cable help

[nik04]

i am supposed to be picking up gear for a sparky to come round and add a power point, went to bunnings today with the list from the lecky to get a power point and 2.5mm cable. The sparky did not say if its stranded or solid asked the bunnings guy he said either would do,but that did not sound right to me. i have not been able to reach the sparky but he is due in at 8.30am and i dont want to have to pay him for the 3/4 of an hour for me to go to bunnings and back . TIA

[OBBob]

Either would be fine but the norm appears to be stranded (or flex) these days ... I think the only reason is that it is more flexible and durable. In the past I guess they haven't been able to produce flex as eaily as they can these days.

[nik04]

thanks bob

[Pulse]

I think the other concern was damage to the single conductor during stripping.

Cheers
Pulse

[nik04]

thanks again for your help. the power point is in now so the wifes happy

[pawnhead]

He doesn't sound like much of a sparky if he hasn't got a few metres of cable in his van. He ought to be getting it in 100m rolls at a fraction of the per metre rate that you'd have to pay at Bunnings. :confused: Most sparkies would be stocked up with power points, switches, cable etc. at trade prices so they make the profit out of you instead of the hardware.

[thatirwinfella]

Either would be fine but the norm appears to be stranded (or flex) these days ... I think the only reason is that it is more flexible and durable. In the past I guess they haven't been able to produce flex as eaily as they can these days.

there is a difference between stranded and flex. stranded 2.5mm has 7 strands and is suited to permanent wiring applications. it can flex more than solid core, and is easier to work with, but it is not flex.

flex is the sort of stuff extension leads are made out of. it is illegal to use flex as permanant wiring as part of an installation. Physically, flex is made up of heaps of strands of very small wire. it will depend on the application as to how many starnds there are... i've replaced welding leads with flex lead that was thicker than my thumb, and i've replaced sensor leads with cable that was like holding a few hairs. tiny stuff. Yes, it is flexible, but it isn't the best stuff, it does break.

thats about all i had to say... just point out the difference. stranded is stranded, flex is flex.