Solid or Stranded

[duke of earl]

Heater wire-solid core ok or is stranded better?

[theundeadelvis]

I use the 18 gauge solid core that Doug sells here.

[Fresh_Start]

IMHO doesn't matter so long as it can handle the current.
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

18 gauge works fine no matter what in terms of current.  However, the tabs on some 9-pin sockets are hard to work with and 20 or 22 AWG seems to be enough for any preamp applications. YMMV.

Solid core 22 AWG definitely twists and/or stays in place better than the stranded equivalent.

Chip

[duke of earl]

Thanks fellas. I have some blue cloth covered teflon wire that I want to use up(I know it ain't green but I'm not necessarily mainstream either).

[Fresh_Start]

blue cloth covered teflon wire

:confused2:

It has a cloth cover over teflon insulation?  What a PITA! (if that's right)

Chip

[jjasilli]

FWIW I've found that stranded wires stay twisted well enough.  And if first I tin the tip of the strands, then when crimped they don't splay all over.

[theundeadelvis]

I know some people use lamp cord, which I believe is also stranded (and doesn't require twisting).

[jojokeo]

It's not like wiring speakers, there's a reason for the twisting. 

[JayB]

FWIW I've found that stranded wires stay twisted well enough.  And if first I tin the tip of the strands, then when crimped they don't splay all over.

I like pretinned solid core. The next best for me would be pretinned stranded. I find pretinned holds up better. Cost a little more but worth it.

[phsyconoodler]

Quote:"It's not like wiring speakers, there's a reason for the twisting.  "

Not really.Twisting heater wires in not necessary.Running them parallel to each other is fine.Soldano amps runs heater wires parallel and not even together.I've wired a few 18 watt amps with parallel heater wires and not a twist in sight and no hum at all.
  Twisting is convenient and I still do it,but it certainly isn't necessary.Careful lead dress and keeping them away from other wires does more to prevent hum than twisting.

[tubesornothing]

I am with phsycho on twisting heater wires.  I haven't done it for a number of builds and I have zero hum issues.

[Dave]

A twisted pair is just a convenient way of keeping a parallel pair in parallel.
Using lamp cord would do exactly the same thing.
Two seperate wires run in parallel and tied together with twisties here and there to hold them in place would work too.
Personally, just like most of the guys figured out 50 or 60 or 70 years ago, twisting is probably most convenient.

Dave

[LooseChange]

I like solid stranded wire. 

[Dave]

You are so right. 

[simonallaway]

From a newbie perspective I found that solid wire was completely predictable as to where the wire ended up compared to where you wanted it to go. I started off with stranded wire but switched very quickly.

[phsyconoodler]

I use solid 22 gauge wire in all my builds.I started using teflon stranded but soon switched to normal solid wire.The stranded stuff was not the best to work with and does not stay where you want it to go very well.
  I have never used 18 gauge wire on heaters unless it's big bottle tubes like 6L6's,EL34's,6550's in quads.What a pain to use 18 gauge wire for heaters!
   I use 20 gauge for heaters and 22 gauge throughout the rest of the amp.Solid core all the way,sometimes I use cloth covered.It's by far the easiest to use and looks the nicest IMHO.

[eleventeen]

Briefs. 

[Tone Junkie]

At least here this is a normal discussion. Ive been on other forums were morons are having a debate about which one sounds better and trying say they can hear the differance. Some cork sniffing going on there (LOL) 

[Fresh_Start]

At least here this is a normal discussion. Ive been on other forums were morons are having a debate about which one sounds better and trying say they can hear the differance. Some cork sniffing going on there (LOL) 

I ONLY use blue, solid core, cloth covered 22 AWG for my plate leads.  Sounds like a cow fart using anything else, and I KNOW what a cow fart sounds like!

Chip

[Geezer]

and I KNOW what a cow fart sounds like!

Yeah, OREO cookies....oops, that's what they taste like (at least the cows in your avatar), not how they sound...sorry 

[mresistor]

well it WAS a normal discussion ......

Chip, sounds like you had your OT output wires reversed....   

[duke of earl]