What do you guys use for chassis wiring on old tube gear?

What do you guys use for chassis wiring on old tube gear?

In the old days, when I needed to replace some bad wires in an old tube radio, I just salvaged some from old tube tv sets. But dont have them anymore. Looking on places like ebay, I see suitable sized wire, but most is rated at 300v or usually less. MUCH LESS.

My local hardware stores have "Automotive wire" which is generally thicker than I need, but also rated at lower voltages than what is in a lot of tube gear.

Personally, I cant see that thick insulation failing at 500v or so, but it is a concern.

Reply to
tubeguy
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Alpha and Belden still appear to manufacture 600V hookup wire. Newark and other industrial suppliers still sell it.

Automotive wire is not designed for high voltage work, but if you like fires, go ahead and use it. The 'thicker insulation' is to prevent abrasion, not to provide insulation for high voltages.

Reply to
Michael Terrell

I generally dont buy from those big industrial companies. Mostly because they have minimum orders, charge high shipping and handling, and in this case I imagine I'd have to buy huge spools. At my age, and since this is just a hobby, I dont want to spend a fortune on wire I'll never use most of. Plus I'd like an assortment of colors.

Most of the shopping I do for antique parts is from small sellers who cater to antique restorers, or from ebay. But I have not found any sellers who sell suitable wire. My ideal would be five or six 25 foot spools of assorted colors.

One thing that does work, is common house wiring. Most of that is rated at 600V, but the thinnest gauge is #14. Hard to use because it's too thick.

Another thing I have done is to strip insulation off house wire, and use it for "spaghetti" on component leads. That works well.

Reply to
tubeguy

I've got no shortage of suitable wire. Maybe mixed selection packs would sell on ebay.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

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If you send a check with the order, they were paying the shipping. I will no longer reply to anything you post.

Reply to
Michael Terrell

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sell on ebay.

I still have some of the ~ 25 thousand feet that I bought 40+ years ago. I paid $10 for more than a 55 gallon drum full of metal 250' spools in many c olors. It is now so old that what is left is mostly useless. The same for s om reels of RG174 that have dried out and is crumbling bout I got more than the $20 that I spent for what I've used. It is easy to snap the outer insu lation, and slip off the tinned braid to use for solder wick.

Reply to
Michael Terrell

Try shoelaces.

Reply to
Terry Schwartz

On Apr 13, 2019, snipped-for-privacy@myshop.com wrote (in article):

Look for MTW wire (?Machine Tool Wiring?). It has high strand count, finer strands. Most sizes have 19 or greater strands. Easy to bend.

It?s commonly found in marine supply stores because it?s used in boats.

600 volt rated.
Reply to
Spare Change

rand count,

used in boats.

why would you need the extra flexibility in valve gear? And for someone just doing a bit as a hobby, can't enough be salvaged from junk?

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

That sounds promising. I know of a marine / boating store not too far away too.

Reply to
tubeguy

rand count,

used in boats.

Hookup wire is typically 20 AWG, and is often solid wire. I posted a link t o a kit of six, 225' rolls for $16. that 19 strand wire is probably THHN wi th a nylon overjacket, like I used for commercial fire alarms. It is not su itable for point to point wiring on a chassis, unless you are not capable o f doing anything right.

Reply to
Michael Terrell

MTW is a good choice. Some other options include: TEW (often synonymous wi th MTW), but also THHN and THWN. Back in the day when I was involved in d esigning control panels for industrial process control, these were the defa ults. You can google the meanings and differences. We used different wire types based on if the panels needed to be UL approved and environmental co nstraints, etc. For most tube gear, (unless it is going on a sea vehicle) these wire types should be OK. The standard for us was 600V insulation.

Beware of buying wire on ebay (and other places such as home depot, etc)... most of the wire is copper clad aluminum which, IMHO, should be avoided. P ain to solder, does not make a good crimp connection. (given this group, I am sure someone will wanna go to the mat on this point ...lol. To each their own) John

Reply to
three_jeeps

Alpha and Belden are good mfg of wire (as noted earlier). Also, check out Carol Cable. I consider these three to be of the best wire/cable quality.

Reply to
three_jeeps

On Apr 16, 2019, three_jeeps wrote (in article):

I bought a mains cable that would be attracted by a magnet. Iron wire is one of China?s latest cheap modes.

Reply to
Spare Change

On Apr 16, 2019, Michael Terrell wrote (in article):

Look at MTW or TEW. It?s not THHN. THHN has fewer strands and has the clear jacket over the poly insulation that makes it a BEAR to use in tight spaces. THe clear jacket is to provide extra protection when pulling through conduit and those wonderful pull ?els?.

Reply to
Spare Change

one

Wonderful, I wonder who is responsible for letting this junk in? We used t o have standards that were applied at some higher level, but they are being undermined and ultimately the end user has to be very well aware of the pr oduct details. Personally, if not easily found in 1-2 mouse clicks, it is off my list...lol

Reply to
three_jeeps

One kink I found out: they want to charge you the state sales tax in the destination state if you do this. I needed *one* wall-wart a while back, so I mailed them a check. They duly shipped the wart, along with a nastygram that I owed them 35 cents, or whatever it was.

Matt Roberds

Reply to
mroberds

I doubt to OP even has a checking account, or that he would spend the $17 to do anything right.

They state that you have to pay any taxes on their website.

Reply to
Michael Terrell

Or, instead of all the other bull shit answers, you can just buy the right stuff. It's what I use.

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
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Reply to
Fox's Mercantile

LOL at "checking account". One old-timer laughing at another.

The rest of the world stopped using them almost entirely like two decades ago. I mean we still have them, we just never need to use them in the 21st century.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

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