Re: Wire

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Wire
From: "Malcolm Watts" <malcolm.watts-at-wnp.ac.nz> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 18:15:49 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

> Original Poster: Reinier Heeres <rwh-at-worldonline.nl> 
> 
> Hi all!
> 
> I just found some pretty cheap copper wire to build my first tesla coil.
> It is normal 0.6mm dia (AWG 24 I think) wire, but it has an extra red
> coating. The guy who sold it to me told me it was something they called
> 'baking varnish'. When they finish winding a motor they apply a high DC
> current, so that the wire heats up and melts together. Could anyone tell
> me if what it is? Is it lossy at TC frequencies, etc.
> 
> Regards, Reinier

Hi Reinier,
             It is self-fluxing wire. It has no substantial 
temperature rating, resists wear poorly (as in motor windings rubbed 
together by magnetostriction) and can melt in varnish solvents at an 
elevated temperature. It should be fine for a coil (especially a 
space wound one) as long as a room temperature air drying varnish is 
used (if one is used at all). It is a most unwise choice for motor 
windings. The people I purchase wire from here (Electropar) won't 
stock it on principle.

Malcolm