Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[sara2]

I'm going to be adding extra magnetic switches on a few door/window sensors.  What size wire would I need? 

Thanks,  Sara

[HA Dave]

I'm going to be adding extra magnetic switches on a few door/window sensors.  What size wire would I need? 

Not much of a wire is needed.. I don't know maybe 22 gauge [or less] you will be better off with stranded wire NOT solid (although solid wire will work). I've extended some of my magnetic switches over 30 feet. I used two wire ribbon wire from radio shack.

[Brian H]

The wire on the door and window sensors is fairly light. Looks to me like maybe #28 and it doesn't have to carry much current.
#22 or #24 maybe easier to find and would be fine. I would also say stay away from solid if possible.

[sara2]

I've searched all over town for #22 and none to be found.  I may have to go with
#20, and even that's hard to locate.

Thanks, Sara

[Brian H]

#20 should be fine.
No Radio Shacks near you?

[sara2]

Radio shack near me only had #22 solid, but I think Home Depot had #20 so I'll check there again.

Thanks, Sara

[glb7272]

Wow!!!! its hard to find hook up wire for the alarm industry on the consumer side. My suggestion is to use a non coiled telephone "extension cable". They are cheap, easy to find, and easy to "run". There are 4 wires inside but you could tie 2 wires x 2 to make a cable that would work.

Now I need the building code experts to answer the question "would that be OK for a low voltage application?"

[Mellowmark]

You got it phone cable, cad5 also works good (network cable) home depot has that.  if your not going to far strip it back, its twisted together and every thing.  we are talking 24 volt or less right. 

[Charles Sullivan]

Wow!!!! its hard to find hook up wire for the alarm industry on the consumer side. My suggestion is to use a non coiled telephone "extension cable". They are cheap, easy to find, and easy to "run". There are 4 wires inside but you could tie 2 wires x 2 to make a cable that would work.

Now I need the building code experts to answer the question "would that be OK for a low voltage application?"

The major problem with normal telephone cable is that each wire has only a very few strands and is easily broken.

[glb7272]

sara2 did you find wire that would work? If so please share. It was hard for me to find that wire as well  Please do not look into the wire type and size to closely in this application ( I see you think way too much as I do) The main idea is that the whole thing is connected and you can do that with any wire (speaker wire, electrical wire, hook up wire) In the end it just needs 2 pieces of wire to work.

I asked about "code" even though I did not think it would matter just to see if it was safe and legal.

Charles Sullivan Sorry if i did not make sense i write slower than i think.

The major problem with normal telephone cable is that each wire has only a very few strands and is easily broken.

I was thinking about using a telephone extension cable (plug to phone)  and not telephone cable.  The extension cord has about 7 strands of copper per "wire" albeit very thin. I thought it could be a cheap alternative to buying a large quantity of cat5 or cat3. Just a idea

[dave w]

FWIW
Doesn't look pretty, but plain ole "twisted pair" is available from the big box stores fairly cheap. Menards only sells pre cut rolls, but Home Depot and Lowes sells custom lenghts.

[sara2]

I was able to find #20 at home depot but a limited quantity.  They don't seem to be very interested in restocking.  I guess there just isn't a big demand for this type of wire. 

Sara

[steven r]

You might find this topic informative.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=18369.0

[HA Dave]

..... I guess there just isn't a big demand for this type of wire. 

We seem to be a vanishing group. The phone store formerly known as: "Radio Shack" at one time carried all the little nit-noid items only a geek could love. Now-a-days we have to hunt for such things. You might try an automotive parts place.

[Mellowmark]

Listen you guys I don't now how for you need to run but cad 5 cable is your smallest size  and best bet.  You can buy it by the box or 25 to 10 foot or even 6 foot premade cables like for your computer network.


Go to the best buy or computer city, micro center  Lowe's home depot.   Get the premade cable and cut the ends off there is 8 conductors inside.. It will take some time but if you only need one or two for each you can strip the outer jacket and you the individual conductors for you switches..  One 25 foot piece will do 4 separate runs if you separate the cable their are pairs that are twisted together inside.