Multicore Cable

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Supplier of modest lengths

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I need some nice flexible 4 and 6 to 8 core wire for small stepper motors a remote handset. It needs to be able to carry an amp or two comfortably on any individual core so old computer serial leads etc. are too fine.

The web is swamped with burglar alarm/telephone cable (which is single-conductor per core).

CPC only seem to sell cable in 100m lengths and I only want a few metres.

Maplin's range continues to shrink.

Can anyone suggest somewhere that does short lengths (e.g. 10m) for a reasonable price?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Arc? I bought some 4 core stepper cable from them.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 26/01/2016 15:17:40:

The web is swamped with burglar alarm/telephone cable (which is single-conductor per core).

.

Telephone cable is normally single conductor per core. But 'true' alarm cable has several cores but does not fall into the true flexible category.

Does the cable need to be a true flexible cable or just bendable.?

Nick

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Neil,

Have you tried ESR Electronics/Rapid electronics or CPC Farnell?

Edited By John Rudd on 26/01/2016 15:32:40

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Cheap nasty 7 or 13 core trailer cable maybe?

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Have a look at

**LINK**

may be a little big though.

regards Martin

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Would something like this suit? Can be bought by the meter in various colours.

P.

[Simon Williams 3Participant @simonwilliams3]

Try your local electrical wholesaler. Most branches of City Electrical Factors or its local equivalent will sell CY control cable (copper/pvc multicore flex) in cut lengths. You might not get a lot of choice of what construction, but you'll probably find something that'll do. For an amp or two and say 5 – 10 metres you probably need a cable with 1.0 mm2 cores, though 0.75 mm2 will do. Even 0.5 mm2 will suffice just about if that's all you can get, but steppers like their current so more copper is better. That's the cross section area of each core. There are special end fittings (glands) for some of these cables, particularly the flex armoured (braided) kind known as SY cable.

Another possibility is to use 7 core trailer cable – it's not rated for 230 volts (CY cable will be) and might be a bit too chunky, but it's an easy thing to buy and will have plenty of copper in it. I think Maplin sell it, also B&Q. There will be a local auto electrician's wholesaler who will sell it, or buy a trailer board at the car boot sale and rob the cable off it.

Alternative 3 is to find an industrial control panel or switchgear builder (look under electrical motor control panel in your local yellow pages or google etc). They'll have all sorts of offcuts.

You can make a multicore cable from some suitably sized nylon tube (air line tube) and some pipe fittings (end fittings) to make a DIY plastic conduit. This can make a very robust assembly with some serious resistance to abuse, but it is a fiddle to find or make the bits to make a nice looking job of it. Threading the cores up the pipe can be fun, pinch the vacuum cleaner off SWMBO and suck them through, don't push as they will snaggle up and jam.

Have fun! Simon

[JAParticipant @ja]

I have bought 4 core (3 phase) cable from B&Q. For more cores use trailer cable.

JA

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

As John says, try Rapid. Bizarrely(?) they keep pukka drag chain cable , so if you want to do the job properly, that would be the stuff. Very flexible, coolant proof and with a good life spec. And available by the metre. Of course, you should really buy some drag chain when you are at it….

Merry

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Ah. Finally refined my searches (multicore cable WITHOUT a number of cores + a bit of patience!) and found some

Blimey! Where did all those replies come from?

It's for the scope drive, so trailer cable is going to be a bit heavy and stiff.

I found some 0.75mm2 4 and 6 core, which should be OK, I won't be going past 1A per core – forgot that bipolar steppers don't use an earth return.

Neil

 

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 26/01/2016 16:05:07

[Michael BriggsParticipant @michaelbriggs82422]

Hello Neil,

CPC – CB17120 for the steppers, regards, Michael

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 26/01/2016 15:57:08:

Ah. Finally refined my searches (multicore cable WITHOUT a number of cores + a bit of patience!) and found some

Blimey! Where did all those replies come from?

It's for the scope drive, so trailer cable is going to be a bit heavy and stiff.

I found some 0.75mm2 4 and 6 core, which should be OK, I won't be going past 1A per core – forgot that bipolar steppers don't use an earth return.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 26/01/2016 16:05:07

So, where did you manage to find some then? For future reference of course…..

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Bob Hi Neil,

I believe that Arc sell four core by the meter for stepper motors.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

There is nothing wrong with using ribbon cable if you want light weight.

Martin

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The 7 core 0.75mm2 flex used for things like central heating programers is easy enough to get by the meter. Also watch out for some of the heat resisting flex as that is not good if in contact with grease & oil. Multiflex would look the part

Flex would be a better search than cable

Edited By JasonB on 26/01/2016 16:40:50

[kevin beeversParticipant @kevinbeevers61752]

how about the cable from an telephone handset

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

In a former life I made (well assembled) umpteen multicore cable using individual cores inside expandable braided nylon sleeving.

If you dont need electrical screening for your stepper and handset I suggest using individual silicone cores in 'Rilgaine'. Constructing a cable say, 1m long is very easy. I have made up multicore looms with 40 or so conductors wires that were 35m long. Standard multicore cable would have been preferred but a custom multicore was not warranted and we needed to connect several thermocouples, PLC i/o, coaxial RF wires, and high current devices through one umbilical.

Silicone wire is usually very flexible as it easily available with very high strand counts, it is flexible at high and low temps and if you were concerned about cable strength you can include nylon coated braided stainless steel cable (fishing line), if its secured in the connectors at each end of the cable there are no worries about strain (but it wont snap if you trip over it!)

Ian P

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Cripes, some heavy-duty solutions being offered. if I want braided stainless outer I have some in the scrap bin, but I wanted something relatively light and supple.

Went for 0.22 mm2 cross section (about 0.5mm diameter), will take an amp and should still be very flexible – my main criteria.

Neil

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

nobody mentioned Ethernet cable, RS232 cables. Both readily available with connectors to suit. Ah, for the telescope, I'd suggest the RS232 so you have decent connectors for fumbling in the dark.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bazyle on 27/01/2016 12:43:41:

nobody mentioned Ethernet cable, RS232 cables. Both readily available with connectors to suit. Ah, for the telescope, I'd suggest the RS232 so you have decent connectors for fumbling in the dark.

.

Expanding slightly on Bazyle's point …

There should be miles of pre-loved Centronics printer cables about.

MichaelG.

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

I might have some cy .75mm or 1mm in 4 core. How much do you need?

Regards.

David.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Neil

I suggested making up your own cables using expandable braided sleeving as a usable technique. I gave details of some cable I had made just to indicate the range of possibilities not intending to suggest that you needed anything so complex or robust.

Sleeving is available from about 3mm diameter (See RS 170-5419 for example). I also now see that braided copper sleeving is stocked so creating a screened multicore is much easier than when I made them by 'dismantling' donor coax to obtain the screen layer.

Ian P

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Bazyle on 27/01/2016 12:43:41:

nobody mentioned Ethernet cable, RS232 cables. Both readily available with connectors to suit. Ah, for the telescope, I'd suggest the RS232 so you have decent connectors for fumbling in the dark.

Ethernet would be OK, I suppose – it's rated at 25W for POE, but I don't know the voltage. Might be OK for steppers, but a bit stiff for a handset. I have loads of RS232 cables, but they have very fine cross section.

I'm going to use XLR connectors for the steppers – chunky and easy to use in the dark and they lock positively without horrible little thumbscrews. But decent ones – the inside of the cheap socket on my existing unit pulled out with the plug! That took some fixing by the light of a faint red torch!

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