Is wire just wire?

demogo

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I just received a monster order from Bob Roberts and I ordered extra 20 gauge stranded wire -- except I accidentally chose the wrong color (my fault, not his).

So now I'm making up wiring harnesses and I'm out of black 20 gauge stranded wire for a ground wire and loop.

So is wire pretty much wire? Or are there quality differences?

If I buy 20 gauge stranded wire is it pretty much going to be the same quality as Bob's? Or will I run into crappy quality wire elsewhere?

Thoughts? Opinions?

#$% Radio Shack doesn't appear to have black 20 gauge stranded wire... idiots.
 
Sure enough -- they have just the thing and it is in-stock, too.

Of course, it's about a 30-35 mile round trip... it may actually be cheaper to order it online and have it shipped... but I want it NOW! :)

I could wimp out too and use the 22 gauge stranded RS wire that I have but I'd rather stay consistent in the same harness...
 
Depending on what you are using it for, 22 ga. is good enough. Control panel wiring, OK. DC Power harness, no! AC power harness, hell no!

The lower the gauge the more amperage the wire will carry before it overheats and melts. That is why power lines on most harnesses are thicker that data carrying lines. They need to carry more power.

ken
 
Let them. I'll be happy to sign all my debt over to them...:D

Besides, I said basically what they say in their ads, fat cables make for happy electrons.

ken
 
Wire is wire, assuming the gauge is properly marked. Some companies' "20 AWG" wire may be thicker than other companies' "20 AWG" wire.

There are other variances too that are not really relevant for the mundane task of an arcade machine wiring harness. For example, some e.g., 20 AWG wire may have a larger quantity of smaller diameter strands to reach 20 AWG, while other 20 AWG may have a lower quantity of larger diameter strands to reach 20 AWG. This is for flexibility purposes (the former will be more flexible). Wire with high strand count is common in audio applications, due to the needed flexibility while running wires to various components of the system (particularly important in car audio applications, and even more particularly with their thick power wires).

There are also various specialty types of insulation intended for various conditions, but that's not really relevant in an arcade machine either.
 
If I buy 20 gauge stranded wire is it pretty much going to be the same quality as Bob's? Or will I run into crappy quality wire elsewhere?

Thoughts? Opinions?

#$% Radio Shack doesn't appear to have black 20 gauge stranded wire... idiots.

Pretty much...

You could always use green... Or speaker wire.

Try to find an electronics shop near you. Radio Shack sucks most of the time.

The best way to find one is to go to a Ratshack and ask for something that they don't have, then ask where to get it. Most of the Rat Shack Employees will tell you where to go.
 
There's always at least a dozen reasons to go to Fry's, even if you're not a geek.

Friends of mine that live in places without Fry's...are jealous!

Richard

At you have a Fry's... we got nothing around here... the nearest place to get any decent electronics stuff (not iPod cases and cell phone covers) is downtown Nashville... not worth the headache.

Fry's is the one thing I miss about the time I lived in California...

Wish we had one here, that's for sure... give Best Buy a reason to stop being useless little dick-waffles.

EDIT: And not all wire is created equally. RS wire sucks... it tins well, I'll give it that... but it's just not flexible (yes, I'm talking about the stranded stuff) enough.
 
BTW, you can go to any auto parts store and pick up some stranded "primary wire" in various colors and gauges. Auto parts stores are far more common than Radio Shack or Fry's stores.
 
Pretty much...

You could always use green... Or speaker wire.

Try to find an electronics shop near you. Radio Shack sucks most of the time.

The best way to find one is to go to a Ratshack and ask for something that they don't have, then ask where to get it. Most of the Rat Shack Employees will tell you where to go.

A grounding loop made up of green wire? Blech!
 
Just who do you think Fry's is? They are RS, take a closer look at them.

Whaaaaaa? Tell me it isn't so. I was told it was one of the offspring of the Fry's Food Stores that started up an electronics store. (Used to be called "Incredible Universe")

Here's the Wiki link, it says nothing of being related to Radio Shit... :confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frys_Electronics
 
Whaaaaaa? Tell me it isn't so. I was told it was one of the offspring of the Fry's Food Stores that started up an electronics store. (Used to be called "Incredible Universe")

Here's the Wiki link, it says nothing of being related to Radio Shit... :confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frys_Electronics

Hate to burst your bubble there homeboy, but Fry's is a division of Tandy Corp aka Radio Shack. Yes, it used to be called Incredible Universe.

Fry's food stores, totally different animal.
 
From what I remember the there used to be some connection between the frys grocery store and the electronics store but that was years ago. Dokert is correct that these days there is no connection at all. Hasn't been for years.
 
I'm not finding anything about Tandy owning them online... I see lots of references to Frys buying Incred Univ from Tandy... :confused:

"In 1997, Fry's expanded beyond the state by acquiring the six-store Incredible Universe electronics superstore chain from Tandy Corporation at the cost of $118 million. Incredible Universe, launched in 1992, attempted to emulate Fry's success by opening massive stores averaging 185,000 square feet. The idea was to make the spectacle of sheer size a drawing card and make shopping there a form of entertainment. However, sales were essentially the same as what could be expected at a smaller store, and Tandy struggled to find the right blend of computer products and white goods such as washers and dryers, stove, and refrigerators. Unable to make the concept work, Tandy sold the operation to Fry's, which in addition to a store in Sacramento, now added units in Texas, Arizona, and Oregon. In one stroke, as a result, Fry's became a regional enterprise, but it also found itself moving into markets that might be less forgiving to its disregard to customer service."


Source: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Frys-Electronics-Inc-Company-History.html

Not trying to argue, because I really don't know, but I just can't seem to find anything saying Tandy owns them, or is even partners with them anywhere... Just that Frys acquired Incredible Universe from them. (I think that's in the Wiki as well) I'm just really interested in finding out the truth. That will make me really sad if Tandy does own them. :(

Sorry, not trying to derail the thread... But I think the "wire is wire" has been properly answered.
 
Hate to burst your bubble there homeboy, but Fry's is a division of Tandy Corp aka Radio Shack. Yes, it used to be called Incredible Universe.

Fry's food stores, totally different animal.

No, that is not correct at all. Incredible Universe was originally launched by Tandy Corp. (now known as RadioShack Corp.), and later sold to Fry's Electronics. Fry's is most certainly not a division of RadioShack Corp., nor has it ever been.

The Fry's food store connection is that Fry's Electronics was founded by sons of the Fry's food stores founder.
 
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No, that is not correct at all. Incredible Universe was originally launched by Tandy Corp. (now known as RadioShack Corp.), and later sold to Fry's electronics. Fry's is most certainly not a division of RadioShack Corp., nor has it ever been.

The Fry's food store connection is that Fry's Electronics was founded by sons of the Fry's food stores founder.

That's the way I always heard it. I used to always go to the one in Santa Clara when I was in CA (the one painted to look like an IC). It was across the street from the Wierd Stuff Warehouse, an equally must visit place when I was there.

The Fry Bros. either didn't buy all of the IU stores or they immediately closed some. There was one not far from my house in CO and it was liquidated. The clearance sale was the only time I ever visited it.

ken
 
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