Solid Wire vs. Stranded Wire?
#1
08-31-12, 06:04 PM
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Solid Wire vs. Stranded Wire?
Can extending a solid wire circuit with a larger gauge stranded wire be a fire hazard?
#3
08-31-12, 06:15 PM
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My friend was extending an outlet that had a solid 12/2 wire ran to it with a stranded 10/4 wire, the insulation was so thick he could barely get it in the box!
#4
08-31-12, 06:27 PM
Need more details. Was this 10/4 by any chance a flexible cable like you would see in an extension cord? If yes, then more likely as not it is not the correct type of cable.
#5
08-31-12, 06:38 PM
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The wire being stranded is the only reason it's flexible! The solid 12/2 Romex was flat and gray, the stranded 10/4 cable was thick, round and black!
#6
08-31-12, 06:43 PM
Thick, round, black cable sounds like type S (with a few more letters) flexible cable and that is not suitable for fixed wiring. Can you read the jacket on the cable? Does it say something like SOOW or SJ or anything similar? Is this in conduit or behind a finished wall or just run in the air?
#8
09-01-12, 10:29 AM
Type SOW is a portable cable; specifically, hard service, oil & water resistant, rubber insulation and 600 volt maximum. It is not suitable for permanent wiring.
#9
09-01-12, 11:30 AM
The size is okay but not the type of cable.
That sounds like it was not Romex but was UF. If this is outside he should replace the SO cable with UF cable (but not Romex/NM-b) immediately and run the UF in a manner that does not expose it to damage. Please tell us more details about what he is doing and we can better advise him.
The solid 12/2 Romex was flat and gray
#11
09-01-12, 07:06 PM
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I'll take some pics of it asap, he's on a ranch out in the middle of Cave Creek, AZ! He also wants to add some outlets to his well house so I'll take pics of the existing electric circuits!
