Author Topic: RIBBON WIRE  (Read 4491 times)

Offline rollo

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RIBBON WIRE
« on: August 16, 2019, 10:31:41 AM »
  What is the advantage or disadvantage of using Ribbon wire as opposed to solid core wire for power cords ? 


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Offline BobM

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Re: RIBBON WIRE
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2019, 11:49:21 AM »
I can't say I've thought to use flat ribbon cable for a power cord, but i have tried it as an interconnect in two different configurations. Here's what I mean by that.

Say a ribbon cable, like those found inside your PC and other electronics, has 5 independent strands of copper sitting side by side. You could connect it like this ... the first 2 strands as the - and the last 3 strands as the +, like this --+++

Or like this, strands 1,3,5 as + and strands 2 and 4 as -, essentially alternating +-+-+

I don't remember how each configuration affects the electrical properties of the cable, but I believe one has lower inductance and the other lower capacitance. I do know that they sounded different from each other, so it does make a difference which way you go. No reason why you couldn't do the same with a power cord, but you will need far more conductors to get the gauge you want.


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Offline Barry (NJ)

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Re: RIBBON WIRE
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2019, 12:19:36 PM »
Side note, but ribbon cable can be solid core or stranded. That designation refers to the construction of the individual conductors in the cable. A conductor being an insulated signal carrier.

There are also two types of ribbon, the literal broad flat ribbon



, and what Bob had described, multiple conductors held in a flat ribbon form.

« Last Edit: August 16, 2019, 12:22:03 PM by Barry (NJ) »
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Offline Barry (NJ)

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Re: RIBBON WIRE
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2019, 12:23:20 PM »
P.S. I didn't notice you had said power cord, and I'd never seen that either...
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Offline steve

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Re: RIBBON WIRE
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2019, 04:06:21 PM »
I can't say I've thought to use flat ribbon cable for a power cord, but i have tried it as an interconnect in two different configurations. Here's what I mean by that.

Say a ribbon cable, like those found inside your PC and other electronics, has 5 independent strands of copper sitting side by side. You could connect it like this ... the first 2 strands as the - and the last 3 strands as the +, like this --+++

Or like this, strands 1,3,5 as + and strands 2 and 4 as -, essentially alternating +-+-+

I don't remember how each configuration affects the electrical properties of the cable, but I believe one has lower inductance and the other lower capacitance.

Hi Bob,

Yes, you are quite correct, the +-+-+ will tend to have lower inductance but higher capacitance when
compared to the --+++ configuration, with lower capacitance but higher inductance.

The increase in inductance creates minimal loss across 20hz and up due to the very high input
impedance (Z)
of the following component.

The highs, on the other hand, will be more affected by the total capacitance, which includes the
output capacitance of the previous component, ic cable capacitance, and input capacitance of the
following device in conjunction with the low output impedance (Z) of the previous component.
(I left out the high input Z since the low Z clearly dominates the total impedance.)

I would estimate the higher capacitance configuration had slightly less highs than the latter configuration.
Correct me if that is not your conclusion.

Hope this helps and great weekend Bob.

steve
« Last Edit: August 16, 2019, 04:33:17 PM by steve »
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Offline malloy

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Re: RIBBON WIRE
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2019, 11:09:19 PM »
Is this the same? Verastarr uses silver foil. I've never seen or heard anything like this before.



http://verastarr.com/power-cords/