[sdiy] when and why use stranded? (was making PCBs, what's yourmethod?)

[Peter Grenader]

Stranded wire is more durable/malleable than solid.  If you've got solid
wire taking any sort of stress or movement over extended periods of time,
it's gonna break.  I use solid wire for my prototype boards for wires that
sort of hang off and are used to connect power via alligators.  In no time
flat during troubleshooting when I'm flipping the board over they all start
to break.  

It's also the absolute worst for crimping connector pins.  These pins need
something to bit into for a secure mechanical hold and unless you're
uberman, you're not going to get enough torque with a standard crimp tool to
bite into solid wire.   Unless you really enjoy hunting down intermittent
Molex connections, stick with tinned strands for crimping.

Buy peace of mind - buy stranded.

harrybissell wrote:

> Michael Baxter wrote: <snip>
> 
>> Stranded is also a little lighter, and has more surface area to conduct RF
>> currents than solid wire -- so there are also impedance differences.
>> 
> 
> I'd object to that statement. This is only partially true, unless you use
> special
> wire (Litz wire) that has each individual strand insulated.  In normal
> stranded
> wire
> there is no way to predict what path will be taken.
> 
> H^) harry
>