Where to purchase wire?

[dardeshna]

Stocking up for build season, I'm at a loss of where to find good electrical wire for use on robots. We like using the red/black zipcord style as it keeps things looking neat.

Amazon has some bundles of 12awg, 18awg and 22awg red/black wires but the reviews aren't great and some even say it isn't true to gauge at all (as in 2awg too thin). Is there a better site to order from?

[cbale2000]

When we first went to zipcord style wiring, we were able to get some (limited selection) locally from RadioShack (back when it was a thing), since they sold it as "speaker wire". More recently we just ordered in bulk from McMaster:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-electrical-wire/=15adlbs

(Click the link, then select "2" under the "number of wires" option and "12V DC" under the "Voltage" option)


It's a bit harder to separate than the stuff you can get from AndyMark (or the older stuff we got from RadioShack) but works great and definitely helps clean up cable runs and keep sets of wires together.

[AlexanderLuke]

Powerwerx (https://powerwerx.com) is typically our go-to with any zip cord (https://powerwerx.com/red-black-bonded-zip-cord). I would certainly recommend.

[Fusion_Clint]

Powerwerx (https://powerwerx.com) is typically our go-to with any zip cord (https://powerwerx.com/red-black-bonded-zip-cord). I would certainly recommend.

this!! also a great source for the Anderson Powerpole connectors.

[feverittm]

Powerwerx (https://powerwerx.com) is typically our go-to with any zip cord (https://powerwerx.com/red-black-bonded-zip-cord). I would certainly recommend.

+1

They call it "Bonded" wire.

[NickE]

254 buys zip wire at Halted in Santa Clara. It's nice and flexible, high strand count. Can buy by the foot or the spool. Might be relevant since you're local.

[RoboChair]

Powerwerx (https://powerwerx.com) is typically our go-to with any zip cord (https://powerwerx.com/red-black-bonded-zip-cord). I would certainly recommend.

this!! also a great source for the Anderson Powerpole connectors.

+1

They call it "Bonded" wire.

+3?

This is where we get most of our stuff as well.

[Jeremy Germita]

I recommend seeking out local car audio shops. Most will have a really nice high strand count silicone insulated wire that's just heaven to work with.

If not, we've recently become fans of the wire sold by Vex/WCP/CTRE/etc (http://www.vexrobotics.com/electricalwire.html). This is the same wire that's used on the Talon SRX and Victor SP. Its flexibility and ease of routing totally makes up for the lack of bonded wire IMO.

[Tom Line]

I recommend seeking out local car audio shops. Most will have a really nice high strand count silicone insulated wire that's just heaven to work with.


Do a search for 12 gage speaker wire. Monoprice has it for 1/2 the price of powerwerx.

http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023902&p_id=2817&seq=1&format=2

[Chief Hedgehog]

A number of years ago FRC 4607 reached out to a local distributor (for residential and commercial electricians) and the company was happy to help us out. They have supplied all of the wire, tools, terminals, etc we needed. Last year they donated more than enough wire for at least 5 more seasons (large spools of R&B for 18, 14, 12, 10, and 6ga). We are now off-loading some of this wire to the rookie teams we are mentoring.

For batteries, please contact your local Batteries+Bulbs. We have connected with two different local B+B and have received 10 batteries for the last couple of years. We just brought in 8 regulation FRC batteries from one particular B+B.

[Sperkowsky]

I recommend seeking out local car audio shops. Most will have a really nice high strand count silicone insulated wire that's just heaven to work with.

If not, we've recently become fans of the wire sold by Vex/WCP/CTRE/etc (http://www.vexrobotics.com/electricalwire.html). This is the same wire that's used on the Talon SRX and Victor SP. Its flexibility and ease of routing totally makes up for the lack of bonded wire IMO.
If you use Anderson Power Poles I woild be weary about using the vex wire a lot. The extremely flexible insulation can make it an extremely frustrating cable to put into power poles and in the end you usually have to cut more insulation off the wire then you really should. Your milage may vary, this is just what I've found from some experience.

[pilleya]

The extremely flexible insulation can make it an extremely frustrating cable to put into power poles and in the end you usually have to cut more insulation off the wire then you really should. Your milage may vary, this is just what I've found from some experience.

Silicon wire AKA Wet Noodle wire, tends to be a bit harder to strip then typical low strand count wire such as Zipwire which utilises PVC insulation. The reason that it is difficult is that unlike normal PVC insulation the silicon stretches rather than being "cut" by the wire stripper. After having a bit of difficulty myself, I came up with a method of stripping silicon wire for power-poles that I feel is quite effective.

-To start off with you measure the amount of insulation that needs to be removed, for this I hold the 45A PP contact next to the wire, keep in mind that you want wire strands in the smaller crimping part as well. I can't remember exactly, but I think that it is approximately 7mm of insulation that needs to be removed.

-Using a sharp blade of a box cutter, multitool or scalpel etc, start to cut around the insulation at the 7mm mark slowly rotating the wire. You need to be careful that you only cut the insulation and not the strands of wire( they are small and easy to damage, you want every strand possible for a good connection and lower resistance). You keep cutting until you have made a slice around the entirety of the wire, making two separate bits of insulation.

-You then line up the cut with the separator on the wire stripper and pull the insulation off, you could also use a pair of pliers for this.

This method ensures that the insulation is the exact length that you need, it also helps you when you are crimping it as the contact sits flush against the silicon. You can do a similar cutting action with a sharp pair of side-cutters. It is actually very quick to do once you have practiced enough,

Happy Crimping

I'll take some photos of the various stages in the next few days.

[bobbysq]

Silicon wire AKA Wet Noodle wire, tends to be a bit harder to strip then typical low strand count wire such as Zipwire which utilises PVC insulation. The reason that it is difficult is that unlike normal PVC insulation the silicon stretches rather than being "cut" by the wire stripper. After having a bit of difficulty myself, I came up with a method of stripping silicon wire for power-poles that I feel is quite effective.

I've had no difficulty stripping silicone wire with regular strippers. Usually I've had to use a size up from the actual gauge though, otherwise the wire tends to fray and become hard to put into our connectors.

Edit: Based on your method, are you using the good kind of wire strippers that you just squeeze instead of the kind we have (http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_12868.jpg)?

[sanddrag]

254 buys zip wire at Halted in Santa Clara. It's nice and flexible, high strand count. Can buy by the foot or the spool. Might be relevant since you're local.Surprised to hear that. While they do stock a lot of wire, it's often random obscure stuff, because it's surplus, and I always had trouble finding exactly what I wanted there. Maybe more recently they've gotten some new inventory.

[frcguy]

Surprised to hear that. While they do stock a lot of wire, it's often random obscure stuff, because it's surplus, and I always had trouble finding exactly what I wanted there. Maybe more recently they've gotten some new inventory.

I was there last week and it looked like they had a fair bit of "normal" wire, although I didn't have a super detailed look.

Although we haven't bought wire from Powerwerx, we bought all our powerpoles from there and I personally have used them for amateur radio stuff. Highly recommended.

[rsisk]

We get ours from EBAY and have been very happy with it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/500-FT-12-AWG-GA-ZIP-SPEAKER-WIRE-RED-BLACK-STRANDED-COPPER-CLAD-POWER-GROUND-/261308517811?hash=item3cd7338db3:g:SlwAAOSw7hRWQir D

[sanddrag]

We get ours from EBAY and have been very happy with it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/500-FT-12-AWG-GA-ZIP-SPEAKER-WIRE-RED-BLACK-STRANDED-COPPER-CLAD-POWER-GROUND-/261308517811?hash=item3cd7338db3:g:SlwAAOSw7hRWQir DBe careful about buying wire on eBay, especially marketed toward car audio. If it seems too inexpensive, it is most likely aluminum wire, which is generally a bad idea for this sort of application. In fact, it looks like the very wire you purchased is indeed aluminum wire that is copper clad, which is not the same thing as copper wire. I wouldn't use that if I were you. It used to be banned in the FIRST Robot rules. I couldn't find it in last year's rules, but I didn't look too close. Long story short, use copper wire.

[Cory]

Surprised to hear that. While they do stock a lot of wire, it's often random obscure stuff, because it's surplus, and I always had trouble finding exactly what I wanted there. Maybe more recently they've gotten some new inventory.

They do have a lot of random stuff but they always have 12/2 zipwire when we go there (which admittedly is only ~3x a year).

[rsisk]

Be careful about buying wire on eBay, especially marketed toward car audio. If it seems too inexpensive, it is most likely aluminum wire, which is generally a bad idea for this sort of application. In fact, it looks like the very wire you purchased is indeed aluminum wire that is copper clad, which is not the same thing as copper wire. I wouldn't use that if I were you. It used to be banned in the FIRST Robot rules. I couldn't find it in last year's rules, but I didn't look too close. Long story short, use copper wire.

Thanks for the heads up. Why is Aluminum wire bad?

[Cory]

Thanks for the heads up. Why is Aluminum wire bad?

Less conductivity for a given cross section than copper (~60% less) and significantly more likely to break when bent (much lower ductility).

[MrRoboSteve]

2 conductor automotive speaker wire is the way to go. Be sure you're getting stranded wire.

We order from MCM Electronics:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/STELLAR-LABS-24-16087-/24-16087

[dardeshna]

Powerwerx (https://powerwerx.com) is typically our go-to with any zip cord (https://powerwerx.com/red-black-bonded-zip-cord). I would certainly recommend.

Thanks for all the responses!

My only hesitation about Powerwerx is it looks like we have used of their 12AWG wire in the past, and it is a bit larger in diameter than the 30AMP power pole connector crips, so we always have to cut some of the strands off. If I remember correctly, the 30AMP power poles are rated to fit on 12AWG wire, so the sizing of Powerwerx wire might be a little bit off?

Edit 1: While I'm at it, where to find 22AWG wire? Or more importantly since it is probably on one of the websites already linked, does anyone else even use it or just stick to all 18AWG?

Edit 2: It's possible we were using 10AWG and just didn't know, but curious if anyone else had this issue with powerwerx wire.

[AlexanderLuke]

My only hesitation about Powerwerx is it looks like we have used of their 12AWG wire in the past, and it is a bit larger in diameter than the 30AMP power pole connector crimps, so we always have to cut some of the strands off. If I remember correctly, the 30AMP power poles are rated to fit on 12AWG wire, so the sizing of Powerwerx wire might be a little bit off?


In my experience, it can be a tad difficult to fit 12AWG in the PP30 connectors, but it can work without cutting down the strands in a 12AWG wire. I like to use the PP45 (https://powerwerx.com/anderson-261g2-powerpole-contact-pp45) more often, which is the 45amp crimp and Powerwerx even sells it as a crimp for 10AWG wire, but it's just a bit faster and easier to use when you're having difficulty making the PP30 work with you.



Edit 1: While I'm at it, where to find 22AWG wire? Or more importantly since it is probably on one of the websites already linked, does anyone else even use it or just stick to all 18AWG?

You can find 18AWG and 22AWG zip cord at Powerwerx.

[GeeTwo]

My only hesitation about Powerwerx is it looks like we have used of their 12AWG wire in the past, and it is a bit larger in diameter than the 30AMP power pole connector crips, so we always have to cut some of the strands off. If I remember correctly, the 30AMP power poles are rated to fit on 12AWG wire, so the sizing of Powerwerx wire might be a little bit off?

I just checked with Perry (pereichi (https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/member.php?u=89259)), who has crimped many (possibly most) of our connections the past three years. He agrees that this is an issue, but the solution is simple - provide very little twist to the strands of the 12AWG wires, and all of the strands will fit in the 30A connector. He also agrees that once you do a severe twist, your only good solution is to bump up to the 45A connector.

[MrRoboSteve]

Edit 1: While I'm at it, where to find 22AWG wire? Or more importantly since it is probably on one of the websites already linked, does anyone else even use it or just stick to all 18AWG?.

We use 22-2 stranded copper security system cable from Home Depot.

[Travis Covington]

Surprised to hear that. While they do stock a lot of wire, it's often random obscure stuff, because it's surplus, and I always had trouble finding exactly what I wanted there. Maybe more recently they've gotten some new inventory.

They re-stock a lot of wire, components and tools with new inventory (not surplus).

[Labman]

For single (not bonded) wire check out www.tinnedmarinewire.com. They have quality tinned marine wire for less money than lesser wire from other sites.

If you need 6 AWG wire for battery cable, I suggest moving up to "welding cable" with EPDM insulation. It is much more flexible than regular battery cable. Cheapest supplier is www.remybattery.com, where you can order it by the foot.

While you are at the remybattery site, check out their battery terminal covers. The "starter terminal" cover or the "straight or angled" covers beat the heck out using electrical tape.

[dardeshna]

If you need 6 AWG wire for battery cable, I suggest moving up to "welding cable" with EPDM insulation. It is much more flexible than regular battery cable. Cheapest supplier is www.remybattery.com, where you can order it by the foot.

Welding cable has worked really well for us this past off season, so +1 agreed. As far as the 12awg wire, looks like we'll be purchasing from powerwerx and trying out 45amp connectors.

[pribusin]

We get ours from EBAY and have been very happy with it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/500-FT-12-AWG-GA-ZIP-SPEAKER-WIRE-RED-BLACK-STRANDED-COPPER-CLAD-POWER-GROUND-/261308517811?hash=item3cd7338db3:g:SlwAAOSw7hRWQir D

Be careful when buying speaker wire as it is often labelled as GA and not AWG. The two are NOT equal :eek: . If you look in the description of that eBay listing it even says so. Less experienced teams may mistake 16GA equal to 16AWG - it is NOT the same. Make sure your wire is labelled __AWG.

[Foster]

Just got embroiled in a shop project, I need #8/4 copper to set a sub-panel. Recommendations in northern DE? Need 70', sheathed so I can run it along and then through a wall. Would like stranded to make some corners go easier.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

We have purchased from MCM Electronics (above) for years. While their cost might not be the lowest, they are always in stock.
I buy parts from them at work almost every week.