dra1911nky
TDPRI Member
Just spent the last hour attempting to wire my first 8 pin socket. What is the secret? I'm using 20 gauge Tefzel multi strand. Should I switch to 22 gauage solid wire? I have searched the forum and internet for answers.
Filament wiring
- Thread starter dra1911nky
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For sure 22ga is easier, and solid wire is *much* easier.
@dra1911nky
What problems are you having?
Here is how I do it.
I find it easiest to prep the heater circuit by first doubling over 48" of wire on itself. This gives you a pair, 24" long. Chuck the two clipped ends of this into your hand drill, and put a small screwdriver through the loop at the other end. With the drill in one hand and the screwdriver in the other, stretch the wire pair tight and run the drill at slow speed. It will wind up the wires like a rubber band on a small balsa airplane.
You want somewhere around 3 or 4 turns per inch. Keep hard tension on the wire as you do this.
Clip out the length you need (account for turns, etc.), and apply heat shrink about 1.5 " from each clipped end; this prevents the pair from unraveling as you work.
This is 20-ga stranded silver Teflon wire.
What problems are you having?
Here is how I do it.
I find it easiest to prep the heater circuit by first doubling over 48" of wire on itself. This gives you a pair, 24" long. Chuck the two clipped ends of this into your hand drill, and put a small screwdriver through the loop at the other end. With the drill in one hand and the screwdriver in the other, stretch the wire pair tight and run the drill at slow speed. It will wind up the wires like a rubber band on a small balsa airplane.
You want somewhere around 3 or 4 turns per inch. Keep hard tension on the wire as you do this.
Clip out the length you need (account for turns, etc.), and apply heat shrink about 1.5 " from each clipped end; this prevents the pair from unraveling as you work.
This is 20-ga stranded silver Teflon wire.
^^^ good stuff. Smart to ask what problems you're having. Maybe even share a pic? Prep matters; so does your approach to the socket. Even the make of socket. And it's way easier to do heater wiring first, as @Peegoo shows.
BTW, I shoulda said stranded is fine if it's 'topcoat' style -- pre-tinned in a neat tight spiral. The stuff that makes me crazy is the fine, loose-stranded wire that comes from the PT -- looking at you, Hammond.
BTW, I shoulda said stranded is fine if it's 'topcoat' style -- pre-tinned in a neat tight spiral. The stuff that makes me crazy is the fine, loose-stranded wire that comes from the PT -- looking at you, Hammond.
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dra1911nky
TDPRI Member
I've managed to twist the wires. Two different colors. The sockets are Beltons. My problem is getting the wire through tabs on the sockets. The stranded wire starts to fray. I will tin the wires and see if that helps. Failing eyesight just adds insult to injury. Thanks for the replies.
Tin the wire end first. It helps a lot. Yeah solid wire is easier.
Also for future ref: stranded wire is available pre tinned which is nice.
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That helps -- and it makes sense. The problem with pre-tinning stranded wire is (IME) it makes it either stiff or brittle or both, ie, hard to shape and easy to break. To belabor what may be obvious, I try to twist the strands into a smooth cylinder, then neatly (?!?) twist that into a hook shape that's the right size for the lug, and then tin it in that shape.
Or I throw it in the trash (assuming it's not coming from the PT) and used solid or topcoat.
corliss1
Poster Extraordinaire
Topcoat is love, topcoat is life.
Here's the 22ga. Don't drool on your keyboard...
Still, for pure ability to take and hold shape, I gotta give some love to Lupe's favorite. Topcoat (on left) is nice, but solid Fender-style cloth (on right) sits up, rolls over, and begs to be shaped.
...
Still, for pure ability to take and hold shape, I gotta give some love to Lupe's favorite. Topcoat (on left) is nice, but solid Fender-style cloth (on right) sits up, rolls over, and begs to be shaped.
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Absolutely tin the wires first. Here's the procedure for that:
Strip the insulation back so you have a full 1/2" of conductor showing. Use thumb and forefinger to twist the strands into a spiral.
When you apply heat with the soldering stick, lay the stick against the side of the wire--not the end. This keeps the strands wrapped tight. Add a dot of solder to the wire and allow it to flow in. Not too much; just enough to coat the exposed conductor.
Last step: snip 1mm of conductor off the end. This ensures you have a nice small end to feed into the solder terminals.
dra1911nky
TDPRI Member
Ordered some 20 Gauge pre tinned multi strand. I'll give it another try when it arrives next week. Thanks again for all of the replies.
My last amp kit came with all stranded "push-back" wire that IMO is totally unsuited for wiring filaments. I went to hardware store and bought some 22 gage "doorbell" wire. Solid core plastic insulation; much, much easier to work with. Works just fine.
Ow. Pushback isn’t a huge problem, tho stripping cleanly is a pain. The only reason I put up with it is for the wonderful solid wire inside the real stuff. Stranded + cloth = the worst of both worlds. I'm fighting the temptation to ask who'd put that in a kit….
