Understanding Transformers
Wire and Transformer
Selection
Power Supply Design
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Don't know what size wire to order?
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Temperature Chart

How much current is required for a given size wire to heat it to a certain temperature
(in air)?
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**NEW**

Nichrome Wire Calculator

 Calculate wire size, length, voltage, and
power required for your application.

 
Single Pages
for the same
Wire gauges and quantities

40 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
38 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
36 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
34 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
32 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
30 gauge
10ft   30ft  100ft
28 gauge
10ft   30ft 
26 gauge
10ft   30ft 
1/8 lb   1/4 lb 
24 gauge
10ft   30ft 
1/8 lb   1/4 lb 
22 gauge
10ft   30ft 
1/8 lb   1/4 lb 
20 gauge
10ft   30ft 
1/8 lb   1/4 lb 
19 gauge
10ft   30ft 
18 gauge
10ft   30ft 
1/8 lb   1/4 lb 
17 gauge
10ft   30ft 
16 gauge
10ft   30ft 
15 gauge
10ft   30ft 
14 gauge
10ft   30ft 

Nichrome wire on a card
Card
Pkg = Cd

 

 


Spool
Pkg = Sp

 

 

Nichrome wire in a free coil
Open coil
Pkg = OC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/8 lb wire spool

1/4 lb wire spool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WARNING!
DON'T BUY
Small gauge WIRE NOT ON A CARD OR SPOOL. You will likely end up with a rats nest tangle you can't use!

 

 

HOW TO MAKE WIRE WOUND IGNITERS AND ELECTRIC MATCHES

Click Here

 

 

Experimental and High Power Rocketry Web Site

Click Here

 

 

The Complete Water Rocket Manual
Web Site

Click Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nichrome Wire

(Bare Nickel Chromium Resistance Wire)

 

Rocketry or pyrotechic igniters, electric matches,

foam cutting, heating, release mechanisms, ceramics,
laboratory, and many other uses

 

Small gauges are wound on spools or cards
 to prevent tangling and waste

 

Need nichrome wire for a hobby, home, work, school, or scientific project?

We sell bare nichrome wire (nickel chromium resistance wire)
with the small gauges, small quantities wound on plastic cards or spools to prevent tangling.

We are your one-stop source for nichrome wire 40 gauge to 14 gauge
in quantities from 10 feet to 1 pound

 and normally ship same day (95% of the time) or next day.

 

Nichrome 60, Chromel C Wire,

Nickel Chromium Resistance Wire

60% nickel, 16% chromium, 24% iron

Manufacturer:  Consolidated Electronic Wire & Cable

ASTM B267 and ASTM B344
 

Free shipping
on all nichrome wire only orders in this section (green)
to the USA (contact for international orders)

If you include 1/8 or 1/4 lb spools in your order, add $5.50 shipping
If you include 1 lb spools in your order, add $11.00 shipping

 

The Pkg column below indicates how the wire is wound
Cd = Wound on a Card
Sp = Wound on a Spool
OC = Wound as an Open Coil
See pictures in the left sidebar

 

 Description Gauge Dia.
(in.)		 Pkg Catalog # Qty (ft) Price Click on these buttons to order
 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 70.2
 ohms/ft		 40 0.0031 Cd NW40010 10 $2.25

Cd NW40030 30 $4.25

Sp NW40100 100 $6.50

Sp NW40250 250 $10.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 42.2
 ohms/ft		 38 .0040 Cd NW38010 10 $2.25

Cd NW38030 30 $4.50

Sp NW38100 100 $7.25

Sp NW38250 250 10.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 27.0
 ohms/ft		 36 .0050 Cd NW36010 10 $2.50

Cd NW36030 30 $4.75

Sp NW36100 100 $7.50

Sp NW36250 250 11.25

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 17.0
 ohms/ft		 34 .0063 Cd NW34010 10 $2.75

Cd NW34030 30 $5.00

Sp NW34100 100 $8.00

Sp NW34250 250 $13.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 10.6
 ohms/ft		 32 .0080 Cd NW32010 10 $2.75

Cd NW32030 30 $5.25

Sp NW32100 100 $8.25

Sp NW32250 250 $14.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 6.75
 ohms/ft		 30 .0100 Cd NW30010 10 $3.00

Sp NW30030 30 $5.50

Sp NW30100 100 $8.50

Sp NW30250 250 15.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 4.25
 ohms/ft 		 28 .0126 Cd NW28010 10 $3.25

Sp NW28030 30 $5.75

Sp NW28100 100 $9.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 2.67
 ohms/ft		 26 .0159 OC NW26010 10 $3.50

Sp NW26030 30 $7.00

Sp NW26100 100 $12.00

 Description Gauge Dia.
(in.)		 Pkg Catalog # Qty (ft) Price Click on these buttons to order
 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
1.67 ohms/ft		 24 .0201 OC NW24010 10 $4.25

Sp NW24030 30 $8.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 1.06 ohms/ft		 22 .0253 Oc NW22010 10 $5.25

Sp NW22030 30 $8.75

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
.659 ohms/ft		 20 .0320 Oc NW20010 10 $6.00

Sp NW20030 30 $10.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .521 ohms/ft 		19 .0359 Oc NW19010 10 $6.75

Oc NW19030 30 $11.25

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .422 ohms/ft 		18 .0403 Oc NW18010 10 $7.25

Oc NW18030 30 $12.00

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .333 ohms/ft		 17 .0453 Oc NW17010 10 $8.00

Oc NW17030 30 $14.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .260 ohms/ft 		16 .0508 Oc NW16010 10 $8.75

Oc NW16030 30 $15.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .208 ohms/ft		 15 .0571 Oc NW15010 10 $9.50

Oc NW15030 30 $17.50

 Nichrome 60
 (Chromel C)
 .165 ohms/ft 		14 .0641 Oc NW14010 10 $10.50

Oc NW14030 30 $19.00

 

 

1/8 & 1/4 lb SPOOLS OF NICHROME WIRE

The items below may have an equivalent above.  The price is higher for the items below than those above when you add the $5.50 shipping if you only order one item but will arrive sooner due to the priority shipping and are easier to handle and store due to being wound on a spool. 

 

The following are on plastic spools and are shipped in a small Priority Mail box. $5.50 postage is charged for orders from this section and covers from one to 16 spools of  1/8 lb or 1 to 8 spools of 1/4 lb for the same $5.50.  Note: this is for USA only.  Please contact for international shipments.

 

Click on this button (only once) to add the $5.50 shipping for order with spools (items below). 

Failing to add this will delay your order while we contact you to tell you that you need to add the $5.50 shipping.  The shipping is not added automatically.

 

 $5.50 shipping

Gauge Dia.
(in.)		 Catalog # Qty (lb) Approx
ft		 Price Click on these buttons to order  
28 0.0126 NW28008 1/8 280 $13.50

READ ME

Click Add to Cart button above to add required $5.50 Shipping for All Items In this section.
NW28004 1/4 560 $23.00

26 0.0159 NW26008 1/8 173 $12.50

NW26004 1/4 346 $20.00

24 0.0201 NW24008 1/8 108 $11.00

NW24004 1/4 216 $18.00

22 0.0253 NW22008 1/8 68 $10.50

NW22004 1/4 136 $17.25

20 0.0320 NW20008 1/8 43 $9.50

NW20004 1/4 86 $16.00

18 0.0403 NW18008 1/8 27 $8.75

NW18004 1/4 54 $15.00

 

 

ONE POUND SPOOLS OF NICHROME WIRE

 

The following are on plastic spools and are shipped in a medium Priority Mail box. $11.00 postage is charged for orders from this section and that one shipping price is good for one or several one pound spools or combinations of different weights of spools and/or wire wound on cards for the same $11.50.  Note: this is for USA only.  Please contact for international shipments.

 

Click on this button (only once) to add the $11.00 shipping for order with one pound spools (items below). 

Failing to add this will delay your order while we contact you to tell you that you need to add the $11.00 shipping.  The shipping is not added automatically.

 $11.50 shipping

 

Gauge Dia.
(in.)		 Catalog # Qty (lb) Approx
ft		 Price Click on these buttons to order  
26 0.0159 NW26001 1 1385 $64.00

READ ME
 Click Add to Cart button above to add required $11.50 Shipping for All Items In this section.
24 0.0201 NW24001 1 867 $56.50

22 0.0253 NW22001 1 547 $53.00

20 0.0320 NW20001 1 342 $48.50

18 0.0403 NW18001 1 216 $45.50

16 0.0508 NW16001 1 136 $41.50

15 0.0571 NW15001 1 107 $40.00

14 0.0641 NW14001 1 85 $38.50

 

CURRENT TEMPERATURE TABLE

Nichrome A & Nichrome C Wire

Approximate amperes to heat a straight oxidized wire in air to the specified temperature.  (for an approximation, divide current by two for coiled wire).

Temperature °F

400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

Temperature °C

205 315 427 538 649 760 871 982 1093
gauge Dia (in) Amperes
14 .0641 8.4 11.6 15 18.8 23.5 29 34.6 40.5 46
15 .0571 7.2 10 12.8 16.1 20 24.5 29.4 34.3 39.2
16 .05108 6.4 8.7 10.9 13.7 17 20.9 25.1 29.4 33.6
17 .0453 5.5 7.5 9.5 11.7 14.5 17.6 21.1 24.6 28.1
18 .0403 4.8 6.5 8.2 10.1 12.2 14.8 17.7 20.7 23.7
19 .0359 4.3 5.8 7.2 8.7 10.6 12.7 15.2 17.8 20.5
20 .0320 3.8 5.1 6.3 7.6 9.1 11 13 15.2 17.5
22 .0253 2.9 3.7 4.5 5.6 6.8 8.2 9.6 11.0 12.5
24 .0201 2.2 2.9 3.4 4.2 5.1 6.0 7.1 8.2 9.4
26 .0159 1.7 2.1 2.6 3.2 3.8 4.5 5.3 6.1 6.9
28 .0126 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.9 3.4 3.9 4.5 5.1
30 .0100 .92 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.5 2.9 3.3 3.7
32 .0080 .68 .90 1.1 1.4 1.6 1.9 2.2 2.5 2.8
34 .0063 .50 .68 .83 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
36 .0050 .38 .52 .63 .77 .89 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.5
38 .0040 .30 .41 .50 .59 .68 .78 .88 .98 1.1
40 .0031 .24 .31 .36 .43 .50 .57 .64 .72 .79
 

 

 

Don't know what gauge Nichrome wire you need?

There is a huge difference between 40 gauge wire and 14 gauge.  The larger the gauge number, the smaller the wire diameter.  40 gauge is hair fine.  14 gauge is about the size of a wire coat hanger and very stiff.  The difference between 40 gauge and 38 gauge is very little.  The difference between 14 gauge and 16 gauge is significant.  The smaller the wire size, the less difference between similar gauges and the larger the gauge, the more difference between similar gauges

Small diameters, typically 34 gauge to 40 gauge are used for igniters because a low voltage and current will cause a short piece of these sizes to get so hot they will vaporize and in the process ignite a pyrogen which will ignite a model rocket motor or an ejection charge.  It is also used to ignite other things such as smoke or flash powder in magic acts.

Heater elements use a variety of gauges but will often be in the range of 26 to 32 gauge.  Electric heater or heating elements are coiled.  Coiling will increase the temperature over straight lengths of the same size and length due to the heating affect of neighboring coils.

26 gauge is probably the most common size used for foam cutting but may range from 22 to 28 gauge.  The heat generated depends on the length of the wire and the voltage.

18 gauge is a common size nichrome wire used for heat sealing poly bags.  Flat nichrome ribbon is also often used (we don't carry the ribbon...yet).

The largest size, 14 gauge to 18 gauge is normally used in kilns for firing ceramics because of its high heat resistance.  It can be used to hold up pieces sitting on the bottom of the kiln or used to suspend items while firing.  For comparison 14 gauge copper wire is the most common size of house wiring in Romex wire.

You might see gauge also spelled gage.  Either are correct.  AWG is also used in place of gauge when specifying size so you might see 14 AWG rather than 14 gauge or 14 gage.  AWG stands for  American Wire gauge and is the standard for non-ferrous wire sizes.