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What grade of stranded copper wire for bread boarding?

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(@yurkshirelad)
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What grade of stranded wire should I use for bread boarding or small custom builds? For example, if I need something that my pre-made cheap wires can't provide? 22 AWG stranded copper?

I've been looking at wire strippers and I can see there are so many grades of wire.


   
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Will
 Will
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@yurkshirelad

I don't think you'll find stranded wire very useful for breadboards since they usually split apart when you try to push them into the holes. I can tell you from experience that soldering the tips before trying to fit them into the breadboard usually doesn't work either.

As for small custom builds, I usually find 24AWG for power and 26AWG for other wiring to be quite adequate for low-power applications. Larger wire can sometimes be clumsy when used on PCBs because of the bulk or the wire being too thick to fit into some of the smaller hole.

Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.


   
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(@yurkshirelad)
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Any cheap and reliable Canadian sources for 24-26AWG that people use?


   
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(@davee)
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Hi @yurkshirelad,

'Breadboarding' means different things to different people. In my former days it referred to connecting to valve (tube) bases for the 'active components' and tag strips for resistors and capacitors.. 😀

Furthermore, it depends upon what specific requirements cannot be met with 'pre-made cheap wires' that you need to meet. Every wire has characteristics and limitations ... different requirements mean different wire type solutions.

If you mean interconnections using stripboards or perfboards with soldered connections, or the push-in 'bed of holes' type usually shown in Arduino examples, then stranded wire is usually to be avoided when both ends of the wire connect to the same board. The 'stiffness' of single core is an advantage as it helps to keep it tidy, the push-in connections expect a single stiff core and even soldering is easier with only a single strand to manage.

Stranded wire's 'claim-to-fame' is that is more flexible and less likely to break if it is repeatedly bent or flexed, including by vibration. This often applies to the flying leads coming from a board ... maybe to a switch or battery or power supply or sensor, etc. These connections will often benefit from a different wire type to that used in across board connectons

If the breadboard is just a temporary lash up, then many liberties may (will?) be taken when connecting flying leads to a breadboard, sometimes including sticking to single core. But if you want a reliable system which will last a long time, then the flying lead connection point to the 'breadboard' should receive some care as it is a favourite failure point. Simply poking a flexible wire through a hole in the board and soldering it is a potential fracture point if the wire is able to move. Using something like a connector or terminal to 'mechanically interface' between the flexible wire and the rigid board is usually worthwhile.

Of course, the above assumes the voltages, currents, frequencies, etc. that the wire is handling do not place overriding electrical limitations on the wire choice.

I am not sure I have answered your question, but hopefully this is useful and maybe prompts a more specific question.

Best wishes and good luck.


   
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(@yurkshirelad)
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That's very helpful thanks.


   
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Will
 Will
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@yurkshirelad 

I usually get wire from Amazon. It's not the cheapest source but it's easy to shop from home when you need it and they'll deliver it.

I've really gotten to like the silicone coated wire. It's always soft and pliable and continues to live after I've soldered the coating several times (I'm very clumsy). It's not much use for a breadboard though. It's also not good if you want stiff wire to lay down in parallel paths along the back of a circuit board.

Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.


   
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(@dronebot-workshop)
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Posted by: @will

I usually get wire from Amazon. It's not the cheapest source but it's easy to shop from home when you need it and they'll deliver it.

I've really gotten to like the silicone coated wire.

Completely agree, Amazon is my primary source of wire these days, especially as I can't visit my local electronics store (which was my previous source) due to the pandemic.

And for my latest project, my "Outdoor Robot", I used silicone wire exclusively, and I've really grown to like it. So now I have several spools of different colors and gauges.

Posted by: @davee

In my former days it referred to connecting to valve (tube) bases for the 'active components' and tag strips for resistors and capacitors..

Does anyone have a source for "tag strips" these days? I wasn't even sure of the correct name of them, I used to call them "terminal strips", but whatever they are called I can't find them. I've had a few applications for them recently, would love to stock up on a few.  Seems like when tubes disappeared, they went along with them.

Posted by: @yurkshirelad

Any cheap and reliable Canadian sources for 24-26AWG that people use?

If you're talking about the pre-made ones for solderless breadboards, I've bought them at RobotShop and Amazon.

😎

Bill

"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak


   
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Will
 Will
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Posted by: @dronebot-workshop

Does anyone have a source for "tag strips" these days? I wasn't even sure of the correct name of them, I used to call them "terminal strips", but whatever they are called I can't find them.

Are these what you mean ?

https://www.amazon.ca/Fibre-38x117mm-Turret-Terminal-Guitar/dp/B08K3BRHXN/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=tag+strips&qid=1633542941&sr=8-7

Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.


   
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(@dronebot-workshop)
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@will Sort of, I was actually looking for the single strips.  If my artistic abilities were any better, I'd draw one to illustrate what I mean.

The ones I'm thinking of are like a single strip with only one terminal (rather than a "dual one like the one you found), usually with a single mounting lug to attach it to the chassis. On many of them, that mounting lug was attached to one of the terminals, so you had a ground point.

Half a century ago, they were a staple in radios and televisions.

However, I'll admit that the one you found is closer to anything I have found so far. Even searching Digikey and Mouser came up blank, but again, I may not be describing them correctly.

😎

Bill

 

"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak


   
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Will
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codecage
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Posted by: @dronebot-workshop

Does anyone have a source for "tag strips" these days?

Try this link Bill.  I think these may get you on the right track.

Terminal strips

SteveG


   
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(@davee)
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Hi @codecage,

  These are indeed a trip back down my memory lane. Also used to come with two lines of terminals and the paxolin board horizontal. Though, I am not planning on using any thermionic valves at present.

The latter may have been what @will was describing ... but unfortunately my laptop screen shows a very 21st century alternate ... must be too much progress? 🙄 

image

Best wishes all.


   
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Will
 Will
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@davee 

Is the link I provided not working ?

Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.


   
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codecage
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@will 

I'm sure it is will, but thought these were the strips Bill was referring to.

I used these recently on a two tube 40M AM transmitter I was building from scratch.  It was a build from Bob Heil of Heil Sound. 

SteveG


   
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Will
 Will
(@will)
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@codecage 

Oh, OK. This is what your post looks like to me

Screen Shot 2021 10 06 at 1.27.34 PM

 

So I thought it was my post's URL that got mangled.

Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.


   
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