wire choices for motor

[JDIRCC]

I have looked on here.for a while. And I haven't really.seen anyone talk about what kind of wire they use for there motors. I would assume it doesn't matter but I do know that different types of wire and sizesover the current easier and more efficiently than othera. In the past I have used some basic 12 Ga (I think) copper stranded wire. I havent noticed any motor.issues but some wire heat where when I used the wires that came with say and axial motor never heated up. I know I have seen someone talk about a good brand specifically but I cant remember the brand. So what's everyone's input?

[k7zpj]

All of these are fine stranded silicon insulated wires that work well for RC motors

Deans Wet Noodle 12Ga wire
W.S. Deans Wet Noodle Flex 12-Gauge Red 2'/Black 2'

TQRacing 13 Ga wire
13 Gauge

Castle Creations 13 Ga WIre
Castle Creations | Wire

[JDIRCC]

Awesome. Is there any length recommendation I should run off of the motor

[k7zpj]

I measure the length of the wire once I know the location of the ESC and motor so that I can keep the wires as short as possible. My wires are in the 3 to 6 inch long range. I wouldn't go longer than 6 inches if you can help it.

[Meatwad]

Been using 12ga 2conductor low voltage/direct burial landscape lighting wire for years. Cheap and readily available.

Wires should always be as short as needed.

[TheRockRanger]

I ususally use 3" wires off the motors and deans plugs

[TekmoCrawl]

I was also wondering about this. I’m interested in extending my motor wires to relocate the esc to the rear of my rig. I’m curious what most people do with scx10s when it comes to esc location.
Right now it just feels too crowded up there with my battery the 4” of motor wire doesn’t allow for much reconfiguration. Is this just a no brainer- Get longer wires, move the esc and be done with it?
Thanks!

[robertjpjr]

Originally Posted by TekmoCrawl

I was also wondering about this. I’m interested in extending my motor wires to relocate the esc to the rear of my rig. I’m curious what most people do with scx10s when it comes to esc location.
Right now it just feels too crowded up there with my battery the 4” of motor wire doesn’t allow for much reconfiguration. Is this just a no brainer- Get longer wires, move the esc and be done with it?
Thanks!

Should be fine. The voltage loss in 12" of wire won't be noticeable. I've got my Esc set in the rear.

I use the silicone wire 12ga found on ebay or Hobbyking. its like $1.50 for 3 feet.
I like the silicone for the flexibility and the multistrands.
The cheap wire tends to be solid copper and that doesn't conduct as well, not to mention its stiff and tough to maneuver.

[mrG]

This is the best I've seen, I use in on all my rcs http://www.tqracing.com/rc_products.htm

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by robertjpjr

Should be fine. The voltage loss in 12" of wire won't be noticeable. I've got my Esc set in the rear.

I use the silicone wire 12ga found on ebay or Hobbyking. its like $1.50 for 3 feet.
I like the silicone for the flexibility and the multistrands.
The cheap wire tends to be solid copper and that doesn't conduct as well, not to mention its stiff and tough to maneuver.

Please elaborate on how solid copper doesn't conduct as well as multistrands.

[SkaldidDog]

Originally Posted by mrG

This is the best I've seen, I use in on all my rcs RC Products

And Tower sells it. Just grabbed some.



Hope it's the bomb.

J

[Snarf77]

Originally Posted by Meatwad

Please elaborate on how solid copper doesn't conduct as well as multistrands.

I understood that the increased surface area made the difference. Electrons travel on the surface of the wire and a solid wire has less surface area. Hence multistrand is a better conductor? It may only be the case at very high frequencies though..

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by Snarf77

I understood that the increased surface area made the difference. Electrons travel on the surface of the wire and a solid wire has less surface area. Hence multistrand is a better conductor? It may only be the case at very high frequencies though..

The way it was explained to me is that skin effect is actually null because all the strands are technically shorted, being that they're all touching each other. Add to that the fact that all the circles/strands can't physically occupy the same space as a single larger strand, that efficiency/power handling is actually less than a single larger wire. Now a hexagonal packed stranded wire would be the work around for that. And there are some high end speaker driver motors designed that way. It'd be cool to see some measured evidence either way.

Then again for our intended purposes, this is most likely all moot...

[mrG]

Originally Posted by SkaldidDog

Hope it's the bomb.

It is, you'll never look back.

[Olle P]

Originally Posted by Meatwad

... all the circles/strands can't physically occupy the same space as a single larger strand, that efficiency/power handling is actually less than a single larger wire...

That's taken care of by calculating only the actual metallic cross section, so a 10AWG multi strand should be slightly thicker than a 10AWG single strand to compensate.

The "should" is there to cover the fact that a specific nominal gauge typically isn't...
Meaning that if you compare for example two "12AWG" wires of different brands they can be very different in actual wire gauge.
I had a discussion a while back in another forum where a member claimed Tekin "12AWG" wires to be better than Turnigy because their wires were thicker (3.0 vs 2.25 mm diametre of the wires). I tought just the opposite, because the Turnigy wire is 12AWG as advertised while the more expensive Tekin is actually close to 9AWG!
In my opinion "more copper" doesn't equal "better" in this situation. When I order something I have already figured out what's optimal, and if I get 10AWG instead of 12AWG that means extra unwanted weight!

[nharkey85]

Originally Posted by Olle P

In my opinion "more copper" doesn't equal "better" in this situation. When I order something I have already figured out what's optimal, and if I get 10AWG instead of 12AWG that means extra unwanted weight!

i think this is probably the best way to look at it. a 3lb comp machine with 85T motors doesnt need 10AWG motor wires. where as a 12lb trail truck with a high kV motor could possibly melt 18AWG