Solid or stranded for ground? - DIY Solar Power Forum

Nan_wpg

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• Apr 13,

• #1

I know solid for ac, and welding cable for dc but what do I use for ground?

do I follow the same solid for ac grounding, and stranded for dc grounding?

what about the wire connecting to the earth, or planet? what about the wire between 2 grounding rods?

im placing an order for inverter cable, pv cable, and grounding cable for equipment, and system grounding.

Rednecktek

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• Apr 13,

• #2

Solid is what's used in residential, stranded on ships. Whichever is handy and green.

Ampster

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• Apr 13,

• #3

I use exposed solid between the panels for ground and it is often used for the earth ground, I prefer stranded when pulling in conduit because it is easier to pull. I understand the the above comment about ships but that is more about vibration than anything else. Almost anything below 10 AWG is stranded. I don't Think you can easily find it in solid below that size. 4/0 is hard enough to manage when stranded, I can not even imagine pulling it off a spool if it were solid.

Shimmy

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• Apr 13,

• #4

There is #6 and #2 solid ("single strand") which is used for a few applications, especially telecom IIRC. Lower impedance for high-frequency signals.

TorC

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• Apr 13,

• #5

At 4/0 solid you're dealing with something that would be sold as copper rod, not copper wire, and quite likely sold by diameter in inches, not by wire gauge. And as for flexing, even by 1/0 or maybe less you're not bending it by hand unless your name is Hercules.

Ampster

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• Apr 13,

• #6

There is #6 and #2 solid ("single strand") which is used for a few applications, especially telecom

So not likely to find #2 solid at Home Depot? Last edited: Apr 14,

timselectric

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• Apr 14,

• #7

10 gauge and smaller is usually done with solid.
8 gauge and larger is usually done with stranded.
But, it's a personal preference and availability issue.
Use what you want and can get easily.

I would avoid solid larger than 10 gauge. It's expensive and harder to work with for most people.

Rednecktek

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• Apr 14,

• #8

6awg bare copper solid is pretty regularly available and common for household ground wire.

timselectric

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• Apr 14,

• #9

In my area.
The only time we use solid 6 gauge is for perimeter grounding of an in ground swimming pool. (And only because it is required)
But it is widely available. Home Depot even stocks it.

time2roll

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• Apr 14,

• #10

Stranded is a wide range. I would not use fine stranded. General building wire from the local hardware is good. #8 or larger may have strands but not many and will be fairly stiff. If using bare copper I would be more inclined to use solid.