What is this type of wire called? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: josephpate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 04:17:53 am
content: It's about a 20-16 awg bonded pair wire with polarization markings. Very commonly seen on "wall warts". It seems a bit more flexible than regular speaker wire, even at the same gauge.Looking to buy a spool of it. Black wire with white polarization markings and the fact that it's bonded are the two main things I'm looking for.Found some on Digikey but it seems pretty expensive ($30 +shipping for 100ft, cheap speaker wire on amazon is $30-$40 for 500ft, with prime shipping)https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/tensility-international-corp/30-00808/T1370-30-ND/7087265

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 05:24:06 am
content: I'd call it speaker wire. The polarization marking being the key indicator.The number of strands, flexibility, etc. are just a function of the quality vs cost equation. You will find all sorts of this stuff at widely varying prices. You will generally pay a premium for purchasing from reputable suppliers, but that tends to match the certainty of what you will receive.Hunting down which works best for your purpose, without costing too much is the challenge.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 05:37:08 am
content: Be careful with cheap stuff on Amazon, itmay be CCA wire (copper clad aluminum, aluminum strads plated with copper) or you may hae steel wireBasically, less "endurance" at bending and all that and higher internal resistance per meter.I wouldn't exactly call them speaker wires since they look to me more like the cables used by walwart adapters and laptop adapters/chargersYeah Digikey has it for 250-400$ for 305 meters, not cheap but reasonable.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 05:58:15 am
content: Try searching for "twinpair" or "trurip"

author: Bratster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 06:55:37 am
content: Try looking up zip cord with the wire gauge that you want along with it.Like 20awg zip cord.Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 08:42:17 am
content: I am used to calling it "zip cord" as it unzips as needed.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 09:01:23 am
content: "Lamp cord" is another term you can search for.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 09:47:57 am
content: We use a variety of sizes and buy it on either 250 or 500 meter spools and have only ever referred to this cable as figure 8 so it's surprising to hear the different descriptions, none of which are incorrect either in my opinion.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 11:31:04 am
content: Figure 8 .... that's what I left out!

author: josephpate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 03:20:15 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 14, 2017, 09:07:33 amexcellent, looks like what I want.Thanks for the link and thanks everyone for the suggestions.Do the polarization markings have a name?

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 03:52:17 pm
content: Quote from: josephpate on November 14, 2017, 03:20:15 pmThe marked side or trace can vary between different manufacturers even for the same cable type, rating or diameter, for example we can purchase white with a black trace or red with a white trace or even grey without a trace, in this instance the cable would still incorporate a marker line, manufacturers inscription or another means to identify one core from the other.