wire opinions

[11-90-an]

Just want to know what wires do you guys use to connect everything i.e. pots, 3pdt, pcb... For mine I use solid core since it's slightly easier to solder, but now I feel like it's too stiff...

Stranded wire also has some perks, but its just the soldering effort... 

All your opinions on wires welcome.... 

[EBK]

24-gauge pre-bond stranded from Smallbear.  Very easy to use.  Solders easily and the insulation holds up reasonably well to heat if your soldering technique is decent.

[kraal]

Hello,

So far I was mostly using 22 AWG solid core wires.
Now I plan to start using 24 to 28 AWG stranded wires (flat cables for 28 AWG) with connectors for short inter-boards connections.
The reasons for moving from what I'm currently doing to what I plan to do are the following:

• I need tiny connectors for what I want to do
• I don't need much current, so max 0.226 A is more than sufficient, (no risk to see my wires burn)
• The additional resistance (+0.16-0.18 ohms per meter for 28AWG compared to 22 AWG) can be ignored for short wires
• I always wanted to have black flat cables in my enclosures 

Maybe this will be a failure, but at least I will have fun experimenting.

Cheers,

[MikeA]

24-gauge pre-bond stranded from Smallbear... 

+1. 

[davent]

Mostly stranded 22awg PTFE insulated, the  coax i use is 24awg, PTFE/Kapton insulated.
dave

[patrick398]

I use this: https://cpc.farnell.com/concordia-technologies/6003202-10m/equipment-wire-7-0-20mm-pink-10m/dp/CB19557?CMP=i-ddd7-00001003

A) Because it's pink
B) Because it's dirt cheap

[CodeMonk]

About 10 years ago, I bought about 200 feet each of green, blue, brown, yellow/green, red, and 3 conductor ribbon cable at a surplus electronics supply place in Southern California. Cost me bout $10 total. All 22 AWG
Around the same time, a friend gave about 200 feet of a red/black twisted pair. 20 AWG.
Still have about half of it.
And all stranded.
I also have about 50 feet of solid core 16AWG, but I don't use it much.

https://www.apexsurplus.com/Home.html
They have shitloads of NOS parts, and with really, really, really low prices. At least until they started looking stuff up on ebay.

[rutabaga bob]

Have used Small Bear's 24ga. pre-bond.  Also use scavenged 28ga. stranded wire from old data switch boxes.  And, have plenty of other scavenged wire from old computers.  Come across Teflon-coated wire every now and then. 

Sometimes use 22ga. tinned ground wire, with heat shrink tubing if needed, and also 26ga.

RG174 or similar shielded wire for areas that need it.

I guess I'm just a 'whatever's handy' builder.

[amptramp]

I have some telephone 22 AWG solid wire that I use for a lot of small signal stuff.  I have some other wire that I use for larger currents but the 22 AWG fits the pre-patterned boards that I use although the boards can take larger wire.

[antonis]

Anything between 21 - 24 AWG (although we use mm² cross-area..) solid core or stranded, I can find handy..

[MikeA]

Speaking of coax, has anybody else tried RG-178 instead of -174?  I like that it's thinner (30 ga) and more flexible, with a tougher insulation (FEP).  In the photo, it's one on the bottom.  Small Bear carries it for the same price as RG-174.   Mike

[slashandburn]

I'm with Bob/Larry. I'll use whatever handy.

And also in agreement with Patrick, if I'm buying stranded wire 7/0.2 is a decent size for stompbox purposes. No issues with strip/perfboard. I've also been known to use recycled cat5 which is finer and more delicate but does the job.

Edit: I will admit to getting frustrated with different insulation types so following this thread with intrigue.

[MaxPower]

I don't know the gauge (22, 24, or 28) but I got it from Mouser decades ago. Down to my last roll. Good wire, stranded and easy to tin.

I was given a large back-of-the-truck spools of telephone wire that must have, uh, fallen off the back of a truck. Figured I was set for life as far as wire's concerned. Alas it's a pita to solder and too flimsy for off-board wiring.

[CodeMonk]

I also had an ad on craigslist offering to take away any electronics people no longer wanted, working or not.
And I would cannibalize whatever I could off of it. Components, wire, whatever.
Or sometimes fix and sell it.

I did end up with a lot of useless (for now) garbage.

[Gordo]

Barry's wire at GuitarPCB is great. Stranded. I like the Smallbear stuff as well. I've had major problems with the 178 shielded. A few too many flexes and the stranded inner core breaks easily.

[MikeA]

I've had major problems with the 178 shielded. A few too many flexes and the stranded inner core breaks easily.

Gordo, I remember the opposite, with 178 more resilient than 174.  But the 178 I use is Harbour Industries SCCS (stranded silver covered copper clad steel), while my 174 is just stranded copper, so maybe that's a factor? 

I was curious, so I went to the workbench for a very unscientific study.  Stripped each wire back to the center conductor(s) for 2 inches, grabbed it at 1 inch with smooth bladed pliers to avoid any nick points, and counted how many right-angle bends it took to completely break it.  The results, from worst to best:

• Bends and wire type
  After 4 bends, 22 Ga solid Cu broke (telephone station wire)
  10 bends:  RG-174 26 ga stranded Cu coax of uncertain origin
  11:  24 ga stranded Cu
  13:  22 ga stranded Cu
  17:  24 ga stranded prebond Cu (Small Bear)
  22:  RG-178 30 ga stranded SSCS coax (Small Bear)
  28:  14 ga stranded Cu

and the winner....

• 71 bends for 18 ga stranded tinned Cu, silicone insulation, advertised as super flexible.

So I'm thinking the size and number of the strands, their material, ductility and probably other stuff factors into bends vs: breaks.  YMMV! Best regards, Mike

[Gordo]

Thanks Mike, the SB stuff must be different or I have the wrong part number. This has teflon outer and stranded bare copper for center conductors and very few strands.