heat resistant coiled conductor

I have a 60 watt temperature regulated induction heater that heats liquid flowing through steel tubing with an outside diameter of a quarter inch. In the prototype I wound automotive zip cord around the tubing (with the ends of the conductors cross-connected in the electrical equivalent of a center-tapped coil).

If I bring this to market it will sell as a kit and will need easy installation, so in the final product I would most likely use coiled retractile power cable. It won't require tape or shrink wrap to keep it in place; during installation the customer will simply spiral the coiled cord onto the tubing, after which it will never budge.

The requirements: a quarter inch inside diameter or slightly less, two conductors rated for at least five amps, oil resistance, and a temperature rating of 85C or more. Easy enough to find unshielded SJEOO(W) or SJOO(W) coiled power cable, but hard to find in the right size. A lot of the websites I've looked at don't specify diameter -- and where they do, the cables come half inch I.D. and bigger. I found one supplier that carries a small cable that has an inside diameter about an eighth inch. I thought I'd get some just to try it so I e-mailed the company and asked if I could buy a few feet but they said "We don't sell bulk wire". Does anybody have a source for cable in the particular size I need?

Reply to
gearhead
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I found 16 gauge teflon-insulated wire from a surplus supplier. Straight, but rated 200C, oil resistant and less than a dollar a foot. Killa!

I also found some coiled wire with a TPE jacket the right size but too expensive, considering the marginal ratings; 80C and four amps. Eight conductors would get along well with the 100kHz tank circuit in my heater, though.

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Reply to
gearhead

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