Stranded wire is the most popular choice for most electrical applications. Due to its superior flexibility and long flex life, it offers more routing options than solid wire. Stranded wire is also more durable. It stands up to vibration and sudden movement that can cause rigid solid wire to snap.
Stranded wire gains its flexibility from the way the bundles of wire in the strands are woven together. The integrity of the stranded bundles is further reinforced by the jacket of insulating material that surrounds them. However, the moment the insulation is stripped from the wire end, its strength is transformed into a source of weakness, as wire bundles unravel and individual strands are exposed. In the process, the potential for short circuits and failed connections rises dramatically.