distort the strands, stranded wire is an equal choice, and is easier to work with.

If there is a lot of vibration, stranded wire is less likely to work-harden and break.
 
innit where the electrons flow on the outside of the wire strands so many thin strands is like running a 6 lane highway versus the solid wire's "2 lane" for the electrons to travel on?
 
(quoted from post at 13:02:08 04/23/14) innit where the electrons flow on the outside of the wire strands so many thin strands is like running a 6 lane highway versus the solid wire's "2 lane" for the electrons to travel on?
aybe, kinda, sorta an analogy, but at low (60Hz) skin effect is negligible. Now move on up to 100,000 Hz or 1,000,000 Hz and then we give it consideration. At 60Hz it is just jaw flapping material!
 
The reason is "skin effect" and at 60 Hz it is totally negligible. At power line frequencies, stranded and solid wires will carry the same current for equivalent AWG. Also to take advantage of stranded in high frequency applications, one needs to employ "Litz" wire which each strand is individually insulated.
 
(quoted from post at 10:55:04 05/06/14) Stranded has more surface area.
nyone read the whole threads anymore or just respond to the last input? Been beat to death. Surface area matters with high frequencies, where skin effect is significant, but at low frequencies, i.e., 60Hz, it is cross sectional area that matters & it is the same for stranded & solid of the same gauge.
 

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