Help finding specific wire

Thread Starter

danielb33

Joined Aug 20, 2012
105
Random question....I am having trouble finding a professional looking wire for my application. A wire will be suspended from a persons right are to left arm (lets say while jogging). I need to communication via usart or similar from arm to arm. I would like to find a nice, professional, maybe black matt finish or similar, wire to plug into a phone jack or similar. I do not work with this area in electronics so I am not sure where to look. A wire similar to a landline phone cable but smaller would be nice. Anyone know where to find these? I cannot find anything on digi-key or mouser. Any input is appreciated! I will not be communicating wirelessly on this application.
 

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
Random question....I am having trouble finding a professional looking wire for my application. A wire will be suspended from a persons right are to left arm (lets say while jogging). I need to communication via usart or similar from arm to arm. I would like to find a nice, professional, maybe black matt finish or similar, wire to plug into a phone jack or similar. I do not work with this area in electronics so I am not sure where to look. A wire similar to a landline phone cable but smaller would be nice. Anyone know where to find these? I cannot find anything on digi-key or mouser. Any input is appreciated! I will not be communicating wirelessly on this application.
How many conductors? What kind of plugs?
 

tubeguy

Joined Nov 3, 2012
1,157
You'll want small gauge (24-28 gauge) stranded, whatever number of conductors you need. Something like headphone cable might work.
 

Thread Starter

danielb33

Joined Aug 20, 2012
105
Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I have looked into all these options. I should note, I am looking to produce over a thousand of these a year. I have found all of the options people mentioned...but I need something for 3 wire (maybe 5), 28 gauge or so, and preferably the wire would be bungee for different size arm spans. Finding this wire seems to be tougher than getting my code up and running.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
...preferably the wire would be bungee...
Wire won't do that. It can coil like a phone cord, but the metal conductors are not elastic enough to behave that way.

Have you considered bluetooth? I run with an iPod for an hour every day and I can tell you that runners become acutely annoyed by wire behavior. Even a product that works great at 60-90°F can be hugely annoying at 10°F, and almost unusable at -10°F. Some materials seem to convey friction sounds as they rub against others, some don't. Some absorb skin oils and eventually fail, some don't. Some respond better to sudden snags and jerks. Weight is a huge issue, not for the gross weight per se but for the way it "drapes". Just sayin'.
 

Thread Starter

danielb33

Joined Aug 20, 2012
105
Wire won't do that. It can coil like a phone cord, but the metal conductors are not elastic enough to behave that way.
Yes...wire does not stretch. I meant a coil like a phone cord. I am considering Bluetooth though....maybe I will have to go that route.
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
Since volumes are decent.. A simple call to any custom "cable assembly house" is where you should start..Or a google search for "custom coiled cable assembly" would do..
Coiled cord/cable assemblies are typically made to order to a specific design unless you want off the shelf coiled 4 conductor 7ft/12ft/25ft telephone cables..

you would typically specify insulation material/# of conductors/coil diameter/length/end connectors/strain reliefs,etc...
 
Top