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Dedicated line: 10 gauge solid core or 8 gauge stranded

Hi everyone,

I'm having a dedicated line installed for my system. I read recommendations to run a 10 gauge wire, but I thought, why not 8 gauge? It's my understanding that there are no receptacles that would accept the thickness of a 8 gauge wire, so my question is: is it best to run a 8 gauge wire all the way to the receptacle and then bring it down to 10 gauge with a junction box to connect to the receptacle, or, just run a 10 gauge wire from panel to receptacle??
Also, the 10 gauge wire the electrician showed me was solid (just 1 thick wire), while the 8 gauge wire was stranded. Does that make a difference for sound? Which gauge would you go with?? 

Thanks!

Pierre
galpi
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
1,047 posts
 
If there's a twisted 10/2, I never ran across it.
gs5556
1,234 posts
 
On the 10/3 romex, I do not use the bare copper grounding conductor; I cut it flush to the jacket at both ends. Use the red wire for grounding to the receptacle screw and the panel ground bus (don't forget to wrap the red insulation with green electrical tape in the box and panel where exposed!). In the panel, connect the ground and neutral wire as close as possible on the ground (or neutral) bus.
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
1,047 posts
 
Many thanks!
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