05-10-2023, 11:51 AM
I use Alpha 600 volt 20ga solid PVC covered hookup wire as well as a few colors of same in strand. I had gotten 10, 100' spools years ago nearly all gone now, it was very expensive then. It was the same O.D as the rubber covered RCA chassis wiring of the 30's. It seems to resit the "splaying" of the insulation when a connection is made and a close right angle bend made in the wire. Try as I might, I occasionally forget and arrange a connection that causes that retraction, splitting of the PVC when soldering the connection
I have found that disconnecting the bad wire at one end, soldering that end to a new wire, then pulling out the old wire from the far end, taking the new wire with it, saves threading of the wire and the adding lots of bumps to the to the new wire. All, while estimating as best as possible the length of the old wire to the new.
Replacing grid leads can get "iffy" as the grid cap connector is often crimped and soldered to the wire. making de-soldering and prying open the grid connector difficult. Sometimes grid leads are shielded, this too, can be awkward as the capacitance of the shield does have an effect... I keep tinned braid for the purpose and heat shrink to create a new assembly.
I used Newark for a vendor of the hookup wire. Seems they subcontract to have the wire re-spooled but in doing so, often wrap the completed spool in sticky clear packing tape. That, gets adhesive all over the first layer of wire on the spool... Requiring solvent to remove, another extra step...
I have found that disconnecting the bad wire at one end, soldering that end to a new wire, then pulling out the old wire from the far end, taking the new wire with it, saves threading of the wire and the adding lots of bumps to the to the new wire. All, while estimating as best as possible the length of the old wire to the new.
Replacing grid leads can get "iffy" as the grid cap connector is often crimped and soldered to the wire. making de-soldering and prying open the grid connector difficult. Sometimes grid leads are shielded, this too, can be awkward as the capacitance of the shield does have an effect... I keep tinned braid for the purpose and heat shrink to create a new assembly.
I used Newark for a vendor of the hookup wire. Seems they subcontract to have the wire re-spooled but in doing so, often wrap the completed spool in sticky clear packing tape. That, gets adhesive all over the first layer of wire on the spool... Requiring solvent to remove, another extra step...
Pliny the younger
“nihil novum nihil varium nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat”