Hi All

I am planning to use paperclips - bent & cut to the right length - to form bridges from one track to the other on my stripboard stepper driver.

Is there any reason for me NOT to use them?

Further, the wire of a paperclip seems pretty thick - would it be adequate to carry the 12v for the motor (max 4 amps)?

Thanks for any advice

 

Paper clips do not take solder very well since most of them are chrome plated.

hgmjr

 

ah! thanks for that info. Unfortunate but there you have it.

What guage wire would you reccomend I get for my bridges? Also, should I get single strand wire or multiple strand. What value the differences?.

Thanks

 

Depends on the current you are likely to encounter.

For currents on the order of 1 amp or less you should be good with 20 to 26 guage wire. Solid wire is easier to work with than stranded wire. Both will work fine.

hgmjr

 

Have easy access to house wiring wire? It is 14-16 gauge and solid copper.

(howdy again)

 

Hi Bill

In fact I do - or at least I think it is house wiring wire. But I am not too impressed with the work the landlord has done on this property so I cannot be sure it is the right stuff.

The ground seems to be mild steel perhaps and is uninsulated whereas the live and earth wires are insulated in red and black resp. and have 5 strands, each looking like about 0.75mm in diameter. All of it is insulated in a grey sheath.

Wohoo - well, I guess this will do and the 100 paperclips I purchased yesterday will just have to wait for paper to be clipped...

 

Have easy access to house wiring wire? It is 14-16 gauge and solid copper.

(howdy again)

His neighbors house has plenty!

 

Have easy access to house wiring wire? It is 14-16 gauge and solid copper.

(howdy again)

Bill,

How are you going to get 14 or 16 AWG wire to fit through the holes in perf'd stripboard? More like 20 or 22 AWG solid hook-up wire or wire from CAT-5 cable or residential telephone wire.

Ken