PSA - Purchasing Wire.

[JOES66FURY]

I may be late to the party here but I had a moment of clarity today,

I went to the parts store to buy some 20g wire to finish up the Harley project.

Wire was 7 bucks a roll.

I thought, man it has got to be cheaper somewhere else...so for S&G's I went to my local ACE Hardware. I purchased 6ft of 20g wire for less than 2 bucks (.16 a ft)

If you already knew this...you shoulda shared...if you didn't...there you go.

So, next time you need some wire, hit up you local ace

[milner351]

Was the wire the same stranding?

Same insulation on the jacket?

I'm pretty sure automotive wire has different jacket than house wire, and is more finely stranded.

[squirrel]

Our local Ace sells automotive wire, in the automotive section. Not in the house wire section.

I've bought some wire there for robot stuff. I think the last few times I've bought Belden wire at the parts store, it was still only around $3-4 a roll. But it might have gone up, someone has to pay Randal's new mortgage

[JOES66FURY]

Uh, Yeah, its not house wire, they carry a wide variet or wire, home, auto, speaker.

[milner351]

Just wanted to clarify - I know you know better - but everyone reading this may not.... I've taken a lot of house wiring out of cars, one guy even used romex!

[JOES66FURY]

Good lord the things I have removed from cars....I removed speaker wire that was spliced into the headlights on a car...they just doubled up the wire to make a gauge that was almost the same.

I would hope those reading this know the difference....if the don't...have them raise their hands so we can point and laugh, maybe flog them with a wet noodle.


Ha, after thought, the guy using house wire is the same guy using chicken wire and screen to patch the holes in his car...kinda like the guy who "restored"my Fury lol!

[squirrel]

I've found house wire (and wire nuts) in some, too.

the best yet was the nifty early 60s vintage SW ammeter wired into the 55 tbird...with lamp cord! yikes

[dieselgeek]

The price differences in copper stranded automotive wire are almost all related to the quality of the insulation. Painless has the best prices on the truly good stuff, which is good to 400+ degrees F. You can sometimes get similar pricing from Waytek. Don't assume that just because it's "automotive" labelled that it's the same as the more expensive stuff.

[Barry Donovan]

The price differences in copper stranded automotive wire are almost all related to the quality of the insulation. Painless has the best prices on the truly good stuff, which is good to 400+ degrees F. You can sometimes get similar pricing from Waytek. Don't assume that just because it's "automotive" labelled that it's the same as the more expensive stuff.

even the factories don't go that far. you notice all wire bundles are hard taped to each other? they save the juice on the crap wires.

I measured a 2 volt bleed on 14 awg around 3 feet long, that fed a coil from an original efi harness with a protected sheathing grounded...even sent signals like a coil.

I have a roll of 14awg machine wire, does not like getting bent, but is as rugged as it gets. I use this for anything important. they did good with lights after the 9004 generation..middle 80s. they could not get away with anything crap for wiring.

always go bigger than auto oem. not in gauge, just quality. especially strands that wander off on their own. a stray pair etc. I still can't get an electric fan for radiator to be normal on oem wires.

[Thumpin455]

Ok so we can get wire at Ace. I pick up stuff to use on my cars

Now where can we buy a good wife? I have a friend who wants one and cant find one in his price range with all the options and low mileage he wants.

[tedly]

Ok so we can get wire at Ace. I pick up stuff to use on my cars

Now where can we buy a good wife? I have a friend who wants one and cant find one in his price range with all the options and low mileage he wants.

When you figure that out, let me know!

[squirrel]

just like getting high quality auto parts...you needed to do some careful shopping about 30 years ago

[dieselgeek]

just like getting high quality auto parts...you needed to do some careful shopping about 30 years ago

hahahahahahahahah


there is so much truth in this sentence. You just can't find good ones anymore, all the best stuff was made 30 or more years ago

[tedly]

just like getting high quality auto parts...you needed to do some careful shopping about 30 years ago

I was 8!!! Guess I should have planned ahead better.

[Thumpin455]

HA! I was 13 thirty years ago and guess what. My woman is a 1982 model, so it isnt a problem for me! My bro though, he has no luck. He has tried the Ukrainian models and also US build models, but he is 48 and wants a 21-27 year old. I tell him the problem is his wallet isnt thick enough, and his hair is a bit thin too.

If only it were as easy as finding wire! I adore wire, and parts, its so easy to get them, even when they are rare.