Metropoulos Forum

im thinking 18 guage for heaters and 20 gauge for the rest of the conenctions... ac power switch, fuses. or should i just use 18 for everything on PT?

what say you?

rockstah wrote:im thinking 18 guage for heaters and 20 gauge for the rest of the conenctions... ac power switch, fuses. or should i just use 18 for everything on PT?

what say you?

I used 18 gauge on my first build throgh out(thats all I had lying around), Its a bitch to solder to the tube sockets when you double them up.(but you may have more experiance , as you've done it once or twice before I'd say)

I've striped my build back and going to start again and use 16awg from (as i have lugs)power Transformer to 1st powert tube then go to 18awg for the rest of the power section . and for the preamp section 20awg

For the rest 20awg or 22awg (more likely i'll stick to the 20awg) so i don't have tomuch invested in wire sizes.

I use 18awg teflon jacket 19strand plated wire through out my thist build and it worked great just the wires can get a bit stiff. (and i kind of rushed it too ) My first build kind of got extited. but the results where great.

Hope that helps

I read some where K O'Conner V3 page 3-4

Wire Current rating's

AWG Current (A) Tube Heater (A)
14 14.7 EL34 1.6
16 9.3 KT66 1.3
18 6.0 KT88 1.8
20 3.7 EL84 .76
22 2.4 12ax7 .3

So 4 x el34 = 4x1.6 = 6.4A
3 x 12ax7 = 3 x .3 = .9mA
Total = 7.3A

So up to the first power tube in a 100watter i would use (am goiung to use now)16AWG then 18awg for the poere tubes and 20awg for preamps

As you go down the line you can reduce wire gauge as there is less and less heater current (as I understand it)

I'll redone the table here again

AWG Current (A)
14 14.7
16 9.3
18 6.0
20 3.7
22 2.4

Tube Heater (A)
12ax7 .3
EL84 .76
KT66 1.3
EL34 1.6
KT88 1.8

*6L6 .9

pongo316 wrote:

rockstah wrote:im thinking 18 guage for heaters and 20 gauge for the rest of the conenctions... ac power switch, fuses. or should i just use 18 for everything on PT?

what say you?

I used 18 gauge on my first build throgh out(thats all I had lying around), Its a bitch to solder to the tube sockets when you double them up.(but you may have more experiance , as you've done it once or twice before I'd say)

I've striped my build back and going to start again and use 16awg from (as i have lugs)power Transformer to 1st powert tube then go to 18awg for the rest of the power section . and for the preamp section 20awg

For the rest 20awg or 22awg (more likely i'll stick to the 20awg) so i don't have tomuch invested in wire sizes.

I use 18awg teflon jacket 19strand plated wire through out my thist build and it worked great just the wires can get a bit stiff. (and i kind of rushed it too ) My first build kind of got extited. but the results where great.

Hope that helps

I read some where K O'Conner V3 page 3-4

Wire Current rating's

AWG Current (A) Tube Heater (A)
14 14.7 EL34 1.6
16 9.3 KT66 1.3
18 6.0 KT88 1.8
20 3.7 EL84 .76
22 2.4 12ax7 .3

So 4 x el34 = 4x1.6 = 6.4A
3 x 12ax7 = 3 x .3 = .9mA
Total = 7.3A

So up to the first power tube in a 100watter i would use (am goiung to use now)16AWG then 18awg for the poere tubes and 20awg for preamps

As you go down the line you can reduce wire gauge as there is less and less heater current (as I understand it)

I'll redone the table here again

AWG Current (A)
14 14.7
16 9.3
18 6.0
20 3.7
22 2.4

Tube Heater (A)
12ax7 .3
EL84 .76
KT66 1.3
EL34 1.6
KT88 1.8

*6L6 .9

i too have been reading kevin o's books and did read this. i posted to see what others though. like he uses 1.6a and most people i come across use 1.5a in the equation.

so i came to 6.9amps

and figured i would use 18 guage for heater connection from PT and 20 guage for the rest of PT connections. kevin says 18 for all PT connections, fuses 120v etc. seems alittle over kill to me buts its just a hunch. appareciate the post here.

Mark

I use 18 guage solid core for all my heaters.
I like mil spec like overkill. Build it like a tank I say.

I usually use of 16 guage standed silver for my PT bias Ground and PT Heater ground.

They're usually scraps from Merc PTs I've installed. (I saved the clippings for later use) but now I'm out and have to buy some 16 Guage Green.
I also save sleeve clipping from Self Lead OTs, and slip my primaries in them on later style amps. It just looks nice.,

Other than that I just use George's wiring kit.

flame away! i used the wire kit 22 guage for all power supply connections. (solid wire on heaters) how much of a real problem does this present? i don't want to choke the circuit or anything, i figured it all has to go through that mains fuse. but again, what do i know.

I had an amp just like yours, and it was fine. The main thing is you went big on the heaters. Oh and those clipping were actually 18 guage starnded, not 16.

I use 22awg as does Marshall for their amps. I've never had a problem and don't remember seeing any heater problems in Marshall's. Hiwatt is known for using very small gauge wire as well and they are not known for breaking down or being a weak or shaby built amplifier.

thanks gentleman, i will sleep a little better knowing this!

Just to clarify

22awg is good right through the amp heaters & all ?

I did my first with 18awg through out on my first build (which is in the proces of getting rewire) as I want to make it as perfect as posable. (I was happy that it just work)it shocked the hell out of me how good it sounded.

My plan is now
16awg from for power transformer wireing (as i have lugs on my P/T)
18awg for power tubes
20awg pre amp

20awg for the rest of amp(thinking of maybe substitutin this for 22awg)

Dont't Mind the 18awg but its a bitch to work with in the preamp section (on the heaters) I found its solid though.

I would frefer to stick to just two gauges 18awg and 20awg if possable.

so if 22awg is good for the whole amp , my selection of awg would be safe (may be even over kill)

The reason for my wire selection is reading K O'Conner's book

pongo,

You can use whatever you want but IMO 22awg is fine for the entire amp.

Brian Wallace wrote:pongo,

You can use whatever you want but IMO 22awg is fine for the entire amp.

Thanks Brian