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Any one know anything about AlphaWire?.

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Nigel Goodwin

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Just a 'nosiness' question really :D

We use reasonably 'large' quantities of specific sized 4 core cable - and it's getting more and more difficult to find it.

Originally we used to source it from RS Components (now renamed as just RS), it was often out of stock and was put on back order, then they discontinued it and we had to buy their replacement - then they discontinued the replacement as well.

So after much searching we managed to find a suitable replacement at Farnell, from AlphaWire.

Rather bizarrely this is dispatched directly from the US manufacturer, and comes 're-spooled' on either 100 feet small plastic drums, or 300 ft wooden drums - and the supply of this is rather spasmodic as well.

My question is simply, why do they re-spool the wire? - is it just kept on huge drums, and they re-spool to smaller ones as orders come in?.

Another interesting point is the cost - it's quite a bit cheaper to buy three 100 foot drums than one 300 foot drum - and as we cut it down to short lengths (just over 1 metre) it makes sense to order the smaller drums :D

Again, strangely, when you try and order from Farnell, either one or the other size drums might have longer expected delivery dates - so even though the 300 foot drums cost more, we sometimes order those in order to get them more quickly.

We had three 300 foot drums arrive yesterday, and are expecting 37 (some others came previously) 100 foot drums today.

Why is life so difficult buying something as simple as wire?.
 
Another interesting point is the cost - it's quite a bit cheaper to buy three 100 foot drums than one 300 foot drum - and as we cut it down to short lengths (just over 1 metre) it makes sense to order the smaller drums :D
I think it's the fact youngsters can't do maths. Here in the local hardware store (think B&Q) 10Kg charcoal, $20, 7.5kg $10. No sense whatsoever except for youngsters not being able to do simple maths. Working in a high school, the kids use not doing maths as a badge of honour (I don't do maths). They get a piece of wood 100mm wide and can't work out that the center is at 50mm! 100/2 is too hard.

P.S. sorry to all American posters for my bad spelling.

Mike.
Edit, no idea what alphawire is.
 
I think it's the fact youngsters can't do maths. Here in the local hardware store (think B&Q) 10Kg charcoal, $20, 7.5kg $10. No sense whatsoever except for youngsters not being able to do simple maths. Working in a high school, the kids use not doing maths as a badge of honour (I don't do maths). They get a piece of wood 100mm wide and can't work out that the center is at 50mm! 100/2 is too hard.

P.S. sorry to all American posters for my bad spelling.

At a local pub/restaurant the manager repeatedly put a 'special offer' board out "get two £5 meals for a special price of £10" and couldn't understand why the staff all laughed every time he did it.

Mike.
Edit, no idea what alphawire is.

It's an American cable manufacturer.
 
At a local pub/restaurant the manager repeatedly put a 'special offer' board out "get two £5 meals for a special price of £10" and couldn't understand why the staff all laughed every time he did it.
It'd be the opposite here, The youngsters wouldn't understand the maths so would think it was a bargain. Very sad.

Mike.
 
Cannot resist to put my spoon in your plate...
When my daughter was 8, I severely and publicly 'spanked' her teacher because she taught the students the word 'math' before teaching the word 'mathematics' ; and other words like hippo, zoo, 'P.E'. She is still redfaced but doubt she corrected the bad habit of teaching lazy garbage :arghh:
 
Considering the premium you pay price wise at Farnell, have you not considered checking with one of Alpha Wires many UK distributors to see if you can get a better deal?
According to their website there's not that many UK distributors, and none of them had any in stock, but prices were consistent across all of them.

Incidentally, UPS still haven't delivered the small drums yet - despite their tracking saying Monday 1:15-3:15pm, then yesterday Tuesday 1:15-3:15pm, this morning it says Wednesday 1:15-3:15pm :D

However, at least it not says "out for delivery", the last two days it just said "cleared customs" - so why claim a delivery slot when it's not even out for delivery?.

Courier wise we find DHL are probably the best, and we actually send stuff out via DPD.
 
However, at least it not says "out for delivery", the last two days it just said "cleared customs" - so why claim a delivery slot when it's not even out for delivery?.
UPS & Customs.. ****%%%%!!!!

Every one of these "Delivery" ones was a "You will receive it tomorrow"
It arrived in the UK on the 6th but did not clear customs until the 20th..

UPS_Tomorrow.jpg
 
Have you tried Digikey or Mouser for that Alpha cable? They are often cheap for US brands & shipping is free (and fast, 2 days usually from digikey) at about £50, I think.
 
Have you tried Digikey or Mouser for that Alpha cable? They are often cheap for US brands & shipping is free (and fast, 2 days usually from digikey) at about £50, I think.
I tried them via the UK outlets, no different to Farnell - who are free shipping over £35.

The problem isn't really the cost or shipping, it's the poor availability :(
 

Any one know anything about AlphaWire?.​


Used Alpha wire for decades including special wire used in winding custom motors. Alpha Wire and Essex Wire were the manufacturers we used extensively. The special wire was subject to extensive testing before it ever hit the product. As to their more common wire I used it extensively for non production work. Less the boring details 10 years since I retired and nothing has changed, the company still used Alpha and Essex wire. Then too being under defense contract we got our wire when ordered, no delays. Additionally they have been at it since 1922 so with 100 years I figure they are doing something right. :)

Sorry Eric no clue as to the respooling.

Ron
 
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Used Alpha wire for decades

Same. Industrial and telecom projects up to 2000, then shifted to MIL after the tech crash. Never had any problems with them. Most of what we bought were 1000' reels. That must have been the best deal for us because we had a purchasing group that definitely "did maths."

ak
 
Same. Industrial and telecom projects up to 2000, then shifted to MIL after the tech crash. Never had any problems with them. Most of what we bought were 1000' reels. That must have been the best deal for us because we had a purchasing group that definitely "did maths."

ak
Pretty much the same. Other than in house projects we bought 1,000 foot spools. Never a failure on incoming inspections. While incoming inspection had nothing to do with me I never saw a lot get rejected. Both Alpha and Essex were our key suppliers, never a problem in the last 25 years I used their products.

Side note, I always got a kick out of your license plate. :) I am up the road in Cleveland. :)

Ron
 
Most of what we bought were 1000' reels.

Yeah, ours are 1000 feet as well (when I said 300 feet, I was thinking 300 yards/metres), or the smaller 100 feet ones (which as I said are considerably cheaper).

We had some of both (3x1000 and 17x100) arrive this week, and I see we've still got some of both on back order.
 
Well I never - another box turned up, claiming to hold another twenty 100 foot reels - however, when I unpacked it there were only fourteen. So I've spent half an hour on chat to Farnell, and they are sending the missing six :D

Farnell don't seem to have an on-line option to check what's on back order, so it's difficult to find out what might be coming.
 
Nigel, my heart goes out to you. Sometimes things hit customs and it's like a black hole. Then there are shorted orders.

Ron
 
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