21st Oct 2017, 11:48 am | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, UK.
Posts: 253
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Square wire
Does anyone know when square wire ceased to be used to wire up early wireless receivers ?
I believe it was mid twenties?? Also, why was square wire used?
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21st Oct 2017, 12:20 pm | #2 | |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 1,156
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Re: Square wire
Quote:
You can still buy it from https://www.wires.co.uk John |
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21st Oct 2017, 2:45 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: Square wire
There was at one time a belief (possibly valid given that most amplifiers were triodes) that feedback caused by inter-wire capacitance would have a deleterious effect on the operation of receivers and amplifiers - hence every wire should cross any other wire at right-angles to minimise inter-wire capacitance.
Square wire makes it easier to produce multiple right-angle bends in one or more planes when you're doing self-supporting point-to-point wiring. |
21st Oct 2017, 3:57 pm | #4 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Matlock, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 1,378
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Re: Square wire
Square wire can be made by rolling, no need to drill holes in diamonds.
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21st Oct 2017, 5:09 pm | #5 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: Square wire
You can stil get it https://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/squ...BC1250_2d003NT
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21st Oct 2017, 7:37 pm | #6 |
Pentode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Oldham, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 167
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Re: Square wire
Square wire was used in the "small" computers of thirty or so years ago when the machine would comprise a rack of interconnected printed circuit boards, Connections to the backplane were made point-to-point with wire wrapped around the edge connector pins and square wire made a more reliable joint. I should still have a wire-wrap tool somewhere.
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21st Oct 2017, 11:46 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,527
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Re: Square wire
Square wire for wire wrap? Square pins, yes, but never seen square wire. Any pics or references?
Google just turns up a lot of jewellery related references.
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21st Oct 2017, 11:53 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
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Re: Square wire
I am pretty sure that some TV/HiFi for a short year or so was wire wrapped with single core hook-up wire that was slightly knurled.
It was very brittle and snapped easily during servicing. |
22nd Oct 2017, 1:24 am | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
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Re: Square wire
No personal experience, but in a book about the history of model railways, it was mentioned that, in the 1920's and '30's, many early experimenters with 00 gauge trains used for building track the rectangular section brass "Busbar strip" that was used at the time by home constructors of radios and was readily available. I would think brass would have been used for its stiffness as it would not be liable to sag like copper and would allow the use of uninsulated self-supporting conductors for relatively long spans. I would think it was rectangular because it would have been cut from brass sheet (as per cut nails)
Last edited by emeritus; 22nd Oct 2017 at 1:35 am. |
22nd Oct 2017, 2:43 am | #10 |
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia
Posts: 2,704
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Re: Square wire
Square wire is still very common in transformers!! You can achieve an almost FULL winding factor. There is almost no wastage of winding space.
Its used today very commonly in wind generator turbines. Joe |
22nd Oct 2017, 10:40 am | #11 |
Pentode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Oldham, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 167
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Re: Square wire
Junk my previous reply, Herald is quite right it was square pins, not square wire. With red face and apologies for any confusion inadvertently caused.
Frank C. |
22nd Oct 2017, 10:52 am | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 4,941
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Re: Square wire
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22nd Oct 2017, 12:28 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: Square wire
And in the motors of electric cars - where again the ability to get a high 'fill factor' means you can produce the highest possible magnetic-field in a given geometry coupled with the lowest winding-resistance - both of which improve motor power per unit volume, reduce overall weight and reduce the need for cooling.
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22nd Oct 2017, 8:37 pm | #14 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 8,171
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Re: Square wire
Hi Gents, I think Scientific Wire Co stocks it in a range of sizes and enamel colours.
Ed |