What wire to use for bodge wire repairs? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: djc6
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 28, 2025, 06:47:01 pm
content: I am a hobbyist repairing some old late 80s / early 90s macs whose logic boards are damaged by leaking capacitors.I bought some of this 34AWG enamel coated magnet wire to use for bodge wires:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P1FT1DCbased on other recommendations I found.It claims Temperature Rating 155℃ but even with putting a length of it on my workbench and holding iron against it, the soldering iron doesn't burn through the enamel coating. I've tried putting my iron as high as 310℃.Is there a better wire for bodges that anyone can suggest? Or do I just need more heat to use what I have? I'm using Chip Quick 63/37 solder so I wouldn't expect to need such high temps.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2025, 07:30:36 pm
content: Wiretap wire, 30AWG covered in kynar

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2025, 07:38:53 pm
content: Thin coated magnet wire is what I like to use the most, and maybe I made that suggestion to you, but on mine a 700F soldering iron takes only a few seconds to burn off the insulation.I have tried without success to figure out what kind of coating is on the wire. My guess based on the smell and bubbling is polyester/Mylar.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2025, 08:42:02 pm
content: There are specific magnet-wire insulations (e.g. Beldsol and Poly-Thermaleze) used for burning off during soldering.Other insulations, such as Formvar, are not designed to burn off, with higher service temperatures, used for heavier-duty applications such as motor windings and winding transformers.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2025, 11:21:15 pm
content: Here is a photo of the wire I have and everything I know about it.Here is a link to a useful wire insulation guide:https://ccoils.com/wp-content/uploads/WireInsulationGuide.pdf

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2025, 12:49:25 am
content: 155 doesn't mean the enamel will burn at 160, you might want to try higher than 310C as that is very low. Try 360-370CRecent threads:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/aliexpress-jump-wire/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/insulated-thin-wire-for-pcb-repair-interconnects-trace-fix-etc/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/source-of-solderable-polyurethane-coated-copper-wire/

author: Fflint
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2025, 09:07:48 am
content: This is 80s/90s tech. You can use normal 32 awg stranded high temp silicone "hookup" wire. I recommend stranded if you don't have a habit of overheating it and getting solder sucked up into the wire. If I want my repairs with such wire to last I also put a dab of hot glue around the place where it is soldered. If the place gets hot you may prefer other product (I've used "bathroom silicone" before).I use enamelled wire only on really tiny stuff, but the kind of wire I use is the "pcb fixing wire" or "varnished jump wire" sold by mobile repair shops. It is 0.02mm so you need really good tweezers and a microscope but it solders through that varnish easily (with so called bga flux). However I only use it for things like mobile phones etc.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 06:04:15 am
content: I also like to use "enameled" / lacquered wire. Both for bodge wires, and for building one-off prototypes. There are different types of this wire, with different "cleaning temperature", and apparently some do not burn cleanly at all, but I have never seen those in real life (maybe I'm just lucky in this regard).I set my soldering iron to over 350c when working with this wire. I have also noticed that soldering to the end of such a wire is a lot easier then soldering to somewhere in the middle of this wire. And there are two logical reasons for it. First, if you solder to the end, there is a little bit of bare copper, and when that is wetted, heat transfer into the wire is a lot better. for the other reason, when you solder an end, the heat can only be transfered in one direction. When you attempt to solder in the middle, the heat soaked up by the wire goes in two directions, and it's more difficult to heat the wire enough to burn off the lacquer.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 08:48:32 am
content: The wire I have cleans fine with a 700F tip temperature, and cleaning in the middle just takes a few extra seconds.

author: ftg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 09:52:17 am
content: I use this wire from Farnell for most of my bodges.The enamel is easily tinned with normal soldering temperatures.https://fi.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/rrw-a-105/wire-0-19mm-assorted-pk-4/dp/5017245There is also a thinner 38AWG variant available in addition to this 36AWG one.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 10:08:02 am
content: Yes, 36AWG solderable wire, aka penwire [Edit: Verowire pen] is ideal. It's amazing how much difference applying the soldering iron to the very end of the wire, rather than the insulation at the tip makes. I don't know if it's heat traveling more easily along the inner copper, or flux leaching under the polyurethane, but it tins so much more easily.

author: squadchannel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 10:41:04 am
content: board repair and short lengths, always untwist the stranded wire and use a single of copper.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2025, 02:00:21 pm
content: Quote from: Gyro on May 05, 2025, 10:08:02 amThe difference is because the electrical insulation also insulates against heat and does not wet the solder. This is easy to see if the soldering iron is applied only to the end of the wire, where it directly contacts a small area of copper.