Hook-up Wire

[Radiola]

Hi

Can anyone advise where I can source smaller type rolls ( +20m?? ) of good quality solderable solid (tinned?) and stranded copper wire for point to point wiring in tube and semiconductor amps. About six colours required each. In Jhb or Pta area

Thanks

[Sten]

I'm on the same quest, but for solid only. Any pointers would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Sten.

[Apocalypse Boy]

Breno Auto electrical, they're in Boksburg, close to the East Rand mall

[ghostinthemachine]

I bought a stout roll of solid-core copper wire from RS Comp - 100 meter roll. White. Not to stressed about different colors.

[handsome]

i've also been struggling to source solid-core wire lately...have they stopped making it? i have used the individual wires from solid core network cabling before, pvc insulation not sure of the voltage rating though...

[mafioso]

I remember from a newsletter from the late Wim Bouwman he used to sell hookup wire. Dunno if the new Mr Valve still does.

mafioso

[undefined.za]

JimGore sells silver 20 gauge instrument panel wire... very very nice stuff.

[VALVAGLO]

Electronics 123 in Pretoria sells packages of various colours about 10 metres long and about .5mm thick for about R100.00. I think there are about 12 different colours in each pack.
They also sell the right silver content solder for about R110.00 for a roll

[d0dja]

Noob question, why would you want hookup wire to be solid core? Thought that stranded core would be preferable because it's lower resistance?

[handsome]

prefer solid core cos it stays put, easier to work with. a wires' resistance is determined by it's thickness and length - the difference between solid and stranded of the same thickness would be extremely minimal if any at all.........

[Family_Dog]

I would also prefer solid core for wiring up, but where the wire is twisted and heavy currents are involved - as for the valve filaments - then I would prefer stranded wires. Solid wires lead to a neater appearance as well because the wire is so much more manageable.


-F_D

[dotVIBE]

I've also heard tell that when hook-up wire (except for speaker posts of course) than a thinner gauge is better. any opinion on this? Or is it just another one of those cable things?

[Family_Dog]

Doubt it... I just use whatever comes to hand. I also use a thick copper busbar, earthed at one point only, for all the Earth connections. Hook up wore length is usually a few centimetres long at most, can't really go wrong with whatever you use.


-F_D

[Ampdog]

Respectfully, DotVIBE, your first sentence is unclear. Have you heard that thick wire is better than thin?

In any normally dimensioned enclosure it is immaterial, except perhaps for heater connections in valve amplifiers. Even with loudspeaker leads of a few centimeters it will not matter (there is never less than about 6 ohms resistance in the 'speaker circuit of an 8 ohm system, etc.).

But stiff hook-up wire is attractive, and I would also like to know a source of such multi-coloured wire, >0,6mm thick core. (The wire from Electronics 123 is stated as only 0,2mm thick core - rather thin to use for stay-in-place hook-up.) Failing which, I lace up flexible wire (see my avatar) but it is rather a chore.

[Uriah]

Hi
This may help
Most electrical wholesalers(voltex whom i deal with) sell all kinds of wire /m or in 100m rolls in different sizes 1mm,1,5mm,2,5mm,4mm,6mm,10mm and bigger if you want it,fine stranded wire in the electrical field is normally called panel wire,hard stranded is normally called house wire,and if you want solid core the cheapest way would be to buy cable(surfix) which you can buy by the meter as well and comes in 2core red and black plus a bare copper wire,3 core which is red,white and blue plus bare copper wire,4 core which is red,white,blue and black plus a bare copper wire,surfix is available in various sizes as well 1mm,1,5mm,2,5mm 4mm,6mm etc you then only need to strip the wires out of the cable a bit of apain but if you only need a meter or so not a problem.
Ps i forgot to mention you can also buy silicon wire(very flexible) Heat resistant wire and various other types