wiring heaters...ugh

[stevlech]

Would someone be willing to educate me on wiring heaters neatly? I've built about a half dozen amps and they've all been rat's nests compared to the refined techniques I've seen here.

Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Good day to you all

[Bob-I]

Would someone be willing to educate me on wiring heaters neatly? I've built about a half dozen amps and they've all been rat's nests compared to the refined techniques I've seen here.

Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Good day to you all

Start by taking about 4' of wire, fold it in half and chuck it in a variable speed drill. Run it at fairly low speed until the wires are wound tightly.

The rest is just being careful to route the wires carefully.

OR.....

[gearhead]

Would someone be willing to educate me on wiring heaters neatly? I've built about a half dozen amps and they've all been rat's nests compared to the refined techniques I've seen here.

Heaters have been the bane of my amp building too. Been using the drill technique myself, but finally thrown in the towel on stranded wire. Next one will have 20 gauge solid wire.

[playonit]

Just found this and it helped me.....

http://www.brown-note.com/heaters/



And the results....

[stevlech]

Thanks for the quick replies. In fact, I've seen the brownnote guide and it's really helpful. I think I need some solid core- been using stranded.

Again, thank you all.

[Bob-I]

Thanks for the quick replies. In fact, I've seen the brownnote guide and it's really helpful. I think I need some solid core- been using stranded.

Again, thank you all.

I've done 4 amps with the straight line heaters like Soldano uses and I've yet to have a noise problem. The only issue I've run into is that changing a tube socket when the buss bars run through the tube sockets is a problem. I solved it by tying the buss bar to the tube socket with a small piece of solid wire.

[playonit]

Thanks for the quick replies. In fact, I've seen the brownnote guide and it's really helpful. I think I need some solid core- been using stranded.

Again, thank you all.

I've done 4 amps with the straight line heaters like Soldano uses and I've yet to have a noise problem. The only issue I've run into is that changing a tube socket when the buss bars run through the tube sockets is a problem. I solved it by tying the buss bar to the tube socket with a small piece of solid wire.

That's awesome.... I think I might just try that next time.... any completed pics???

[Phil_S]

Sorry, but it's too loose at the sockets for the twist to be effective. This is hard to do and requires practice. You've got to maitain the twist all the way to the sockets. Loops at the end basically make that whole effort nil. I recommend 20 ga solid, which stays where you put it and is easy to thread into a noval socket. Everyone learns how to do this. You will, too.

[ChrisM]

I like to float above the sockets, no loops! The small part of wire that isn't twisted terminates very quickly.

Solid core all the way for heaters. 20AWG is my choice.

[ampdoc1]

I'm with Bob-I! A piece of buss wire can usually be shaped very simply, and tied to the sockets with a small loop. Neat, and easy to layout. Best of all, 0 hum.

a'doc1

[playonit]

Sorry, but it's too loose at the sockets for the twist to be effective. This is hard to do and requires practice. You've got to maitain the twist all the way to the sockets. Loops at the end basically make that whole effort nil. I recommend 20 ga solid, which stays where you put it and is easy to thread into a noval socket. Everyone learns how to do this. You will, too.

Thanks for the tip...... How's this??

[dynaman]

Oh wow, look at all the straight buss runnin' nerds come out of their closets. I was under the impression that most folks 'round here only used certain colors of wire twisted a specific number times that directly corresponded with Ken Fischer's age in dog years. I stand corrected. RIP Ken, no offense intended.

In reality, I run straight buss cuz I'm lazy. When I do twist, I use a drill to spin a long pair together.

Using a twisted pair isn't that hard, but it does take practice if your concerned about aesthetics. Solid core is prolly easiest, but I use teflon stranded and it holds it's shape fairly well.

I've not had any hum issues with straight buss, but ya better know how to route the rest of your wiring to avoid problems.

FYI, you need not spend a fortune on pre-tinned buss wire. I get big rolls of crappy insulated solid core from a local electronics store for like $4 a pop. It takes less than a minute to strip enough insulation off to make enough "buss" to complete a whole amp. Hell, the buss for my last build was made from the salvaged solid core of an old Webster PA. Can you say CHEAP?

[Phil_S]

Yes, that is a big improvement. The socket in the corner with the long red loop still needs work. I would route it around the other side of the socket.

Here is what Merlin Blencowe says in "Designing Valve Preamps for Guitar and Bass, "AC heater wires must always be tightly twisted as this helps to suppress their EM fields, since each twist is out-of-phase with its neighbours. Note, a loose twist is useless, only a tight twist will do. " I'm attaching a picture from the book (p.285) and hope the admins here will allow it as limited educational use and not a copyright violation.

If you are going to be doing this sort of work, the book is well worth buying.

[Drumslinger]

I'll have to give the straight line a go on one of my next builds. For now, i have used the twisted stranded wire floating and lay down. I haven't tried the solid core wire but pulled the trigger and ordered some for my next build.

stevlech, i've used that same technique like the one you found on the brownnote site it has worked out great each time i run heaters.

[Bob-I]

That's awesome.... I think I might just try that next time.... any completed pics???

Yea, somewhere, I'll post them later when I'm back at my desk.

EDIT:

Money shot attached