Stranded Cat5e vs Solid

[Canada EH]

I have run across both, I was quite disappointed when I found the 5e cable to rewire a motor sense control because I thought it was solid, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it stranded. I have run across what I thought was cat wire that was solid in the past for the same rewire job and it just broke off once you stressed it by bending it just a few times back and forth.

 

Did I just grab the wrong cable when I got the solid conductor?

Its perfect for my needs, really thin and super everywhere.

[MedievalMatt]

3 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

I have run across both, I was quite disappointed when I found the 5e cable to rewire a motor sense control because I thought it was solid, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it stranded. I have run across what I thought was cat wire that was solid in the past for the same rewire job and it just broke off once you stressed it by bending it just a few times back and forth.

 

Did I just grab the wrong cable when I got the solid conductor?

Its perfect for my needs, really thin and super everywhere.

There are both styles.

 

AFAIK the style dictates what the cable can be rated for.  Plenum rated cable tends to be solid copper.  because solid copper cables handle heat better.  I have solid CAT-6 cable that is Plenum rated... and that cable is thick, and not very bendable.... but i could put it inside my home's HVAC system and itd be perfectly fine.

 

Edit - if you plan on making your own CAT cables.  make sure the ends, and the patch panels and keystones are all for the style of cable you have.

 

My CAT - 6 could only get a 100Mbps signal through ends designed for Stranded wires because they didn't penetrate the solid copper good enough.

Edited June 4, 2018 by MedievalMatt

[W-L]

3 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

I have run across both, I was quite disappointed when I found the 5e cable to rewire a motor sense control because I thought it was solid, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it stranded. I have run across what I thought was cat wire that was solid in the past for the same rewire job and it just broke off once you stressed it by bending it just a few times back and forth.

 

Did I just grab the wrong cable when I got the solid conductor?

Its perfect for my needs, really thin and super everywhere.

Stranded is good for applications where you will move the cable around say a temporary line or a patch cable, solid conductors are best installed behind walls or permanent applications since they are not as flexible and can break more readily from metal fatigue. 

 

If you ran stranded cable in the wall it's not a problem really. 

[Canada EH]

I prefer stranded as the flex point is at the axle exit of the motor, but the shaft has a metal edge where I like to put the large 10awg phase wires.

 

I must have grabbed some old telephone wire that was solid core when I did the same job before.

The stranded stuff I am using now is a really thin guage, 26 or 28 ish.

 

[bob345]

Solid core is generally used because it's lower cost. Stranded is usually better than solid core when used with high frequency signals due to the larger surace area. Helps reduce skin effect somewhat.

[artuc]

Basically stranded has higher resistance than solid. Solid is not as flexible and can break if bent and kinked a lot. Also some IDC mechs and modules are intended for solid core cables only.

 

So solid is used for permament fixed cabling and stranded is for patch leads.

 

Shouldn't run stranded as a permament install as long distances it may not meet certification specs.