Flexible thin (kapton) wiring / bulk? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Purduephotog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2024, 06:41:54 pm
content: Is there any, or are you aware of, any off the shelf (ots) thin kapton wiring with/out connectors? (and cheap, sigh, unemployed at the moment)I'd like to run external temperature probes into my fridge/freezer, but even the small gauge wiring is too thick and lets air leak in/out, causing condensation. And I just don't feel the need to drill it...Yes I'd have to cut the temp probe off, solder it onto the kapton, water proof/silicone it, etc- but I'm just surprised this isn't already a product. I can salvage some NTCs from laptop batteries but even then they're fairly short.Thanks in advance.Edit:https://www.superbrightleds.com/flat-power-wire-10mm-nfls10-fpwis an example of what I was thinking, and probably could work in this situation.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2024, 11:03:37 pm
content: Will polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) insulation be OK? Look for wire wrap wire, awg 30.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2024, 11:27:52 pm
content: This is similar but maybe not quite what you want:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006370335688.htmlhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003036363567.htmlThe common NTC leads are super thin, do they really cause a problem for short term use?https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003308304132.htmlhttps://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805916630842.html

author: Purduephotog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 04:17:57 pm
content: I wanted to thank you- I'd forgotten to do so. Yes those work fine.The issue is the seal around the door lets in moisture- doesn't have to be a lot, but when it's a freezer it ices up quickly. So even the thinnest wire isn't perfect... although I probably could get away with putting some low temp silicone 'food grade' grease around it and just replenish it yearly.But this is so much more elegant

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 04:41:45 pm
content: Try a good size surplus store like Sky-Craft in Orlando. They have hundreds of rolls of different sized and type Mil Surplus andMil-Specwire and they will sell it to you by the foot. OTOH have you looked at E-Bay?But I don't know why you're going to so much trouble. I bought a couple of the cheap digital thermometers from Amazon and the probes are connected by long thin wires and I use those in four different freezers with the standard wire and I've never had any problem with them. I just mount the probe in the freezer and run the wire out the door and stick the (magnetized) display to the side panel of the freezer then close the door on the wire and it's all good. One display eventually failed but the other three are still working fine after about 5 years.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 08:25:47 pm
content: As someone who has terminated hundreds of Kapton wires, I will also point out that Kapton wire is a major pain in the ass to work with, because it’s quite difficult to strip. Kapton insulation is not extruded onto the wire like PVC, etc, but rather is thin Kapton tape that is wrapped over the wire. So when you strip it, you need to accurately cut practically every layer of Kapton, but without nicking the strands. If you don’t cut nearly every layer, then when you pull off the insulation, you leave the wire covered in a few layers of Kapton.I stripped it on a $$$$ micro-coax stripping machine. The $$$ wire stripper machine and every manually-operated stripper (every type imaginable) did not strip it reliably without risking conductor damage. (What I did not have available was a thermal wire stripper, which is likely the best option.)How about using a flat flex cable?

author: digger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 08:37:23 pm
content: how about teflon wire? stranded, silver plated. MIL-W-16878/6 Type ET (has thinner insulation than type E or EE).check out clowddancer on ebay. i got a few rolls from them recently and liked it. try just searching "et" or "type et" on their store.people say it's hard to strip, but it strips fine with my basic strippers (engineer PA-14)

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 09:06:33 pm
content: The question is, does the TS really need Kapton or will Kynar suffice? If not, why not? I use Kynar for breadboarding. The insulation is thin, it does not burn back like PVC, and it's easy to strip.

author: digger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 09:21:00 pm
content: come to think of it, enameled (magnet) wire is probably the thinnest you can get aside from a flat conductor.there's probably a better way to do it, but taking a thin needle and poking a hole in the gasket for it to run through might not be bad. the seal may be less disturbed overall that way vs running it over the gasket. at least it will keep the wire in place well.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 10:26:42 pm
content: would one of the wifi temp/humidity units workhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005122316947.html?src=google