Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: meechingman on March 01, 2009, 11:31:12 am

Title: Very thin wire
Post by: meechingman on March 01, 2009, 11:31:12 am
Hi

I'm just starting to light my Smit Nederland. I'm using 3v GOW's throughout fed from the main 6.4v battery via a voltage control board.

Most of the lights can be wired internally but short of building a new mast, I'm going to have to run the wires for the mast lights up the outside of the mast. I need some really thin wire for this. Can anyone give me a source for this please?

Andy G
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: maninthestreet on March 01, 2009, 11:54:27 am
Exactly how 'thin' is 'thin' ????
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: The long Build on March 01, 2009, 11:57:36 am
Telephone cable perhaps.
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: malcolmfrary on March 01, 2009, 12:00:30 pm
Maplins carry bobbins of thin enamel insulated copper wire.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=44
Another useful product if you can find it is "Verowire", which is much the same as above but the insulation is also the flux, making life easier - no scraping and tinning.

An alternative is to get an unwanted dead battery eliminator (the mains plug type) and give it the two bricks treatment.  This will reveal the transformer which is basically a bobbin with two spools of thin enamel copper wire.
Dont go too thin as thinner wire carries less current, and you dont want a long thin fuse.  LEDs generally take much less current than filament bulbs, and give off less heat.
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: maninthestreet on March 01, 2009, 12:03:09 pm
www.component-shop.co.uk sell 22AWG cable - equivalent to 7 strands of 0.25mm diameter wire.
 
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: taxi on March 01, 2009, 02:19:49 pm
Unwind the wire from an old electric motor armature.
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on March 01, 2009, 02:38:27 pm
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=65

Just remove the outer white cover and you have 4, 6, 8 or 12 different insulated thin wires - colour coded, too.

FLJ
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: OMK on March 01, 2009, 02:43:22 pm
You're welcome to a hank of this if it's any use to you.
0.19mm / 0.0076" (36 swg).
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: craftysod on March 01, 2009, 03:35:08 pm
I use computer ide cable
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: Martin (Admin) on March 01, 2009, 04:32:41 pm
Lead wire from an old mouse.....
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: andyn on March 01, 2009, 06:54:35 pm
Usb cables, Paralell port cables, Clocks, Winds from Radios...
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: meechingman on March 01, 2009, 11:08:20 pm
Thanks for the help guys! Somewhere around I have a reel of enamelled wire from an old Ham Radio project. I'd forgotten about that, so that will probably do nicely.  :-))

Andy
Title: Re: Very thin wire
Post by: Howard Q on March 02, 2009, 12:48:09 am
hello Meechinman.
On my Vliestromn model I needed two sets of mast lights as in real life, but at our scale the wires needed would be very obvious so I run two brass rods up the mast (before spraying) one for each circuit, using a brass tube/rod down the centre this is isolated and used as the commom, this way the only wires needed were soldered from the actual bulb to the required circuit. providing you keep everything separated by an insulating material, ie; plastic the system works quiet well, and there is ultimately only three actual connection points which can be hidden discretely deep in the model, when sprayed they then blend in with the rest of the mast.
good luck with your project.
 :-))