PTFE Hookup wire - stranding?

[timrobertson100]

Hi folks

Having used solid core pushback all my life, I'm about to invest in some reels of PTFE stranded hookup wire and have a newbie question.

From what I gather, 22AWG is what we want for the signal wiring and in the EU the Alpha 5855 (600v Silver plate copper) looks like a reasonable option on 100ft reels.

But should I go for the 19/34 stranding or the 7/30 stranding please? https://tinyurl.com/alpha-hookup-5855

Or perhaps you have a better recommendation? It's a fairly big outlay for 5-6 colours of 100ft so I don't want to get it wrong.

Thanks all

[sluckey]

I use only 19 strands for all my stuff. I don't like the 7 strands. It's too easy to knick one of the 7 strands while stripping. BTW, you will need some very sharp strippers. My favorite is Klein 11046 Stripper.

[timrobertson100]

Excellent you’ve saved me asking my follow up question too.

Unless someone chimes in with a different PTFE wire recommendation altogether I’ll go with that, and those strippers.

Thank you very much

[nuke]

Thermal strippers are even better, but you'll need good ventilation and/or fume removal. Thermal strippers will not nick any conductors and are preferred in aviation/aerospace.

[LOUDthud]

Another vote for thermal stripper.

[sluckey]

I have a good variety of 18, 20, and 22awg sizes. I usually use 20awg for primary mains connections, all filaments, and B+/grounding. The 22awg for all interconnects between boards, sockets, and control panels. I rarely use 18awg inside an amp chassis but it makes good speaker connections in a combo cab.

Teflon (ptfe) insulation requires practice to get it right even with sharp, precise strippers. Keep your strippers clean and rust free. After a while, you'll probably notice the insulation is not cutting as cleanly as it did when the strippers were new. This is a sign of dull cutters. I have a technique that will extend the life of the strippers a bit longer. I will use a heavy hand to cut cleanly through the insulation. Then relax my grip a bit to pull the cut insulation off the wire. It's normal for cutters to become dull. That's a sign that it's time to replace the strippers and give the dull ones to a friend that uses pvc wire. Those Kleins will last forever on pvc insulation.

[maxkracht]

+1 on those klein strippers, have a ton of strippers in my collection but those are what I reach for

I have purchased ptfe wire from this ebay store a few times. He sells 25' lengths at decent prices so you could try out a few types before committing to one. https://www.ebay.com/str/johnssilverpla ... tore_cat=2

[Leo_Gnardo]

Thermal strippers are even better, but you'll need good ventilation and/or fume removal.

And how! Fumes from melted/burnt Teflon are toxic. Everything else is bad enough, this is worse.

[TUBEDUDE]

I get my silver coated teflon wire from ApexJr.
Great wire and you don't have to buy 1000 ft rolls.
I get 100ft. of six colors and don't need to take out a loan.

[nuke]

Thermal strippers are even better, but you'll need good ventilation and/or fume removal.

And how! Fumes from melted/burnt Teflon are toxic. Everything else is bad enough, this is worse.

Yup the fumes are toxic, but properly used, thermal strippers don't produce much smoke or vapor. And yes, you need some kind of fume extractor while doing the work.

It does work extremely well, make perfectly clean insulation strips in tefzel and a wide variety of insulation with no nicks in conductors. Ideal for production work. Small desktop units brand new are ~$150 US. I use a Teledyne handheld that looks like it has been through a war as you say. But parts were relatively easy to find with some searching and I've had it running for 20 years or more now.