Silicone vs. PVC stranded wire

[Coach_McGuirk]

Is anyone using silicone hookup wire? It seems that the pre-bonded PVC wire that I get from SBP breaks easily. The cheap rolls of silicone from Amazon seem to hold up better, although there may be downsides as well. They feel very different to work with. Silicone wants to rebound to its quasi straight shape, so it can be a little more difficult to work with, but once it's installed, the flexibility can be quite nice. I'm wondering if there is higher quality silicone stuff that is worth trying.

 

[Diynot]

I use this stuff (might be the same Amazon fare you mentioned) and have no complaints

I like that the insulation doesn’t shrink on heating. I think the rebound is more based on it being a non-bonded stranded than the insulation itself. Bonded acts more like a solid core

 

[Brett]

I use silicone hookup wire and it can be great for reasons that @Diynot mentioned. It can also be a bit trickier to work with if you're not tidy or don't pay special attention when building. It should be pre-tinned before soldering to the board because the strand count is substantially higher than other stranded copper wire. You'll end up with little tiny whiskers that reach out and touch stuff that they shouldn't if you're not careful.

 

[jwin615]

If you want non melting insulation and wire that stays formed, go with Teflon/ptfe pre bonded wire(or solid core). I'd opt for mil spec stuff over any Asian Amazon materials.
Dons hookup wire and apexjr on eBay are good sources. Apexjr is cheaper if you bypass eBay and order via mail and check(and if feels cool to do that again). Product list and order form is on his website

 

[jwin615]

Add on, the downside of Teflon is it is harder to strip. Typically, auto strippers won't work(there is a specialty set that do but $$$)
I recommend this type of strippers for ptfe
Paladin Tools PA1161 Adjustable Wire Stripper Tool | Wire Cutter Electrical | 30-10 AWG (Pro Grade) https://a.co/d/1PmlKfo