View Full Version : IO Cards wire
droddis
09-13-2011, 04:52 PM
Hi,
I'm looking to wire my overhead with the open cockpits cards but unsure of what wire to use. I found this on rapid http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/Silicone-test-cable-23AWG-73359 is this suitable, if not could some recommend a wire?
Thanks.
Hi,
No, that's much to heavy, the currents in OC cards wires are 20 milliamps, not 2 Amps.
You better use flat or ribbon cable http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_cable. You can buy these in several sizes and lengths.
Nico
droddis
09-13-2011, 05:10 PM
Hi kiek,
Is ribbon cable not hard to separate into single strands?
No, but most of the time you need more then one wire, you seldom need just one wire...
But if you need a single wire you buy that by the meter, I only tried to indicate the thickness of the wire that you need.
Nico
droddis
09-13-2011, 05:53 PM
Thanks nico!
I just found an old ide computer cable and had a play with with it! I cannot believe how thin the wire is! That's going to be fun to connect to the toggle switches!
Tom_G_2010
09-13-2011, 06:05 PM
Sorry to piggy back on your thread droddis, but I am about to start some wiring myself and was debating whether to use up some old wire I have laying around so I was about to post a similar question.
I have a bunch of Cat 3 muli-Pair that's of no use around the house now since I wire everything for data using Cat 5. It's old twisted pair 8 conductor 24 gauge telephone wire. Based on spec's it's about 25 ohms per thousand feet so at 20 milliamps it will present very little voltage loss.
Wondering if anyone has used similar and run into any issues?
droddis
09-13-2011, 07:08 PM
I was thinking take the strands out of telephone wire so I can have the different colours!
twisted8
09-13-2011, 10:18 PM
Not sure about cat3, but I use cat5 cable and it works great! cat 3 would probably work too but I wouldn't know for sure.
droddis
09-14-2011, 02:42 PM
If I use cat 5e cable is it easy to put into idc connectors to connect to the cards?
fordgt40
09-14-2011, 04:22 PM
40 pin idc connectors are designed to use ribbon cable. I suggest you purchase some input/output breakout cards from OC, the input card can be found here
http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/inputs-connection-p-70.html?cPath=21_27
You can connect your cat5 cables to the appropriate screw fix terminals on these cards which are in turn connected to the mastercard by a 40 pin ribbon cable
David