While I have your attention with the servo thread I'll also ask this question: Is it better to have multi-strand wire or one solid strand wire? Thanks Scott
I personally prefer the multi-strand wire for the electrical systems of my boats, because the multi-strand wire is more flexible. I find that the more flexible wire is easier to work with, in positioning inside the boat and in soldering it together. As far as I'm aware both should work fine though.
MULTISTRAND!!!!!!!! ABSOLUTELY! The reason is as things shift overtime the metal wires will break. With a single core wire, this will lead to temporary disconnects... Also, electricity moves on the surface of wire, with many little wires... there is more surface area, so smaller wires have greater current capacity.
Ok, makes sense. I'm not smart when it comes to all the equipment that goes into a combat boat. Scott
Multistrand, and as flexible as possible. Be careful to avoid cheap aluminum wire, it is far more prone to corrosion and breakage. A good wire is tin coated copper, very easy to solder, good corrosion resistance. Best would be the gold-coated wire used in top-end stereo installations, but it's v. expensive.
Everyone's already said it, multistrand! There's a reason real Navy ships get wired with it (exclusively, if you don't count bus bars, and I don't
"Also, electricity moves on the surface of wire, with many little wires... there is more surface area, so smaller wires have greater current capacity." that is False for DC current and only really starts to matter at higher frequency AC current... Notice that gauge tables and UL wire specifications have nothing in them in the DC/normal AC realm that allows a 6 gauge 10000 strand wire to be used in place of a 4 gauge solid wire....
So basically for our purposes it really doesn't matter if it's multi or single strand. One other question I have is if you use an open AA battery tray will the exposure to water(if you sink or take on a lot of water hurt the batteries overtime?
Most round cells have some form of vent in them... but I have yet to see any damage in mine when I ran round cells (your results may vary). Many of us use sealed lead acid batteries, as they are very cheap for the capacity you get. -Greg
For our purposes, you definately WANT stranded wire. Trust me on this one. It has nothing to skin effect, it has to do with handling bends and vibration better. A solid wire is not nearly as good at this, and it's important. Adding to the fact that stranded is not any more expensive, I can't think of a reason not to use it. Heck, go to Lowe's or Home Despot and buy 10 feet of lamp wire in the gauge of your choice. It'll do fine, it's cheap, solders well
Best source I have found for great stranded is to go buy some quality high current extension cord.... usually works out cheaper than the alternatives for high flex wire.. and it comes nicely bundled... -Greg