Mismatched wiring and solid vs stranded

[Watts Happening]

View attachment 164737

I knew this was going to happen lol!

 

[Watts Happening]

both are rated 12 awg. Stranded may be a little bigger to compensate. But, I thought current travels on the surface of the wire, so stranded should be better?

My low level understanding from a small amount of reading is that idea is only true of high frequency AC. It’s not DC, nor the AC voltages we have in our house.

 

[Zapper77]

My low level understanding from a small amount of reading is that idea is only true of high frequency AC. It’s not DC, nor the AC voltages we have in our house.

I go with Solid for durability and Stranded for flexibility.

 

[ungrounded]

Looking for educated opinions!

It’s looking like I’ll only be able to fit 15 of the 16 panels I’ve ordered on our pergola. That said, I have to split them into two strings instead of 8s2p it’ll be one in 8s, one in 7s. Roughly 10 amps max per string.

Probably a total of 60-70 feet back to the Sol-Ark. I already pulled a pair of stranded 10awg THWN wire expecting to have 20 amps running down the wire at about 400v. I thought I had more than I did and ran out with a single run.

I have plenty of 12awg solid THWN, and one roll of red 12awg stranded.

Do I:

A) Buy more 10awg stranded and satisfy my inner wiring nazi self

B) Use existing wire and pull one red stranded 12awg and one solid black 12awg

C) Pull two of the red stranded 12awg and relabel one with black tape on each end

D) Pull one white and one black solid 12awg and relabel white to red

E) Shut up, it doesn’t matter, you’re overthinking it

Buy more # 10

 

[Watts Happening]

Buy more # 10

What steers you that direction?

 

[ungrounded]

The amps. You're at 20amps. No wiggle room. Using #12. I think you will be tripping breakers. With #10 you're good to 30amps.

 

[Watts Happening]

The amps. You're at 20amps. No wiggle room. Using #12. I think you will be tripping breakers. With #10 you're good to 30amps.

I already have a set of #10 run, this would be an additional set of wiring, each set of wire would never see more than 10 amps

 

[ungrounded]

I already have a set of #10 run, this would be an additional set of wiring, each set of wire would never see more than 10 amps

If that's the case you would be ok with #12.just fuse it accordingly.

 

[Watts Happening]

If that's the case you would be ok with #12.just fuse it accordingly.

I’ll have a shut off switch in the form of a 20a breaker, but I can’t honestly say it “needs” one. It’s not as though 10a of panels is going to magically make 25a and over current the wire etc.