Top Load power handling

[Capt Crunch]

I purchased a driver extreme silver bullet 66 inch top load antenna. It says it can handle 1500 watts, and it says it uses 15 gauge wire. Can 15 gauge wire really handle that much power? Can it handle the 400ish pep watts I run through it? Thanks in advance. https://driverextreme.com/silver-bullet-antennas-1

 

[M0GVZ]

400W PEP will be fine. I doubt it'll do 1500W without issues.

 

[AudioShockwav]

It should be fine at that level, I used to run Everhardt Antennas at almost a KW and they are wound with 18 gauge solid wire, with no issues.

73
Jeff

 

[Dmans]

What is 15Ga wire? I have always seen and heard of wire in EVEN numbers-6, 8. 10, 12 etc.

Maybe I have been sleeping under a rock for too long.

73
David

 

[Crawdad]

What is 15Ga wire? I have always seen and heard of wire in EVEN numbers-6, 8. 10, 12 etc.

Maybe I have been sleeping under a rock for too long.

73
David

I had the same thoughts, except for the rock..........

73

 

[Alabama Buckeye]

I purchased a driver extreme silver bullet 66 inch top load antenna. It says it can handle 1500 watts, and it says it uses 15 gauge wire. Can 15 gauge wire really handle that much power? Can it handle the 400ish pep watts I run through it? Thanks in advance. https://driverextreme.com/silver-bullet-antennas-1

Best of luck.

 

[Capt Crunch]

What is 15Ga wire? I have always seen and heard of wire in EVEN numbers-6, 8. 10, 12 etc.

Maybe I have been sleeping under a rock for too long.

73
David

Yeah same here. I did a quick search and found some but it said it was magnet wire and then at walmart it had resistance wire in the auto section. Maybe they used magnet wire LOL. Never know.

 

[Eldorado828]

What is 15Ga wire? I have always seen and heard of wire in EVEN numbers-6, 8. 10, 12 etc.

Maybe I have been sleeping under a rock for too long.

73
David

I had the same thoughts, except for the rock..........

73

Has to be Chinesium wire!

 

[Alabama Buckeye]

Yeah same here. I did a quick search and found some but it said it was magnet wire and then at walmart it had resistance wire in the auto section. Maybe they used magnet wire LOL. Never know.

My first Imax 2000 converted to pretzel while it fought against T.S. winds, mixing it up against oak branches, was 14AWG magnet wire; was "tested" to 5000W. Does that mean 5000W til it glowed red or white, elliphynoe.

I've made FT240-43 Choke Baluns with 16 AWG wire. The enamel coating doesn't simply scrape off. Cleaning it down to bare copper for soldering takes effort.

 

[The DB]

14 AWG is .0641 inch diameter
15 AWG is .0571 inch diameter and
16 AWG is .0508 inch diameter.

Odd number AWG is a thing, but most companies don't bother as the differences in diameters is small enough that its not worth it. Some places do sell 15 AWG wire as well, its just not nearly as common as 14 or 16 AWG.

https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Wire-15-Gauge/s?rh=n:495310,p_n_feature_two_browse-bin:6426164011

https://www.remingtonindustries.com...wg-heavy-build-enameled-copper-6-spool-sizes/


The DB