Strand - a single thinner wire in the bunch of many such wires, forming a stranded wire (multi-strand wire), with an overall larger cross-sectional area. ¹⁾ Very fine strands can also be referred to as filaments, especially in superconducting cables.²⁾

Strands are used for improving mechanical flexibility of stranded wire, the thinner the strand the more flexible the whole wire.

In an ordinary stranded wire, the strands are made from bare copper, so the strands are electrically connected to each other throughout the length of the wire.

In Litz wire the strands are electrically isolated from each other, for example by a coat of enamel. Typically, the strands in Litz wires are made from readily available enamelled wire.

Stranded wire (non-Litz) under a microscope

^{S. Zurek, E-Magnetica.pl, CC-BY-4.0}

Litz wire under a microscope, with visible enamel coating on each strand (click on the image to enlarge)

^{S. Zurek, E-Magnetica.pl, CC-BY-4.0}

Litz wire (yellow insulation around each individual strand) and stranded wire (blue insulation only around the whole bunch)

^{S. Zurek, E-Magnetica.pl, CC-BY-4.0}

• Stranded wire
• Enamelled wire
• Litz wire