Gauge of power leads between board and power socket?

[JDE]

What gauge wire is everyone using to replace the +/- leads from the PCB to the rear power socket on Cobras and etc? I have two unmodified Cobra 29s needing new leads due to damage or corrosion.

Bonus Question; I've seen a handful of people putting a single ferrite toroid on each of those power leads(2-3 loops through the toroid). Anywhere here do that, and if so, what size toroids are you using?

 

[Dmans]

Automotive Wire Size Calculator – Wire Gauge Chart | MGI SpeedWare

Find the right automotive wire size using an interactive AWG chart that takes into account load current, temperature, wire length and voltage drop.

mgispeedware.com

^^^^^^
A good guide for amp draw vs. wire gauge vs. length of conductor.

AFIK toriods on power leads are to reduce electrical interference to the receiver through the power leads. Older CB radios used a filter choke (looks like a small transformer) for this purpose. I suppose that filter chokes got too expensive so the "replacement" became RF chokes from power socket to PC board. Ferrites may well do a better job of "interference" reduction but can be frequency (as in the frequency of the interference that needing to be blocked) specific in the type of material the toriod is made of.

FT240-43 Ferrite Toroid – Ferrite-shop

FT240-43 Ferrite toroids can be used as common mode choke, impedance transformer or balun. 43 Material is a good wide band common mode suppression solution.

ferrite-shop.com

^^^^^
Some info on toriods.

73
David

 

[JDE]

Since I'm just replacing the existing PCB to power socket leads and not trying to upgrade them, I'm limited to the hole sizes in the PCB for those leads sicne they're through-hole. Looks like it might be 20g solid core, just wasn't sure and I'd hate to buy a spool of wire that won't work.

 

[Dmans]

In that case I would use the largest gauge wire I could fit in the PCB. A pin vise drill (available at Hobby Shops) can enlarge the PCB holes easily.
Tip: drill from the solder side slowly enlarging one hole size at a time until you reach the diameter of the wire size you want to use.

Precision Pin Vise Hand Drill Set Of 10 Pieces Rotary Tools For Models Hobby DIY - Walmart.com

Buy Precision Pin Vise Hand Drill Set Of 10 Pieces Rotary Tools For Models Hobby DIY at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

(Above is a link to a pin vise drill. Robot or Human????)

I have used solid buss wire from the PCB board to the SO-239 connector and used a pin vise drill to enlarge the PCB holes with no problems.

73
David