(Topic ID: 258663)

What kind of wire should I keep on hand

By undrdog

4 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 5 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by undrdog
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    #1 4 years ago

    New pin owner here.

    Had to resolder a connection and only barely had enough length. Guess I better go get some wire to keep on hand.

    What kind should I buy?

    The pic shows the two kinds of wire I was dealing with. One is stranded one looks to be copper solid.

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    #2 4 years ago

    18 gauge stranded insulated should cover just about everything in your machine. Get several colors. Your local auto parts stores will have it.

    #3 4 years ago

    If you are at a pinball show, or see one here or on Ebay. Grab a used wiring harness for your game, or same manufacturer and era.

    Then you have an assortment of every wire size and color you need.

    I got a No Good Goffers harness at Texas Pinball Festival for $10.00. That will last me for years.

    LTG : )

    #4 4 years ago

    I keep 16ga stranded and 26ga stranded, in multiple colors. Many people on eBay sell reasonably priced multi-color assortments. You should basically never use solid wire on a pinball, the vibration is bad for it. Doesn't hurt to use bigger wire

    1 month later
    #5 4 years ago

    I'll get harness with a plethora of wires at TPF.

    In the meantime, I got some 18ga off Amazon in different colors.

    I'm about to jumper off of two flashing lights to two LEDs in a custom topper I'm making for Mystic (1980 SS Bally). 18 gauge is bigger wire than the rest of the lighting in the machine. The rest of the lighting is incandescent. The only LEDs will be the two in the topper, to keep the power drain down and because I need a colored lamp.

    The wires will be maybe 36" long. Is the 18 gauge ok or should I go buy thinner wire?

    In case anyone's interested... the topper will be a "crystal ball" that will light orange when the eyes are lit and white when the pyramids are lit. Now that I've successfully soldered some new lamp sockets and some switches, I'm mad with power.... Mad I say... mwaahahahahha

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