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Is there any decent hook-up wire that can be had from Home Depot or such places? I'm putting together an amp and need to run wires from the transformers to the power supply but don't have time to order any. Does Radio Shack offer anything?
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Your local Radio Shack has 300-volt rated hook-up wire, solid or stranded in several guages & 3 colors.
It's good to know that decent wire is available so nearby.
It's a heck of a bargain, too, actually. Only thing, the 300v 18ga. you have to be brisk soldering it, or the insulation will melt off the end. When I get from Digi-Key, I get the 600v, it's so much more pleasant to work with.Gary, I like the solid core a lot better. It's a lot easier to deal with at the solder joints, and stays where you put it.
Aloha,
Thanks, Poinz. I have to get something from Digi-Key and need to fill in to meet the minimum order. So getting some wire might be just the thing. Is their wire better than the stuff you get at the local hardware store? Does the 600V wire have more durable insulation, as your note implies? If you have a stock number, that would be great.Can solid core be used for hook-up wire? Are solid core and stranded interchangeable in connecting components? I'm still learning about these things, so I'd appreciate any further information.
The insulation on 600V wire is a lot thicker, so it doesn't melt off the end when you're soldering (especially if the wire is bent near the end). For most use inside chassis, I use Carol 20ga. 600V solid core, Digi-Key part C2118[c]-100-ND, where [c] is the color. It's $20 for a hundred feet. Comes in other gauges, too.Everywhere inside chassis I like solid core a lot better. Stranded is too springy and doesn't like to stay put, and dealing with the stranded end when making (especially re-making) a joint is a pain. Some folks say that stranded can also muddy a signal a little, dunno. For signal in breadboards and stuff I use CAT5P conductor, which is another whole problem, since you have to find the right brand (conductor and insulation material is not a part of the specification). I got about a million miles of it from MECI a couple years back for a few bucks. For client pieces I use 24ga. four or five-nines silver in a teflon tube, from Michael Percy or Chung (VT4C studio). I can't hear any difference in sound, but the silver might sound a little better ten years down the road, after the copper has turned dark.
Aloha,
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