On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 14:13:39 GMT, Lewis Hartswick wrote:
Gary Coffman wrote:

Solid is better for the terminations used for circuit breakers
and outlets. Stranded really should only be used with terminals
designed for use with stranded wire (full crimp preferred).

Gary

Gary, how many service entrance pannels have you wired?

Probably well over 1,000 over the years.

All the
breakers I've wired for ampacities greater than 30 A have had
terminals suitable for stranded wire. ie. a hole with a screw
to pinch the wire against the opposite side.

Unless the hole is a snug fit to the wire to prevent the strands
from spreading when loaded by the screw, which it usually isn't,
that won't give a good full ampacity connection. When I have to
attach stranded cable to a breaker, I use a proper size crimp
ferrule over the wire first. Stranded wire needs a full 360 degree
compression to achieve a proper connection.

Gary