smallest gauge wire that should be used for offboard wiring?

[JohnForeman]

Guy's,
I currently can only get my hands on 22awg wire and would like to go smaller because it's a little tight in the enclosure.  I can get some 28awg at the local hobby store but i thought that might be a little small.
Any advice on how small i should go?
thanks

[R.G.]

It's a matter of handling difficulty. 28 is hard to manipulate and solder well. 26 is OK, but marginal. 24 is nice. I like 24. 22 is more robust. 20 and bigger is prone to breaking.

However, the wire you have or can get is vastly better than wire you don't have and can't get.

[Seljer]

I've used rainbow coloured ribbon cable for time's when I've wanted 'neat' runs with the linked wires (ripping off as many as I needed). I believe it's generally in the vicinity of 28AWG.

I'll concur on RG's notion of 24 being about right for use in pedals.

[merlinb]

In Europe we mostly use 7/02 wire, which is also roughly equalivalent to 24AWG.

[Jdansti]

I have good sucess with 24AWG stranded. I've used the computer ribbon cable, but if I move the wire too much, it breaks. I normally put a little hot glue on the point of connection on the board if the wire is much smaller than 24AWG.

[petemoore]

 Don't sweat the small stuff 
I've seen or done everything from supporting boards with a bit thicker wires to nice layouts to sandwich-insulated boards [stuffed into a plastic or otherwise insulated box.
Thin wire breaks faster when wiggled around or pulled on [debugging etc.], at the solder joint/where the insulation starts. Sometimes the insulation can be easily pushed over the warm solder [when it's still warm] at the board side.
A good way to work with wire is to make a test jig with 2 jacks, 3 colored testclips [red from input tip, black ground to sleeves, blue to output], optional BP switch, easily get to the bottom of the board before installing heavy, tangly offboard parts.

[seedlings]

Cat5, telephone wire is usually around 24ga and easy to find.

CHAD

[JohnForeman]

thanks for all the tips.  i soldered in some computer ribbon cable last night and that seemed to work well.  I like the idea of the hot glue at the joint.  I may do that.