Marty Spain Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Has anyone experienced any performance difference between using solid Cat 5e instead of stranded? I want to buybulk solid because it is cheaper and easier to work with for making up custom size cables to daisychain my controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Cherry Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Marty Spain wrote: Has anyone experienced any performance difference between using solid Cat 5e instead of stranded? I want to buybulk solid because it is cheaper and easier to work with for making up custom size cables to daisychain my controllers.Solid wire Cat5/6 is primarily used for permanent installation, the solid wire is susceptible to breaking. This does cause problems in our displays sometimes.Stranded is made for flexing like our displays, we wind and unwind them, we move and step on them and sometimes break the connectors on both types.The solid Cat 5 or 6 cables you will find have the solid wire, the stranded cables cost a little more. Make the solid cables is easier for production.Use either one if you want , mix them also no difference in performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Spain Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Hey Dennis thanks for the info, I had not considered the handling issues! You saved me some money on bulk cat cable by not using solid! ...Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzaas Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Marty Spain wrote: Has anyone experienced any performance difference between using solid Cat 5e instead of stranded? I want to buybulk solid because it is cheaper and easier to work with for making up custom size cables to daisychain my controllers.If you are making up your own cables make sure that you purchase the proper RJ45 connector for your wire. I have found that there is a difference in size between the solid and stranded wire and using the wrong connector can give you a bad termination. Just food for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Actually, the difference between solid and stranded connectors is not so much the size, but rather how the insulation displacement connector engages the conductor.The cheapest, stranded only connectors drive pins right through the center of the wire, figuring that it will go between the strands, and the wire insulator will provide tension to keep that copper in contact with the pin. When you drive that pin into solid wire, the contact may not fully seat, and you only have force from friction of the contact in the body, and any give in the plastic providing tension force, because the pin does not pierce the solid wire.Most connectors for solid wire also work on stranded (and are labeled as such) They usually have a forked appearance, and engage the wire from both sides, so that they slice through the insulation on both sides, and the contact itself provides spring force, to push against the wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Spain Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Thanks Kzaas I will keep this in mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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