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Haveing trouble finding wire for large secoundary coil

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RogerInOhio

Tue Jan 01 2008, 12:59AM

Registered Member #1034 Joined: Sat Sept 29 2007, 12:50PM
Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
Posts: 154

I have been planning to wined a Tesla secondary coil on a 12.5" diameter PVC pipe for a length of about 5 feet with 18 gage magnet wire. This works out to about 5000 feet of 18 gage wire but so far I haven't been able to find any sources on the internet that will sell that much all on one spool. I must confess I haven't tried any local motor winding shops yet. Any one have any suggestions?

Roger

Kizmo

Tue Jan 01 2008, 01:05AM

Registered Member #599 Joined: Thu Mar 22 2007, 07:40PM
Location: Northern Finland, Rovaniemi
Posts: 624

At least here in Finland the best and cheapest way to get large amounts of magnet wire is electric motor / transformer repair shops.

Wirenut

Tue Jan 01 2008, 02:24AM

Registered Member #141 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 01:14PM
Location: Southern California
Posts: 96

It is available here

but you'll have to buy 12k feet for $500...

J. Aaron Holmes

Tue Jan 01 2008, 06:31AM

Registered Member #477 Joined: Tue Jun 20 2006, 11:51PM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 546

RogerInOhio wrote ...

This works out to about 5000 feet of 18 gage wire but so far I haven't been able to find any sources on the internet that will sell that much all on one spool. I must confess I haven't tried any local motor winding shops yet. Any one have any suggestions?

Getting that much on one spool will be a little hard. The biggest problem is that the people who'll sell you that much will know what they have, and you'll pay for it! I certainly wouldn't expect to get any "deals" from a motor shop on that kind of quantity, but maybe that's just me

If you can be bothered to splice, just keep an eye on eBay, or ask the eBay sellers if they can give you more on a single spool:
http://search.stores.ebay.com/magnet-wire-18

Cheers,
Aaron, N7OE

MOT_man

Tue Jan 01 2008, 09:40AM

Registered Member #1127 Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139

You could as an alternative go with 18AWG stranded house wire wrapped on your PVC form. That has been done before and YES it works as well as magnet wire. I know several coils who have done this with success! It would be a cheaper alternative.

Coronafix

Tue Jan 01 2008, 09:41AM

Registered Member #160 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 02:07AM
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 938

Definitely try motor winding shop, they will do it the next cheapest after the actual manufacturer.
And you buy it by the kilo.

HV Enthusiast

Tue Jan 01 2008, 02:27PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Two options:

1) Change your wire gauge. Wire gauge isn't too critical and you can easily make adjustments to your coil by adjusting by a gauge or two in either direction.

2) Splice your connections together using multiple spools. This is common practice.

Keep in mind copper prices are WAY up nowadays so you will pay a pretty penny for it!

Capper

Tue Jan 01 2008, 04:43PM

Registered Member #914 Joined: Fri Jul 20 2007, 06:22PM
Location: South Bend, IN
Posts: 85

Roger,

When I wound my giant twin coils I purchased a 12-inch spool of 18 AWG with heavy coating directly from ESSEX wire in Fort Wayne, IN. I called them first (they usually don't sell directly to the public) and had a chat with the sales guy for a half hour or so telling him what I was trying to build, then I drove down and picked it up myself and paid cash (in 2002 approx. $250). I probably spent the same in gas as it would have been for shipping 90 lbs of copper. People can be very helpful if you just chat with them for a while.

Scott

RogerInOhio

Wed Jan 02 2008, 03:32AM

Registered Member #1034 Joined: Sat Sept 29 2007, 12:50PM
Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
Posts: 154

Thank you all for your input. This has been helpful. I think I could go along with getting two spools and splicing the wire together if I have to. The best web site I have found to buy it from so far is http://www.magnet4less.com/index.php?cPath=9_20&osCsid=ec7f6d9319038eb9764e250e6e5aa2c1 where it goes for about $85.00 per 11 lbs spool. I'm still going to look up a local motor winding shop and see what they can do first.

Roger

ShawnLG

Wed Jan 02 2008, 05:22AM

Registered Member #286 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 04:52AM
Location:
Posts: 399

"2) Splice your connections together using multiple spools. This is common practice."

I am just wondering how you guys splice the ends together? I would wrap or fold the ends together and continue winding. This would leave some copper sticking out and promote corona arcing.

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