Interconnects - heatshrink v Teflon tube v tape, gauge v length

[otto88]

Hi

Several of us here at the local Melbourne (Australia) Audio Club are soon doing Mark Houston's Silver RCA Interconnect Cables project.
http://www.diyaudioprojects.com/Powe...lver/index.htm

Mark's "recipe" calls for 3 silver wires (0.7 mm = AWG 21, from jewellers supplies here, c US $4/ m) which are sheathed individually; then a larger outer overall wrap.
For ease of building, Mark uses heatshrink for all four sheaths.

I lean towards Teflon because of its dielectric advantage. I have only a basic underdstanding, but electrical signals are propagated on the surface of a conductor.

Would that advantage more likely come in the *individual wire sheaths, or the outer wrap?

I intended to keep one of the two layers as heatshrink, to exclude oxygen.

Someone just then suggested Teflon insulation tape.
Some DIY interconnect projects have used it, available at your friendly plumber suppliers.

That would of course directly contact the silver wire, vs Teflon tube which would have to be a bit bigger, to allow the wire to be threaded through. So Teflon tape would both exclude oxygen, and may/ should keep the dielectric advantage?


most ICs will be about 1 m. I'm also doing one longer IC - 4 m (c 12 feet) - for that should I use a larger gauge, eg 1 or 1.2 mm (AWG 17 or 18)?

Comments welcome.

[rabbitz]

Isn't air a good dielectric and better than teflon etc?

I know you are trying to prevent corrosion as well.

[otto88]

Hi rabbitz

> Isn't air a good dielectric and better than teflon etc?

Yes indeed

> I know you are trying to prevent corrosion as well.

Yes again . . maybe it'd be better to use heatshrink on the 3 inner sheaths, and Teflon tube on the outer sheath?

Thanks

[Magura]

Enamel.


Magura

[otto88]

Enamel may be a a good dielectric (I don't know), but if going enameled silver wire, where could it be sourced for c $5/ m?

Cheers

[jacco vermeulen]

PTFE heat shrink.

[ssmith]

Originally posted by Magura
Enamel.

Magura

That's a good suggestion. I've made some IC's copying the anti-cable recipe using 22ga and 20 ga magnet wire. Costs next to nothing! Would suggest you give it a try even if you make the silver/teflon design, just to compare.

[otto88]

PTFE heatshrink - for inner sheaths, outer, or both?

(and what is PTFE?)

Thanks

[Magura]

Originally posted by otto88
PTFE heatshrink - for inner sheaths, outer, or both?

(and what is PTFE?)

Thanks

Google is your friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teflon

Magura

[Magura]

Originally posted by ssmith


That's a good suggestion. I've made some IC's copying the anti-cable recipe using 22ga and 20 ga magnet wire. Costs next to nothing! Would suggest you give it a try even if you make the silver/teflon design, just to compare.

Great way of making such, unfortunately too cheap for some.


Magura