stranded wire

[wsaraceni]

i just gutted my trainwreck express build since it never really worked. started to rebuild using stranded wire. is this an issue? has anyone ever built one using stranded wire? it doesnt stay where you put it as well, but its much easier to work with then the teflon crap i've been using.

[Cliff Schecht]

I quit using Teflon for signal runs, unless I happen to have a piece that conveniently fits where I need it. There aren't any issues with using stranded wire really, it's just in the "tradition" to build a 'Wreck using solid core for the signals. Anything that has to carry a significant amount of power or return current I usually use 20+ AWG solid core or stranded.

[M Fowler]

I have built the Express with stranded wire and many other amps.

I use top coat wire tinned stranded 20 ga. I like to use 18 ga on the filaments but some times its just to difficult. I also like solid on filament because it is easier but most say that you should use stranded on the filament because the solid can break easy.

I change wire from amp to amp. If I can find a decent stripper I will use my teflon wire.

Mark

[PCollen]

i just gutted my trainwreck express build since it never really worked. started to rebuild using stranded wire. is this an issue? has anyone ever built one using stranded wire? it doesnt stay where you put it as well, but its much easier to work with then the teflon crap i've been using.

I use 600V 22AWG for everything in an amp except for filaments and power section runs. Certainly 22AWG is sufficient for pre-amp signal and DC power feeds.

[wsaraceni]

thanks guys. maybe ill post a few pictures tonight and you can let me know if anyone sees major issues.

[Ken Moon]

If I can find a decent stripper I will use my teflon wire.

Mark

Hey Mark,

I too spent years looking for the "right" strippers for teflon-jacketed wire.

At work, we have thermal strippers, as well as the big adjustable-type stripper, but none work as well for me as the simple little Imperial strippers sold by McMaster-Carr.

The Imperial strippers are superior to other brands (Klein etc) that look similar, if you look under a microscope after stripping.

They may look the same as the others at first glance, but they are a bit more sharp and a bit more accurate.

The key is, you don't want to nick the wire even slightly - that's the leading cause of wire breakage (and hard to spot because the nick will be right at the edge of the insulator, or even hidden under the insulator when the cut piece is pulled off, stretching the remaining insulator slightly).

Since they're cheap, I bought the entire line that covered the 18 to 22 ga sizes that I use (4 different strippers IIRC). I found one that's just right for 20 ga, and another that's perfect for 22 ga - I painted a big "20" and "22" on them so I'll grab the right one. (The company says some strippers are best for stranded and some for solid - I didn't find that to be true - they all seem to work fine for stranded and solid wire.)

It also helps to try different wire brands, as they often have differing outside dimensions for the same gauge, and some are just easier to strip - after a bit of experimenting, you'll find a wire/stripper combo that is just perfect, and stick with that

Here is a link to the Imperial catalog:

http://www.imperial-tools.com/tools/ele ... er_08.html

Mcmaster-Carr sells the IE-180 under p/n 7294K59 for 30 to 22 ga, and the IE-177 as p/n 7294K57 for 20 to 10 ga.

[FYL]

If I can find a decent stripper I will use my teflon wire.

Jokari-type automatic strippers work very nicely.

[M Fowler]

Thanks for the info guys, your good

[PlinytheWelder]

FWIW, I have a Teledyne thermal stripper that I picked up on ebay really cheap. I use it on pretty much every thing.
[img:500:500]http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/im ... 500_p1.jpg[/img]

[ApexJr.]

I have some of these teledyne thermo wire stripers in stock
at $85.00 each.

http://www.teledyneinterconnect.com/pro ... estrip.asp

Steve @ Apex Jr.

[Cliff Schecht]

My dad "gave" me a bunch of silver-stranded Teflon wire and a set of wire strippers specifically meant for Teflon when I was first starting out in electronics. The wire strippers are the style that I call "clackers" because after the grabbing and cutting jaws drop down and the two legs pull apart, you pull out the wire and they smack back together. I don't like a lot of the ones made nowadays, but the ones I have are cast iron instead of stamped crap metal and feel much sturdier (and heavier) in your hands. For Teflon wire, I'm yet to find a more convenient way for stripping ANY wire. I think the trick with stripping Teflon with contact-strippers is having extremely sharp jaws that are also accurate in size.

[JamesHealey]

never used teflon wire. Only pvc. I use any old stripper and my teeth when i can't find it.

[Structo]

I have a auto stripper but it won't grip the Teflon jacket good enough.

I like the Teflon wire because it doesn't melt and is high quality silver plated copper.
Teflon shielded is a must for me because of the anti-melt back properties.

I usually use a razor knife to strip it. It's tedious but I haven't found anything else that works around here.
I would love to have a thermal stripper but I just can't afford it right now.

BTW, I know that using a razor to strip the ends is risky because of the possible nick in the wire.
That's why I cut about 1/4" from the end then peel back the Teflon well below the cut area, then trim the jacket and cut off the end.

[dartanion]

I can't stand working with Teflon and am not a fan of stranded wire. Solid core copper with PVC insulation is so much nicer to work with, and I have never had any issues with breakage. You've got to be pretty damn ham handed to break this stuff.

[M Fowler]

I want a 20 ga solid PVC that has a large jacket where can I find that?