Plain enamel wire on ebay

[JGundry]

AWC made the nice dark stuff, then stopped making it for a while (about 6 months I think) when they had equipment problems. They do make it again, and ONLY sell to Elektrisola. This is from a really nice girl I used to deal with at AWC. Also, I think the new legislations about chemicals has changed AWC's color to the same reddish stuff as everybody else.

When did you call AWC?

[chevalij]

When did you call AWC?

This was last April or May I think. What she told me was their equipment for making PE was "broken" and or "taken apart" and she'd let me know when it was fixed. She did get in touch with me later, but told me everything was going to Elektrisola. Even before it was slated for Elektrisola, she told me I'd have to buy in the range of 200 lbs, but she make be able to get the guys to run me a small batch of 20 lbs or so. Never happened.

[JGundry]

This was last April or May I think. What she told me was their equipment for making PE was "broken" and or "taken apart" and she'd let me know when it was fixed. She did get in touch with me later, but told me everything was going to Elektrisola. Even before it was slated for Elektrisola, she told me I'd have to buy in the range of 200 lbs, but she make be able to get the guys to run me a small batch of 20 lbs or so. Never happened.

Thanks. I think the unfortunate reality is if you want to have any sort of real choice with this stuff you have to order a lot of wire.

[Possum]

...

Yep, then you have to sift through to find the useable stuff and dump the rest on Ebay. I think there are enough guys here to pull enough money together to have them do a run. I managed to put together $2400 to buy four of us screw poles and there were about 3 others who were too late. We coulld probably get ten of us together to fund a run of 42 guage PE. I don't want to head a project like, Jon what do you think? Can you find out what a minimum amount would be (its probably 200 lbs) split ten ways and would we get all useable stuff or some oversize crap no one wants? How much control do they have? I can't afford anything until after taxes probably but it would be worth finding out what is doable as a group.

[JGundry]

No thanks on the group wire buy. Group buys are a recipe for disaster because there is a real possibility that you won't get quite exactly what you asked for and then everyone on on the hook for it. Then you have to divide up everything and ship it which is a pain. Also if I can get what I want I'm fine buying 200lbs. and going solo. But getting what you want is the catch.

[David King]

Possum,
I'd be happy to experiment with some of your current rejected PE wire. I can't imagine that gauge accuracy would matter with what I'm doing but I'd love to know if I can hear any difference with PE.

[belwar]

From my limited experience, I could hear a difference in PE immediately. I was also able to disern it in blind testing. I went from solderon single build to PE and havent looked back.

[kevinT]

I probably bought the last stock of actual Elektrisola-produced PE that Bae carried. This was about 4 years ago. The Elektrisola was blackish purple. I bought quite a bit at the time but I used it up except for a small stash.

The AWS that BAE carries is more dark brown than anything else. The OD varied when they first started carriing the AWS but i think it's pretty consistant now. The shades of brown are still different from batch to batch.

[Possum]

....

David I keep all that stuff for rewind purposes and I paid dearly for it too, it wasn't cheap. I bought that stuff before I had a decent micrometer unfortunately. Every now and then I get a vintage pickup in with odd diameter wire so its good to have an arsenal of weird wire laying around :-)

[Possum]

...

I have some new information on PE, all the PE everyone is buying is now changed. REA magnet wire was bought by Elektrisola and MWS is now using this wire. Elektrisola will be referring all inquiries to MWS, so no point in contacting them. It looks like AWC wire but my contact there told me AWC is shit, "very poor quality" in his words. The new wire is black, I just got a roll of it and haven't listened to it yet. I'm not sure what he meant by poor quality, I do have a roll of old AWC wire and the insulation is flaking off if thats what he meant. Or maybe the insulation isn't consistent. Anyway he doesn't know what AWC is doing these days so maybe Jon can find out or someone else. There won't be anymore REA wire, that company is gone. I hope this is a good thing, I'll be listening to the new wire later tonite and praying its better than REA's stuff was....

[David King]

Hi Possum,
I totally understand on the old wire.
This new, black wire from MWS is being made by Electrisola but only sold through MWS? I can't quite follow what you were saying above.

What's the price I should expect to pay per pound if that's something you can tell us. Black sounds cool.

[Possum]

...

REA as a company is gone. No more brown REA wire. Elektrisola bought REA, they are now a part of Elektrisola, the insulation is changed to black. I just tried it out and its about the same but now 42 PE isn't .0027" like the last bunch of rolls I got, its back down to .00265" which is a good thing but I will miss the fatter wire too. If you want this wire MWS is the only place you can buy it. If you try to buy from Elektrisola they will send you to MWS. $32.59 per lb. for 42, but as you know that varies with the price of copper, probably daily I bet. And their minimum is a 6lb roll. So its the same price really. I don't know anything about AWC or what they are doing, maybe one of you day people can call them and find out if they are selling through anyone. Didn't someone say BAE Wire was selling AWC wire? I don't see any PE on Ebay through BAE? Whats up with that?

[David Schwab]

Rea Magnet Wire Company is still around. They sold off their Rea Diversified Products Division (RDP) to Elektrisola.

RDP Asset Sale to Elektrisola

[Possum]

...

They don't make PE though.
Anyone check with American Wire Corp yet?

[David Schwab]

I don't see any PE on Ebay through BAE? Whats up with that?

I do.. they have some 4 lb rolls up now. The roll in the photo is from AWC.

eBay Store - BAE MAGNET WIRE: Electrical Test Equipment, Business Industrial

AWG 42 PLAIN ENAMEL HARD TO FIND - eBay (item 230421738553 end time Jan-15-10 07:13:49 PST)

AWG 42 PLAIN ENAMEL HARD TO FIND - eBay (item 230421739380 end time Jan-15-10 07:16:10 PST)