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

[tub...@myshop.com]

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.

[Michael Terrell]

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.

[tub...@myshop.com]

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.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

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


NT

[Michael Terrell]

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/adafruit-industries-llc/1311/1528-1743-ND/6198255&?gclid=Cj0KCQjw19DlBRCSARIsAOnfReg0nplrvku0aqUQsEzLCrNWrRU7aITjhMgHWr22s5lr0idGRHdWVm8aAmgxEALw_wcB

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

[Michael Terrell]

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 colors. It is now so old that what is left is mostly useless. The same for som 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 insulation, and slip off the tinned braid to use for solder wick.

[Terry Schwartz]

Try shoelaces.

[Spare Change]

On Apr 13, 2019, tub...@myshop.com wrote
(in article<lio4bedchma2kcdhr...@4ax.com>):

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.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

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

[tub...@myshop.com]

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

[Michael Terrell]

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

[three_jeeps]

On Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 6:35:07 PM UTC-4, tub...@myshop.com wrote:

MTW is a good choice. Some other options include: TEW (often synonymous with MTW), but also THHN and THWN. Back in the day when I was involved in designing control panels for industrial process control, these were the defaults. You can google the meanings and differences. We used different wire types based on if the panels needed to be UL approved and environmental constraints, 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. Pain 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

[three_jeeps]

On Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 6:35:07 PM UTC-4, tub...@myshop.com wrote:

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.

[Spare Change]

On Apr 16, 2019, three_jeeps wrote
(in article<7bd8c6e5-d610-4864...@googlegroups.com>):

> 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. Pain 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

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

[Spare Change]

On Apr 16, 2019, Michael Terrell wrote
(in article<e2537f26-7b80-4654...@googlegroups.com>):

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

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”.

[three_jeeps]

Wonderful, I wonder who is responsible for letting this junk in? We used to 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 product details. Personally, if not easily found in 1-2 mouse clicks, it is off my list...lol

[mrob...@att.net]

Michael Terrell <terrell....@gmail.com> wrote:
> If you send a check with the order, [DigiKey was] paying the shipping.

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

[Michael Terrell]

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.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 4/13/19 5:35 PM, tub...@myshop.com wrote:
> What do you guys use for chassis wiring on old tube gear?

Or, instead of all the other bull shit answers, you can just
buy the right stuff.
<https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/wire-hook-22-awg-50-foot-roll>
It's what I use.

--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

[Clifford Heath]

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.

[Michael Terrell]

I still use them to pay my property taxes and a few other bills that add a surcharge to process my debit card. I haven't been able to set up automatic payments for my new truck yet, so that is paid by check until that is ready.