Buying wire

[DWest]

I’m ready to run wires through my wing for pos/strobes and duckworks landing lights. Looks like I will need 18/20 gauge for the aveo powerbursts and 14/16 for the landing lights. Is there a specific kind of wire I should be buying? Tefzel stranded or not stranded? I prefer to buy aircraft grade wire whatever that may be. Not sure where to start but want to buy the right stuff!

[pappas]

Tefzel stranded is what we use for almost everything in the aircraft. Whatever gauge is needed for the electrical load.

[GordonTurner]

https://www.steinair.com/

Stein is an excellent source for all the electrical stuff, and a great guy to work with when you get to the avionics.

[N190YX]

Aircraft grade wire (Tefzel) is good because in an electrical fire the smoke is not (as) toxic. Recommend stranded wire as it resists fatigue breaking versus solid wire.

[DWest]

Shielded or not shielded?

[Bryan Cotton]

At Sikorsky and Collins we pretty much use shielded wire for everything. May be overkill for our application, but for the strobes I'd recommend shielded wire. Terminate the shield to ground on one end, whatever your grounds are in the airplane inside the cockpit.

[DWest]

Thanks all!
I'm looking at either 3 wire or 4 wire for the pos/strobes. Can I use the shield as the ground for the pos/strobe assembly or elsewhere? I used to be an aircraft electrician 15 years ago before I got in the pilot seat, but I don't remember most of the engineering basics behind general wiring and really, I was just repairing what already existed. So, putting it together I am comfortable with, the design piece I am a true amateur!

[DCASonex]

Run current through the shield and it becomes just another conductor, not a shield.

David A.

[DWest]

Solid point!

[BobDz]

https://www.steinair.com/

Stein is an excellent source for all the electrical stuff, and a great guy to work with when you get to the avionics.

Pegasus Auto Racing ( home of thr $0.65 clecoe) is even cheaper for wire than Stein. Service is amazing