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DIY wire insulation/enamelling

Hopup

Jul 5, 2015
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Hi,

As the title says I'm looking a way to insulate some metal wires. Quantities would be around 1000-2000meters. Wire diameter would be lets say 34-36awg. Are there any realistic ways to do this myself?
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
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What voltage?
Conditions exposed to?
Shielding required?
Any reason for not using a commercial product?
M.
 

Hopup

Jul 5, 2015
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Voltages preferably 1000V and higher, would have to be able to withstand some mechanical stress and heat. No shielding.

There are no commercial wires available for what I want and buying custom wires is quite expensive.
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
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Personally I would be hesitant to try and insulate that length for greater than 1Kv insulation.
I could see the cost easilly being equal to a commercial product.
What is the application?
M.
 

Hopup

Jul 5, 2015
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Application is for some coils and electromechanical devices.

If I understand the commercial process for enamel application, first they put the wire through the enamel and then its heated or the bonding material is activated in some other way.

If the wire needs to be heated for only small amount of time like going past the heating element, it does not seem too bad to do, but baking it for hours is not really possibility.

I wonder if there are some easier ways to do this? I would be happy for 500-1000volt insulation for the wire.
 
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Hopup

Jul 5, 2015
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Also, would need just basic insulation for another type of wire. Breakdown voltages would be in this case not really important as the voltages would be around 5-20volts. Material should be still suited for some mechanical and heat stresses.

Again the wire size would be around 34-36awg.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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Where high voltage insulation is required it is common to wind the wire in insulated layers to keep the adjacent potential difference to a minimum. There are many instances of coils operating at 500-1000V that don't require any special coating other than commercially available stuff.

Main transformers with secondaries of 500-1000V are quite common and easily achieved.

What form does the coil construction take?
 

Hopup

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That 500-1000volts is more of a special case, and I'm still interested to know if it can be done DIY. Commercial wires seem to have around 500-3000volts breakdown voltage depending on the material and if the thickness is increased then higher.

I'm still very interested to know if and how to coat wire DIY when the voltages are around 20-25volts in regard to other surface of wire. I dont much of anything about enamelling process and especially how to do it in DIY so all information is good.
 

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
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I believe that some enamelled wire has three layers of insulation.
To wind a coil for high voltage, each layer should be separated by an insulating sheet. Thus the wire insulation has to withstand connection to an adjacent turn and the sheet has to withstand the voltage across several turns. You could get an old syle ignition coil to see the method of construction.
Look up Ludens for transformer winding.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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when the voltages are around 20-25volts in regard to other surface of wire.
volts or kV?

Assuming kV (as 'volts' is covered by standard enamel insulation anyway) where would you create a coil of wire where adjacent turns would exceed 500V (never mind 20-25kV)?

As mentioned in more than one reply, there are practical limitations that are more easily overcome using inter-layer insulation. Adjacent turns - in a single layer coil - could never have such a potential difference between them anyway.

Kapton tape is infinitely thinner than 1mm of 'varnish' and would be far easier to implement.

Can you state where/how an application would require more than 'standard' enamel coated wire or is this purely a thought exercise?
 

Hopup

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Its 20-25 volts, I need at least standard coating for metals of higher resistances and of other properties what are not commercially manufactured (as enamel wire). I much rather did it myself it its possible than pay large amounts like 1000euros for 500meters of wire which is quite accurate quotation.

500-1000 volts insulation can be useful if there are high EMF pulses generated and inter layer insulation is not thing what can be done.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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Can you reveal the type of wire you want to cover and/or the intended application?
 

Hopup

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Application is not really important for the discussion. Wires used are certain metals including composite clad wires. I'm pretty sure those enamels etc are not effected by the wire material as long as its metal wire.

Inter layer insulation is not something what can be done. Anyways that 500-1000 volts insulation is not as important than getting even more basic enamel for the wires. I cant see other way so far than use some air drying varnish and dip the wire through it.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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Seek a local motor/transformer rewinding business and ask if they could spare a small pot of the varnish they use to dip windings into.

Drawing a wire though this and locally heating it should provide sufficient insulation although I can't comment on its flexibility. Maybe 'they' could?
 

Hopup

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Don't really know if there are any of those businesses near me but I will take a look. Rolling the wire on reel and then using it later would be the best way for me.

Since the wire is so small, it probably get dry very fast at least. Those motor winding enamels are usually very hard so I almost bet its not going to work unless I use it right after its dipped.
 

WHONOES

May 20, 2017
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You can get double insulated wire (maybe even triple insulated) the insulation is wound on the wire rather than using and enamelling process. It is not cheap but can hold substantial voltages. Inter winding capacitance will be higher than enamelled. It is some years since I had cause to use it and cannot remember it's commercial name but I suspect a google search would turn it up.
 
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