Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

NickG0HIK · 22nd Nov 2018, 8:15 pm

I'm trying to repair a Roller Coaster in a Command TX and need to rewind the coil.
I thought I had some suitable wire, but it's on a former and when I unwind it, I find the wire has been wound over ridges on the former, making it unsuitable to wind back on to the roller coaster former.

A look on our favorite auction site come up with lots of hits for Silver Plated Copper Wire, but 1000mm seems to be the longest length that you can obtain for 2mm diameter.

I need 4000mm, has anyone used a supplier for the wire?

Thanks

Nick

John M0GLN · 22nd Nov 2018, 8:22 pm

Anything here that would suit?

https://wires.co.uk/acatalog/cu_sp.html

John

NickG0HIK · 22nd Nov 2018, 8:40 pm

Thanks for that John.

There might be, I need to know the difference between soft and hard plated wire.

They dont have an email address, so I'll ring them.

Nick

Radio Wrangler · 22nd Nov 2018, 9:51 pm

THey know what they're doing, tell them that it's for radio frequency electronics and you'll get the right grade. Their website is oriented mostly for the jewellery trade. I've used them on and off for many years. I bought a fair range last time, so it's been several years since my last order.

David

22nd Nov 2018, 9:59 pm

Have you tried "killing" the wire by stretching it a bit, one end held still and a sufficient length pulled until it gives. It's called killing by the old telegraph pole erectors, the coils of galvanised wire where too "alive" until...

MotorBikeLes · 22nd Nov 2018, 10:45 pm

My late Ex used to make jewellery, often with silver or gold wire but also with silver plated copper. I have a range of these from 0.4mm to about 1.6mm. I would mostly use if I was repairing a PCB with a burned hole typically caused by a dry joint (think Grundig CTVs with thyristor line output caused by poor initial soldering). I would cut back to undamaged material, scrape off the print surface, then form the appropriate shape from whichever thickness I considered suitable. Spray with decent lacquer. Somewhat over 30 years old, much of the wire is now blacked, but still useable.
I think lengths were from about 1m for thick wire, to greater lengths for thinner. (rough guesses there).
Les.

M0FYA Andy · 22nd Nov 2018, 11:13 pm

Nick,
It might be easier to find a 'got at' transmitter which would provide a donor roller-coaster. Which transmitter are you working on?

Andy

emeritus · 23rd Nov 2018, 12:05 am

If you know anyone who still does their own wet chemical photography (not that many do these days), you can silver plate copper items by immersing them in exhausted fixer. Items thus plated can be buffed with a cloth to a good shine.

NickG0HIK · 23rd Nov 2018, 5:04 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I rang Wires.co.uk, (which is the same company as the Scientific wire company BTW), nobody there could answer my questions, so I'll need to ring back next week.
In the mean time it has been suggested that I maybe do not need silver plated wire for a roller coaster that will not be subjected to any harsh environments. Tinned copper wire is much more easily obtained. In the worst case, I could use tinned copper as a practice before I use silver plated. I'll mull it over for the weekend.

Nick

David G4EBT · 23rd Nov 2018, 6:30 pm

Wires & Co seem only to supply 2mm silver plated copper wire in two lengths:

50G, which is only 1.7m long (£5.20 inc VAT). Ref: SP2000S-050, which would be too short for your needs.
500G, which is 17m long - far too much for your needs, and costs £24.10 inc VAT. Ref: SP2000S-500.

I'm sure that for your roller coaster, silver plated wire wouldn't confer any advantage over tinned copper wire, which I think would function just as well. The marginal advantage of the 'skin effect' doesn't really come into effect at the low frequencies of a Command Transmitter. Furthermore, if not used regularly so that the 'wiper' keeps the silver plating polished, the silver would quickly tarnish.

Good luck with your endeavours.

NickG0HIK · 23rd Nov 2018, 7:18 pm

Quote:

I'm sure that for your roller coaster, silver plated wire wouldn't confer any advantage over tinned copper wire, which I think would function just as well. The marginal advantage of the 'skin effect' doesn't really come into effect at the low frequencies of a Command Transmitter. Furthermore, if not used regularly so that the 'wiper' keeps the silver plating polished, the silver would quickly tarnish.

Just my thoughts too David.

I was told silver tarnish conducts, apparently the only one of the metals that does?

Reading up a little bit it does conduct, but not as well as pure silver.

https://www.finishing.com/347/57.shtml

turretslug · 23rd Nov 2018, 7:49 pm

That was my understanding, too, e.g. silver-plated cartridge fuse end caps that can end up looking quite dark and murky but still make reliable contact.

Andrew B · 24th Nov 2018, 11:41 am

If you can see the insides of the ATU / Gubbins, then how about using gold plated wire?

Herald1360 · 24th Nov 2018, 1:51 pm

That'll improve the audio quality no end

Jon_G4MDC · 25th Nov 2018, 11:26 am

Use the contact feature of the wires.co.uk website.

I did and the support via email with questions about enamel types and hard/soft drawn was good.

FrankB · 26th Nov 2018, 1:04 am

Why not take the gauge of wire to a jewlers and have them silver plate it for you, or use one of the DIY plating kits? Not terribly expensive to buy.

22nd Nov 2018, 8:15 pm	#1
NickG0HIK Hexode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ireleth-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 286	Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required I'm trying to repair a Roller Coaster in a Command TX and need to rewind the coil. I thought I had some suitable wire, but it's on a former and when I unwind it, I find the wire has been wound over ridges on the former, making it unsuitable to wind back on to the roller coaster former. A look on our favorite auction site come up with lots of hits for Silver Plated Copper Wire, but 1000mm seems to be the longest length that you can obtain for 2mm diameter. I need 4000mm, has anyone used a supplier for the wire? Thanks Nick

22nd Nov 2018, 8:22 pm	#2
John M0GLN Octode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 1,156	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Anything here that would suit? https://wires.co.uk/acatalog/cu_sp.html John

22nd Nov 2018, 8:40 pm	#3
NickG0HIK Hexode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ireleth-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 286	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Thanks for that John. There might be, I need to know the difference between soft and hard plated wire. They dont have an email address, so I'll ring them. Nick

22nd Nov 2018, 9:51 pm	#4
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,876	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required THey know what they're doing, tell them that it's for radio frequency electronics and you'll get the right grade. Their website is oriented mostly for the jewellery trade. I've used them on and off for many years. I bought a fair range last time, so it's been several years since my last order. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

22nd Nov 2018, 9:59 pm	#5
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Have you tried "killing" the wire by stretching it a bit, one end held still and a sufficient length pulled until it gives. It's called killing by the old telegraph pole erectors, the coils of galvanised wire where too "alive" until...

22nd Nov 2018, 10:45 pm	#6
MotorBikeLes Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man Posts: 2,350	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required My late Ex used to make jewellery, often with silver or gold wire but also with silver plated copper. I have a range of these from 0.4mm to about 1.6mm. I would mostly use if I was repairing a PCB with a burned hole typically caused by a dry joint (think Grundig CTVs with thyristor line output caused by poor initial soldering). I would cut back to undamaged material, scrape off the print surface, then form the appropriate shape from whichever thickness I considered suitable. Spray with decent lacquer. Somewhat over 30 years old, much of the wire is now blacked, but still useable. I think lengths were from about 1m for thick wire, to greater lengths for thinner. (rough guesses there). Les.

22nd Nov 2018, 11:13 pm	#7
M0FYA Andy Nonode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 2,511	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Nick, It might be easier to find a 'got at' transmitter which would provide a donor roller-coaster. Which transmitter are you working on? Andy

23rd Nov 2018, 12:05 am	#8
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required If you know anyone who still does their own wet chemical photography (not that many do these days), you can silver plate copper items by immersing them in exhausted fixer. Items thus plated can be buffed with a cloth to a good shine.

23rd Nov 2018, 5:04 pm	#9
NickG0HIK Hexode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ireleth-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 286	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Thanks for the replies everyone. I rang Wires.co.uk, (which is the same company as the Scientific wire company BTW), nobody there could answer my questions, so I'll need to ring back next week. In the mean time it has been suggested that I maybe do not need silver plated wire for a roller coaster that will not be subjected to any harsh environments. Tinned copper wire is much more easily obtained. In the worst case, I could use tinned copper as a practice before I use silver plated. I'll mull it over for the weekend. Nick

23rd Nov 2018, 6:30 pm	#10
David G4EBT Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 5,761	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Wires & Co seem only to supply 2mm silver plated copper wire in two lengths: 50G, which is only 1.7m long (£5.20 inc VAT). Ref: SP2000S-050, which would be too short for your needs. 500G, which is 17m long - far too much for your needs, and costs £24.10 inc VAT. Ref: SP2000S-500. I'm sure that for your roller coaster, silver plated wire wouldn't confer any advantage over tinned copper wire, which I think would function just as well. The marginal advantage of the 'skin effect' doesn't really come into effect at the low frequencies of a Command Transmitter. Furthermore, if not used regularly so that the 'wiper' keeps the silver plating polished, the silver would quickly tarnish. Good luck with your endeavours. __________________ David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339.

23rd Nov 2018, 7:49 pm	#12
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,396	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required That was my understanding, too, e.g. silver-plated cartridge fuse end caps that can end up looking quite dark and murky but still make reliable contact.

24th Nov 2018, 11:41 am	#13
Andrew B Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 512	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required If you can see the insides of the ATU / Gubbins, then how about using gold plated wire? __________________ worried about the electrons entering the circuit and the smoke leaving Andrew

24th Nov 2018, 1:51 pm	#14
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required That'll improve the audio quality no end __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

25th Nov 2018, 11:26 am	#15
Jon_G4MDC Nonode Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 2,015	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Use the contact feature of the wires.co.uk website. I did and the support via email with questions about enamel types and hard/soft drawn was good. Last edited by Jon_G4MDC; 25th Nov 2018 at 11:41 am.

26th Nov 2018, 1:04 am	#16
FrankB Heptode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Olympia, Washington, USA. Posts: 664	Re: Source of longish lengths of silver plated wire required Why not take the gauge of wire to a jewlers and have them silver plate it for you, or use one of the DIY plating kits? Not terribly expensive to buy.