Electricians stranded or solid wire for in wall

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I am about to add  several spools of Cat 6 and other wire in my house (network and security). 

 

Should I buy stranded or solid core wire? 

 

Is solid core too difficult to pull?

 

Can stranded break too easily? 

 

I found this company, they seem reasonably priced. 

 

What do you think? 

 

[Dave A]

Stranded is preferred for ease of pulling and also because you can bend the ends for connection more times before the wire becomes brittle and breaks.  Pull a little extra into your junction boxes so if you need to trim back in the future to make new connections you don't have to pull new wire to do so. Yes you can bend the wires and break them and trim back and re-do the connection with fresh malleable copper this way and a few extra inches here can save you a new pull later. Do not buy Chinese wire if you can avoid it. I hear way to many stories about how they cut corners on annealing the wire after being rolled or extruded to size so rather than being able to bend it numerous times before cracking you only get a few before failure with their junk.

[Marvel]

In 20 years of installing cat5, now cat6, never installed anything but solid copper. Patch cables alway are stranded, except my new boss doesn't hesitate to make solis conductot patch cables. Premade are always stranded.

 

Just make sure it's copper and not copper clad aluminum.

 

Bruce

[Dave A]

That's all I have seen too but OP mentioned stranded vs solid and so I assumed he had a choice.

[JJkizak]

If your pulling through conduit I believe the electrical code calls for stranded only.

JJK

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Thanks for the replies.  This is all in wall and in ceiling.  No conduit. 

 

I will check the suppliers for non-Chinese wire. 

 

Anyone know of a good source for wire?

 

[Dave A]

5 hours ago, JJkizak said:

If your pulling through conduit I believe the electrical code calls for stranded only.

JJK

Yes and subject to local authorities having jurisdiction or so the codes I have read will say. I have not heard that one before and a conductor is size rated for current and draw and length but the larger expense here in Tennessee for stranded is up to the customer.

[Marvel]

6 hours ago, Dave A said:

Yes and subject to local authorities having jurisdiction or so the codes I have read will say. I have not heard that one before and a conductor is size rated for current and draw and length but the larger expense here in Tennessee for stranded is up to the customer.

11 hours ago, JJkizak said:

If your pulling through conduit I believe the electrical code calls for stranded only.

 

Can you give me a reference for that. We pulled plenty of low voltage, i.e., cat5 through conduit in Georgia and Tennessee.

 

 

[Dave A]

7 minutes ago, Marvel said:

 

Can you give me a reference for that. We pulled plenty of low voltage, i.e., cat5 through conduit in Georgia and Tennessee.

 

 

Yes and all the restaurants I have worked in in multiple states have run this in conduit for networks and cash register terminals. I get a big kick out of some of the code languages where there is a national standard out there but then it also says the local guys can ask for different things. It's why even though the Chuy's Restaurant chain I travel with welding up stainless steel countertops uses the same GC they have to have a local electrician to represent them with his license to meet local regs. They all want to have something a bit different is the reason I have been told.

[dubs]

Been in the elec industry 20 years. Go with whatever’s cheaper. There’s no real advantage one over the other. Workability is about it. 

[JJkizak]

10 hours ago, dubs said:

Been in the elec industry 20 years. Go with whatever’s cheaper. There’s no real advantage one over the other. Workability is about it. 

 

Try pulling some #10 solids through conduit once and you will see why. You will need a tow motor.

JJK

[tigerwoodKhorns]

 

OK, so I am thinking about monoprice for the CAT6:

 

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10234&cs_id=1023401&p_id=8103&seq=1&format=2

Or

 

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10234&cs_id=1023402&p_id=2270&seq=1&format=2

 

The stranded is 23 vs 24 awg, but I assume that is the space between the strands.

 

And I am thinking about this for the other wire:

 

https://www.cablewholesale.com/specs/10k4-0221sh.php?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=10K4-0221SH&utm_campaign=Security%2FAlarm Wire%2C Gray%2C 22%2F2 (22AWG 2 Conductor)%2C Stranded%2C CMR %2F In-wall rated%2C Pullbox%2C 1000 foot&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlbSUkOfa2gIVxlSGCh21kgosEAQYBCABEgJwqPD_BwE

 

See any issues?

 

This is in wall, not in conduits, except for some short passes.