Thread: Wire sizes
View Single Post
  #11  
Old July 29th 08, 06:06 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,403
Default Wire sizes

On Jul 29, 9:50*am, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Jul 27, 5:29*am, "01-- Zero One" wrote:

For power especially, use ONLY Tefzel wire!


Here we are again. Is Tefzel the best stuff to use these days? Yeah,
pretty much, no disagreement there. Is it important to use good
materials? Yup, pretty important.

Is it the only stuff to use, the stuff that you must use? All-caps and
exclamation point aside, it depends. I have only a couple of always/
never rules about aircraft wiring, and they're about fuses, not
Tefzel.

Comparatively speaking, I happen to think that how you wire things is
more important than what you wire them with. Given the choice between
organized bundles, well supported, appropriately fused, protected from
abrasion, and kept away from moving parts, all executed in Electron
Hut automotive wire, versus a rats nest of unmarked white Tefzel going
every which way, I'll take my chances with the Electron Hut system.
But, that's just me.

I've written that all before. But here's some new information content:
Be careful about drilling holes around wiring bundles, especially
where you're drilling metal. In one of my current projects, we've
found chips of aluminum swarf embedded in the Tefzel insulation of
wires pretty deep within wiring bundles. We undertook a program to
unwrap every accessible wiring bundle and clean out the chips, and now
are taking special precautions to keep chips out in the first place.
It's certainly a thing to think on.

Thanks, Bob K.


Bob, I actually agree, and while harping on components/tools it is
what you do with them that matters. A good wiring job should just
really look neat and tidy and organized. A look at the guts of a Duo-
X had me impressed at factory wiring (for a change). Amongst the
articles at http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles.html are some
related good discussions on proper workmanship and fuses/breakers etc.
And why several glider manufacturers use no color coding or labeling
or seem happy to put out a rats nest of wiring is beyond me. Part of
my grumpiness about this stuff is having experienced wiring relate
problems, including electrical shorts etc.

Darryl