On Thu, 18 May 2006 12:04:05 EDT [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > While welding cable is good because it is flexible, and usually 00 or > bigger, I have read that it is not ideal for 12V DC use because the > strands are very fine and DC current travels down the core of the > wire. IE: larger diameter strands are better, within reason, as too > few strands will affect flexibility. Before someone asks, most arc > welders are AC, though some have DC and DC reverse options. With AC, > current travels down the surface of each strand, making multiple > strand cables lower in resistance.
The skin depth (where the current is down to 37% of the value at the surface) of AC current at 60 Hz is something like 0.375 - 0.5 INCH, so unless your wire is 0.75 - 1.0 inch, you won't really have a problem with line frequency AC on the wire. The smaller strands in welding cable are for flexibility. (Now in the megahertz region, there is Litz wire for just this problem, but at those frequencies the skin depth is MUCH less.) Welding cables (with good insulation) will work just fine for jumper cables. Craig
