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[Rain Jaudon]

Trying to get thru the last of my CBI and Rapco order.
Got what looks like a 7 strand 12ga install speaker wire.  Its hard to work with.  Doesn't lay flat - very stiff. And hard to connect up.

Anyone using or know of a higher multi stranded 12ga wire?

Or am I better off stayin with what I'm using?

Thanks
Rain

[Ivan Beaver]

Rain Jaudon wrote on Tue, 23 September 2008 17:15

Trying to get thru the last of my CBI and Rapco order. Got what looks like a 7 strand 12ga install speaker wire.  Its hard to work with.  Doesn't lay flat - very stiff. And hard to connect up. Anyone using or know of a higher multi stranded 12ga wire? Or am I better off stayin with what I'm using? Thanks Rain

7 strand would be hard to work with.  There is much more fexible cable out there-more strands, but it costs more.

It depends on what you are after.

Very often the stiff stuff has a hard plastic jacket that makes it easier to pull through conduit.  Not what you want for portable use.  As always-It depends.

[Brad Weber]

I don't know exactly what you're looking for but West Penn 227, Belden 8477 and Liberty 12-2C-TTP are 12AWG stranded pair install type cables.

[Rain Jaudon]

Yea, its all installed applications.

Sometimes thru wiremold or conduit.  Lots of times pulled thru the attic or over the drop ceiling.  But always a pain with the few strands in the cable.

Figured there was higher strand count stuff out there.
(but that the store was being cheap on me)_ HAHA!

Thanks guys
Rain

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

Keep in mind that whatever you use has to be listed for the application. Those numbers Brad gives are good choices. You can't use SJ cord for instance to wire a building. The cable you use should have a CL2 or CL3 listing and also be plenum rated (CL2P or CL3P) if it is run in a ceiling that is also used as an air handling space.

Most importantly, whether to use a CL2 or a CL3 listed cable is determined by the amp you are using. The wiring requirement will be printed by the outputs. Remember that a CL3 cable has the higher rating and can be substituted where a CL2 cable is specified.

If the amp requires Class 1 wiring then you must use an NEC Chapter 3 wiring method which is the same as power and light. That usually means conduit, grounds and THHN conductors installed by an electrical contractor.

-Hal

[Roger Blankenship]

RapcoHorizon also has a CL3-12/2.W which has 65 strands per conductor.

[Russ Herr]

Direct burial landscape lighting wire works very well, you can purchase it in most Home Depot and lows stores.  It may even be cheaper than what you are using.  Good Luck

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

Direct burial landscape lighting wire works very well...

Absolutely not. Landscape wire is NOT listed and it cannot be used to wire a building. You can't even run it indoors for landscape lighting.

-Hal

[Adam Kane]

+1

If it's not being buried, don't use it.