Stranded wire but what type?

[sportsta05]

I know i should use stranded wire but I have seen different types. Such as RVI and GXL wire. I know there are differences but is there any reason to get the more expensive wire?

http://www.delcity.net/delcity/servlet/catalog?category=Spooled%20Wire%20%26%20Cable&page=1

Thanks
Kyle[/url]

[Miriam C.]

Kyle, the type of wire you use depends on the application. You can get wire at the box and farm supply stores fairly cheap.

[Larwyn]

I used stranded 12 gauge THHN, for all the wire runs in my trailer, but some experts have stated that it is not the ideal choice. It is what I had and that made it my best choice for me.

[JIML1943]

hey Kyle
I bought a 50' 12 ga. drop cord for 110 ac wiring pos. nut. ground, shielded in one cable drill 1/2 hole to run it through.14 ga.2 conductor wire from auto parts store for 12v dc. {Hint} make note of location of wires for when you decide to make changes.

[Steve_Cox]

In the past there have been several heated discussions here about wire type and many spirited comments about following or not following the NEC. (National Electrical Code). What you will find however is a big mix of everything from Romex to high quality marine wire. Stranded wire used for it's intended purpose seems to be a good middle of the road answer. For 120 volts single conductors "should" be in conduit. I used 14ga 3 conductor SO cord for my 120 volt circuits and single conductor 16 ga THHN for my 12 volt lighting and fan circuits. Not quite code, but was good enough for me. Most people will agree that staying away from solid core wire is a good idea, as vibration isn't one of it's allies.

[Arne]

Some one had mentioned 10 ga... can't imagine anything in a t/d that would require anything heavier than 12...

I used a 12 gauge extension cord and cut it up as I needed it. It can be used for both 115v and 12v and is about as cheap as you can get... it is stranded, and has a protective cover on it....

a 25' cord should/would cover both.

[brian_bp]

Some one had mentioned 10 ga... can't imagine anything in a t/d that would require anything heavier than 12...

If you are charging the teardrop's battery from the tow vehicle, the less resistance you have in the charge wire the more effective the charging will be.

Also, if you connect a discharged trailer battery to a running tow vehicle capable of 100 amps of alternator output at much more than 12V, a significant amount of current could flow to the trailer battery (depending on wire gauge, wire length, connector resistance, etc). As long as it has a suitably rated fuse or circuit breaker, that's managable.

[BPFox]

Some one had mentioned 10 ga... can't imagine anything in a t/d that would require anything heavier than 12...

I used a 12 gauge extension cord and cut it up as I needed it. It can be used for both 115v and 12v and is about as cheap as you can get... it is stranded, and has a protective cover on it....

a 25' cord should/would cover both.

There are many applications where 10 ga and even larger are needed. If you wire your 120 v ac for the 30 amp campground power, you will need a 10 ga minimum cord. The wire from your cord connector to the panel box will also need to be 10 ga minimum if you are going to try and support more than one circuit. 12v power supply receptacles that have the capacity to draw 25 30 amps should be wired with 10 ga. If you use a standard RV 7 pin connector, two of the 7 wires might need to be 10 ga depending on load. A 10 ga negative (white) wire is always a good idea. This is especially true if you plan to use the white wire to carry the entire negative load.(ie not use the frame for ground) If you plan to charge your on board battery from the tow vehicle you are going to want to use a 10 ga wire there as well.

Can you get by with less, yes you can. Some folks just like the electical goodies and need to wire accordingly.

[sportsta05]

thanks for the quick responses!

Kyle