Tinsel Wire
Copper Alloy Tinsel Wire
Alloy foil raises the mechanical ceiling over pure copper at the same construction.
View specifications
Heater Wire
Heater Wire
High resistance in a conductor that is still flexible enough to sew, wind or route.
Overview
What Heater Wire Is For
Heater wire is specified by the resistance it has to hold, not by the current it has to carry, and that changes what a good conductor looks like. Heating products with high resistance requirements are one of the characteristics of our tinsel wire, which meets those performance aspects and is widely used in heating wires, so a heating element can stay flexible enough to be sewn or wound rather than being a stiff resistance element routed around the product. Where a resistance alloy is the better fit, we work in nickel-chromium, nickel-iron and copper-nickel alloy, also known as constantan.
Value
Why Engineers Choose This Construction
Key benefits
- High resistance in a conductor that is still flexible enough to sew, wind or route.
- Resistance alloys available in nickel-chromium, nickel-iron and constantan.
- High temperature fiber cores including aramid, glass fiber and heat-resistant cotton yarn.
- DC resistance verified on our own tester before the lot ships.
Problems it solves
- Resistance has to land on a value and stay there across a lot, or the element runs hot or cold.
- A conductor stiff enough to hold resistance is often too stiff to be sewn or wound.
- The conductor and its core have to survive the working temperature of the element.
Fit
Where It Is Used
Application scenarios
- Heated seat and heating pad elements
- Heated apparel and gloves
- Flexible heating elements in appliances
- Conductive textile heating panels
Who it is for
- Heating pad and seat heater manufacturers
- Heated apparel developers
- Appliance makers specifying flexible elements
- Engineers who need a resistance value inside a flexible conductor
Engineering
Construction And Materials
Technical features
- Tinsel wire construction meeting high resistance requirements.
- Resistance alloy options: nickel-chromium, nickel-iron, copper-nickel (constantan).
- High temperature fiber cores: aramid, glass fiber, heat-resistant cotton yarn.
- Plating available where the termination or environment requires it.
Materials
- Nickel-chromium alloy, nickel-iron alloy, copper-nickel alloy (constantan)
- Fiber cores: aramid, glass fiber, heat-resistant cotton yarn, and the wider fiber range
Specifications
Heater Wire Technical Data
Values that depend on your application are set against your targets rather than fixed here.
| Conductor Type | Tinsel wire construction or resistance alloy wire |
|---|---|
| Resistance Alloys | Nickel-chromium, nickel-iron, copper-nickel (constantan) |
| High Temperature Fiber Cores | Aramid, glass fiber, heat-resistant cotton yarn |
| Conductor Resistance | Customized to your target |
| Resistance Verification | DC resistance tester |
| Minimum Order For Samples | None |
Production
How It Is Made And Checked
Manufacturing process
- Set the target resistance per unit length with the element design.
- Select a tinsel construction or a resistance alloy accordingly.
- Select the fiber core for the working temperature of the element.
- Produce, then verify DC resistance against the agreed value.
- Test tensile strength and elongation, then pack with a loading report.
Quality control
- DC resistance measured on a resistance tester to confirm the conductor lands on the agreed value.
- Tensile testing for tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and elongation after fracture.
- Elongation rate measured during stretching to evaluate mechanical properties and mechanical strength.
- Salt spray testing where the finished cable will face a corrosive environment.
- A comprehensive loading report issued with every shipment.
Customization
What You Can Change
Customization options
- Conductor resistance set to your target value.
- Outer diameter held to your ceiling.
- Tensile strength and breaking load specified to the application.
- High swing performance tuned to the flex life the cable has to reach.
- Solderability matched to your termination process.
Certifications
No third-party certification is published for this product line. Test data from our own resistance, tensile, elongation and salt spray equipment is supplied with samples and with every shipment loading report.
Related
Other Conductors To Compare
Reference
Background Reading
material guide
Conductor Metals And Alloys: What We Work In And When Each One Applies
The full metal range from bare copper to constantan and graphene copper, and what each is for.
Read the guide
quality guide
How We Test A Conductor Before It Ships
The four instruments behind our inspection, what each one measures, and what leaves with the shipment.
Read the guide
Questions
Heater Wire: Frequently Asked Questions
Why use tinsel wire for a heating element?
Because the element usually has to bend. Heating products with high resistance requirements are one of the characteristics of our tinsel wire, which can meet all aspects of that performance and is widely used in heating wires.
How tightly can resistance be held?
Resistance is set as a target value at the start and verified on a DC resistance tester before shipment. The tester measures the resistance parameters of the conductor precisely, which is how power safety and product quality are confirmed.
What fiber core suits a hot element?
Aramid carries a melting point of more than 500 degrees Celsius with good abrasion resistance and high strength. Glass fiber and high-temperature flame-retardant cotton yarn are also available.
Quote Heater Wire
Tell us the resistance, outer diameter and flex life you need. Samples on conventional and customized products carry no minimum order quantity.