Wire Selection??

[djwhy60]

I am making an effort to start doing the "projects" I have been sitting in the corner. I am lost when it comes to wire size selection and assortment. I will probably buy one of the bundle deals with multiple colors of each size..I hate running out of stuff when I am in the middle of a project. I am looking for suggestion of sizes. Thank you ahead of time!

 

[whoaru99]

Depends what the purpose of the wiring is. The higher the current the lower the gauge/thicker the wire needs to be. For high impedance/low current signal type wiring, thin stuff is fine. But, at some point of thin it becomes more difficult to work with.

Tube amps, for example, generally don't require anything over 22 or even 24ga for the internals due to high voltage, low current. Filaments maybe 20ga or 18ga if there are a lot of tubes or ones with heavy draw. Of course that is with respect to "normal" amps. Some tubes certainly have higher filament currents necessitating thicker wire.

An assortment of 18, 20, and 22ga would cover a really wide range of projects, IMO.

 

[djwhy60]

Thank you for the info...appreciate it!

 

[WntrMute2]

Try this guy. http://stores.ebay.com/Johns-Silver-Plated-PTFE-Wire-Shop He has assortments of many different gauges. Priced right and of MIL spec.

 

[JDub]

Depends what the purpose of the wiring is. The higher the current the lower the gauge/thicker the wire needs to be. For high impedance/low current signal type wiring, thin stuff is fine. But, at some point of thin it becomes more difficult to work with.

Tube amps, for example, generally don't require anything over 22 or even 24ga for the internals due to high voltage, low current. Filaments maybe 20ga or 18ga if there are a lot of tubes or ones with heavy draw. Of course that is with respect to "normal" amps. Some tubes certainly have higher filament currents necessitating thicker wire.

An assortment of 18, 20, and 22ga would cover a really wide range of projects, IMO.

The trade off here is the insulation. Typical hook-up wire PVC insulation is rated at 300 V; high voltage tube amps would need thicker 600 volt insulation.

 

[whoaru99]

Yeah, good point. The insulation rating needs to be appropriate for the circuit voltage as well.

 

[Alan0354]

I tend to be a little conservative, I would get wires to 16 gauge for some of the higher current. Still don't get used to seeing skinny wires in tube amps.

 

[whoaru99]

I tend to be a little conservative, I would get wires to 16 gauge for some of the higher current. Still don't get used to seeing skinny wires in tube amps.

Well, you should, with regard to tube amps. If you do the math there is effectively no voltage drop even on skinny wires, and they're much easier to work with for attaching to the tube socket lugs and such.