Which gauge wire to use?

cmjb13

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I have a few pushbuttons with very short wire lengths on the microswitches.
The quick disconnects are. 187.
What is the correct gauge wire to use? The existing wire is pretty thin, but don't know how to identify the gauge.

Also, is there a good place to get the wiring from?

Thanks
 
Probably 20 gauge stranded. You don't want/need 18 gauge. Some people use 22 gauge and that would work too but I follow the Bob Roberts philosophy of 18 ga for power, 20 ga for everything else.
 
I use 18 gauge stranded for everything in an arcade machine, because I like the durability of it and it is a good fit in the barrel of the smallest size insulated solderless terminals that you'll find at the local hardware store (the red ones), which gives you a very secure crimp.

As for electrical suitability, well, there's next to no amperage in a wire running to a microswitch in an arcade control panel, and for short sections, you could pull a single hair-thin 30-gauge strand from an 18-gauge wire and it would be more than up to the electrical task. However, it wouldn't be very durable and it would be impossible to crimp a connector onto it.

If I were building an entire wiring harness for a cabinet, I would probably use 20 gauge for everything but power and ground (18-gauge for those of course), just to save money, but when making a repair, so little wire is typically used that I might as well use 18-gauge regardless.
 
Thanks

Do you know any good places to purchase?

If you want to buy it locally, go to an electronics store and ask for hook-up wire, or go to an auto parts store and ask for primary wire. If you buy primary wire, keep in mind that the insulation is often only rated for 60 volts, which is fine for most wiring in an arcade machine, but don't use it for the AC mains wiring. Hook-up wire is usually rated for at least 300 volts, and sometimes 600 volts. Regardless of what you get, make sure it's stranded.

If you're only looking to buy, say, a 25- or 100-foot spool of wire, it will probably be cheaper to buy it locally, due to shipping cost. If you're looking to buy a lot of it, you may find better deals online. Try places like MCM Electronics and Jameco. There's always eBay and Amazon of course, but "buyer beware".
 
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If you want to buy it locally, go to an electronics store and ask for hook-up wire, or go to an auto parts store and ask for primary wire. If you buy primary wire, keep in mind that the insulation is often only rated for 60 volts, which is fine for most wiring in an arcade machine, but don't use it for the AC mains wiring. Hook-up wire is usually rated for at least 300 volts, and sometimes 600 volts. Regardless of what you get, make sure it's stranded.

If you're only looking to buy, say, a 25- or 100-foot spool of wire, it will probably be cheaper to buy it locally, due to shipping cost. If you're looking to buy a lot of it, you may find better deals online. Try places like MCM Electronics and Jameco. There's always eBay and Amazon of course, but "buyer beware".

Wow, I had no idea primary wire was only rated to 60v. I made a monitor power cord out of the stuff; eek! Time to replace that puppy, pronto!

I just pulled the primary wire out that I have left and it's not marked at all on the wire. Crazy.
 
And NOBODY seems to carry 16ga stranded hook up wire in 25' lengths. :(

I checked MCM, Jameco, Mouser, Home Depot, and Fry's.

Do I really have to buy a 100' roll to get 16ga stranded hook up wire?
 
Wow, I had no idea primary wire was only rated to 60v. I made a monitor power cord out of the stuff; eek! Time to replace that puppy, pronto!

I just pulled the primary wire out that I have left and it's not marked at all on the wire. Crazy.

Yeah, 60 volts is typical for primary wire. For example:

http://www.southwire.com/products/PrimaryWireGPT.htm (and notice it's only rated for 25 volts AC)

That's because it's intended for use in cars, which operate on 13.8 to 14.4 VDC. There's no higher voltage in a car aside from the ignition system (e.g., ignition coil, distributor, spark plugs), and that's handled with specialty silicone-insulated wires with boots on them anyway (plug wires).

The insulation of primary wire is specialized for the car environment by being especially flame-retardant and oil/chemical resistant.
 
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Yeah, 60 volts is typical for primary wire. For example:

http://www.southwire.com/products/PrimaryWireGPT.htm (and notice it's only rated for 25 volts AC)

That's because it's intended for use in cars, which operate on 13.8 to 14.4 VDC. There's no higher voltage in a car aside from the ignition system (e.g., ignition coil, distributor, spark plugs), and that's handled with specialty silicone-insulated wires with boots on them anyway (plug wires).

The insulation of primary wire is specialized for the car environment by being especially flame-retardant and oil/chemical resistant.

I didn't know; I'm so glad that you mentioned that. Now I need to hunt down anything I used it in and make sure it's not going to bite me in the ass.
 
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