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 Rewiring an old Radio - Required gauge wire
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 1:05:00 PM on 29 April 2013.
Radio Collector's Gravatar
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 23 April 2013
 Member #: 1332
 Postcount: 9

I am about to re-wire my first valve radio, because the existing wires have perished and are crumbling away.

I am rewiring a AWA Radiola 527-MA

I have read an article saying that I should be using 18 S.W.G gauge wire on the filament circuits and 22 S.W.G gauge for the rest, and another article quoted 24 S.W.G for all wiring.

What gauge wire should I be using?

Also, any suggestions as to where can I buy the range of PVC insulated wire in the various colours.
If I was to rewire in the original colour scheme I would need. Brown, Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, White and Maroon


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 2:49:08 PM on 29 April 2013.
Scraps's Gravatar
 Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
 Member since 10 March 2013
 Member #: 1312
 Postcount: 401

22 gauge is adequate for all radio chassis wiring, what is more important is the voltage rating of the insulation. 400v would be ideal but not that easy to find, 250v is more common provided your B+ voltage doesn't exceed this. There's some cloth covered cable on Ebay in all the colours but the insulation is not rated. I salvaged a small supply from an old TV chassis. You can get some colours by stripping down old 240v leads but make sure the cable inside has a rating on it and is sound.

Electrical wholesalers want to sell 100m rolls which is a bit much, especially when you need multiple colours. Someone else here might know of a source of reasonable quantities of suitably rated coloured wire.

Cheers

Warren


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 3:09:18 PM on 29 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

EVATCO in QLD has the stuff, and sells by the metre:

http://evatco.com.au/miscparts.htm#wire.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 3:53:41 PM on 29 April 2013.
Scraps's Gravatar
 Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
 Member since 10 March 2013
 Member #: 1312
 Postcount: 401

I've been curious about the Evatco wire. I've heard that cloth covered 600v 20 gauge wire is okay in an amp but a bit bulky in a radio chassis.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 5:19:49 PM on 29 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I've used it when restoring the Airzone model shown in my avatar. It wasn't significantly thicker than the original rubber-insulated stuff that had disintegrated.

A tip with this material: You can make a neater job if you put small lengths (say 1 cm or less) of heat-shrink on the ends of the stripped wire to stop them from fraying. Be sure to do that before using the soldering iron, of course.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 7:37:43 PM on 29 April 2013.
Scraps's Gravatar
 Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
 Member since 10 March 2013
 Member #: 1312
 Postcount: 401

Good tip with the heatshrink GTC. I'll have to get some of that wire and see how it goes. I think the AWA 527 that Radio Collector is working on uses a much thinner plastic insulated wire. I've yet to find a source for this in the appropriate rating in small quantities, it's all cloth covered and doesn't look quite right in the later AWA's. I actually get more enjoyment from restoring the "guts" of my radios. The cabinet I find quite tedious and is only to please others.

Warren


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 2:18:59 PM on 30 April 2013.
Radio Collector's Gravatar
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 23 April 2013
 Member #: 1332
 Postcount: 9

Thanks for the great advice.

The heatshrink on the cotton covered wires is a great tip GTC.

As Scraps points out the AWA has plastic insulated wires and I was going to try and rewire as close to the original style as possible.I guess I will have to keep hunting.

At least I know I should be looking for 22 gauge wire with insulation rated at 400V.

Thanks
Peter


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 8 · Written at 3:01:13 PM on 30 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

At least I know I should be looking for 22 gauge wire with insulation rated at 400V.

Let us know if you find anybody selling it by the metre.

You can get 600 volt stuff from various places here, but only by the roll.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 9 · Written at 3:16:19 PM on 30 April 2013.
STC830's Gravatar
 Location: NSW
 Member since 10 June 2010
 Member #: 681
 Postcount: 1253

Andrew Kay,

akay5507.yahoo.com.au

sold me cotton covered wire by the metre some months ago.

He did not have black, but a good range of other colours.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 10 · Written at 3:25:58 PM on 30 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

^ Yeah, there's plenty of cotton around, but the guys are looking for high voltage plastic covered stuff.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 11 · Written at 4:07:34 PM on 30 April 2013.
STC830's Gravatar
 Location: NSW
 Member since 10 June 2010
 Member #: 681
 Postcount: 1253

OK I missed that. Andrew used to provide a restoration service but is now retired and selling off components etc. He may have plastic covered too.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 12 · Written at 4:59:34 PM on 30 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I guess it's worth a try. I've emailed him.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 13 · Written at 9:54:01 PM on 30 April 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

Okay, Andrew replied, as follows:-

"I just use the standard 'hook-up' wire available from Altronics etc. The one I have used in dozens of radios is 'medium' grade:

http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=W2267.

In odd cases where more insulation is needed (very rare) I use plastic sleeving over the wire.

I am not geared up to sell consumables like wire etc."


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 14 · Written at 9:28:18 PM on 1 May 2013.
Scraps's Gravatar
 Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
 Member since 10 March 2013
 Member #: 1312
 Postcount: 401

I didn't think to ask Andrew, I just assumed he didn't sell it so didn't bother. What a great source of knowledge he is. Altronics cable is perfect for most chassis wiring, 300v 21AWG, all the colours of the rainbow and it seems to be sold by the metre at a reasonable price. They even have 18AWG. Thanks GTC for the detective work.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 15 · Written at 11:13:06 PM on 1 May 2013.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I don't think I've heard of Andrew before this. What was his resto business called and where was it?


 
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