DIY DC power cables

[d_elm]

1 hour ago, sima66 said:

Will Belden 1804A be enough for a DC cable......since is only 28 AWG?!

Belden 9418 is a starquad and is 18 awg. Lower resistance is better for  DC cables.

[d_elm]

17 hours ago, MarceloEduardo said:

Hello everyone!

I am thinking about upgrade a DC cable between two 12V 7A batteries that feeds my Graham Slee Reflex phono stage with 24V in series. Currently I am using a 20 awg (or perhaps 18awg.. I do not remember!) silver plated copper from "navships" eBay seller. The material is fine and took some weeks to burn-in:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-feet-18-AWG-Silver-Plated-PTFE-teflon-Wire-Gray-Solid-1-Strand-made-in-USA/380927049734?hash=item58b1058006:g:0VQAAOSw8lBTmkKE

 

In the positive pole between batteries and the amp stage there is a small 5x20 AMR gold fuse to protect amp from overload.

 

Initally I was decided to purchase some runs of Neotech 16awg solid UPOCC copper and a Switchcraft 2.5 plug to be build in twisted pair configuration, but here in Computer Audiophile I could see another alternative by using the Canare / Mogami material in star quad configuration, plus JSSG method of shelding.

 

I do not need longer lenghts, about 4 ft / 1,5m would be fine. As my amp already are fed by batteries I suppose energy comes clean in the  amp.

 

Which should be the most relevant question to consider?
  -> The quality of the material applyied used in a less critical configuration (twisted pair) 
  -> The ultmost  configuration (star quad), leaving off the worry concerning the use of a not-so-perfect material (considering those star quad does not use so pure copper as Neotech claims).

 

Finally (sorry about this argually off-topic)... Do you think a fuse is really necessary since I am using a direct connection from the batteries, which already supply stable/regulated current?

Thanks in advance.

Marcelo

Perhaps you could make a starquad cable using Neotech UP-OCC 18 AWG copper and Oyaide DC-2.1G[L] connectors with JSSG.  I can post pictures of such a project if interested.  I am not sure if the cable leads to better sound but at least I will not think about DC cables again.

[d_elm]

1 hour ago, MarceloEduardo said:

Hello.. yes, please! Pictures will be truly appreciated and very helpful, since I have no idea how to make a proper star quad.

 

I also thought in Duelund 16 awg tinned copper wire that is very well regarded for IC but I am afraid inits use for power cable. Is it safety to feed 24V through a cotton insulated wire?

 

Best regards.

 

Marcelo 

 

Belden 9418, 4x18 AWG implementing a starquad, + JSSG is likely all that is needed for a DC cable.  The starquad pattern is for lowest inductance and 18 AWG is for lowest resistance with wires that will fit into an Oyaide connector.  Silver conducts only 6% better than

copper and silver wire is very expensive so I did not consider it for building a cable.

 

Connectors can make a large contribution to the resistance of a cable.  Low cost connectors ($0.50 each) I measured were about 5.0 milliOhm and Oyaide DC-2.1G[L] connectors were less than 0.5 milliOhm.  The 80cm DC cables I made had a resistance on each line, including Oyaide connectors, of 8.0 milliOhm.  I do not have a working signal generator to determine the inductance.

 

To make a starquad I purchased Neotech hook-up wire, 18 AWG stranded with PVC insulation.  This wire with silver insulation is 2.76 mm OD and with red insulation is 2.83 mm.  The same wire with PTFE insulation, much more expensive, I have read is 2.2 mm OD, perhaps a bit easier to work with.

 

I started with soldering two red wires to a DC-2.1GL.  The wires are horizontal in connector.

 

 

The insulation is too thick for four wires to go through the Oyaide connector barrel so I replaced insulation on the silver wires with heat shrink tubing.

 

Ensure the heat shrink tubing is long enough to clear the end of the connector barrel.

 

There is a temporary piece of heat shrink tubing to aid in connecting the silver pair to the connector.

 

Remove after soldering as there is little room inside the barrel.

 

I used 1/4" pieces of 3/8" 2:1 heat shrink, about every 1.5",  to hold the four wires in a starquad pattern.

 

I covered the starquad with 1/4" braided shield before the second connector was attached.  If the second connector is attached

first 3/8" braided shield is needed, to get over the connector.

 

 

The other connector I used is an Oyaide DC-2.1G and the red wires are soldered in the vertical position.

 

And the final assembly of the straight connector.

 

I covered the cable with 1/4" Techflex clean cut pet expandable tubing and held it in place with 3/8" heat shrink tubing.

 

Have fun !

 

 

[d_elm]

1 hour ago, tims said:

I'm going to use starquad Van Damme microphone cable here: http://www.van-damme.com/_pdf/13 Tour Grade Classic XKE Starquad microphone cable.pdf where it states the individual wire size is 7 x 0.08mm (7 strands) which (when doubled) is around 18awg if I understand correctly. 

If this is right will my cable handle currents up to 6 amps with a length of around 500mm?

 

Thanks.

I calculate there will be a 0.06V drop at 6 amps, assuming Oyaide connectors,  but I do not know if that is ok or bad. The current draw likely changes and so does the voltage drop.  The suggestions are to use the largest AWG practical and that is probably around 17 when altering the insulation thickness to fit the wires into a connector.

[d_elm]

On 4/4/2018 at 7:10 PM, d_elm said:

Belden 9418, 4x18 AWG implementing a starquad, + JSSG is likely all that is needed for a DC cable.  The starquad pattern is for lowest inductance and 18 AWG is for lowest resistance with wires that will fit into an Oyaide connector.  Silver conducts only 6% better than

copper and silver wire is very expensive so I did not consider it for building a cable.

 

Connectors can make a large contribution to the resistance of a cable.  Low cost connectors ($0.50 each) I measured were about 5.0 milliOhm and Oyaide DC-2.1G[L] connectors were less than 0.5 milliOhm.  The 80cm DC cables I made had a resistance on each line, including Oyaide connectors, of 8.0 milliOhm.  I do not have a working signal generator to determine the inductance.

 

To make a starquad I purchased Neotech hook-up wire, 18 AWG stranded with PVC insulation.  This wire with silver insulation is 2.76 mm OD and with red insulation is 2.83 mm.  The same wire with PTFE insulation, much more expensive, I have read is 2.2 mm OD, perhaps a bit easier to work with.

 

I started with soldering two red wires to a DC-2.1GL.  The wires are horizontal in connector.

 

 

The insulation is too thick for four wires to go through the Oyaide connector barrel so I replaced insulation on the silver wires with heat shrink tubing.

 

Ensure the heat shrink tubing is long enough to clear the end of the connector barrel.

 

There is a temporary piece of heat shrink tubing to aid in connecting the silver pair to the connector.

 

Remove after soldering as there is little room inside the barrel.

 

I used 1/4" pieces of 3/8" 2:1 heat shrink, about every 1.5",  to hold the four wires in a starquad pattern.

 

I covered the starquad with 1/4" braided shield before the second connector was attached.  If the second connector is attached

first 3/8" braided shield is needed, to get over the connector.

 

 

The other connector I used is an Oyaide DC-2.1G and the red wires are soldered in the vertical position.

 

And the final assembly of the straight connector.

 

I covered the cable with 1/4" Techflex clean cut pet expandable tubing and held it in place with 3/8" heat shrink tubing.

 

Have fun !

 

 

I have an update for the DC cable construction.

 

1) use PTFE insulation instead of PVC.  Easily worth the money in SQ.  I have made the comparison where this is the only difference and it is real, for me.  Also easier to wire the connectors as the PTFE insulation is a smaller diameter.  But PTFE is slippery so purchase heat shrink tubing that contains glue.  The 3:1 tubing I purchase has glue.

2) instead of JSSG (single floating shield with spiral wire connecting ends of shield)

     I now have three shield layers with white PTFE tape between the starquad and each shield layer.  Three shields are connected at one end, I choose the source end, and the inner and outer shield are connected at the other end.

[d_elm]

57 minutes ago, look&listen said:

like Lush^2 favored set 

That is correct.