Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Foil tape - is it a good electrical conductor?

This is topic Foil tape - is it a good electrical conductor? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-20-2008, 06:57 PM:

I'm setting up my store's model trains display for the holidays, and I have a row of street lights to install....I was thinking about mounting them on this long narrow strip of wood and then wiring them together underneath, but the wood is too thin for there to be any wiring under it -- so I was wondering if I was to run two strips of foil sensing tape down the underside length of the wood strip, connect the two wires from each lamp to the tape, and then connect the whole thing to the power source...would it work? Or is that tape not a good enough conductor?

I figured I'd ask here before going to the whole rigamarole of building it. Opinions?

I thought about using tin foil, but the self-adhesive property of the tape got me to wondering it that would work. We're talking about 10 very small lights that run off of a 14 volt power source (transformer).

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-20-2008, 07:45 PM:

Mike...it might work (actually it probably will) but I wouldn't. You would need to get its current carrying capacity and its resistance...then you have the issue that it is exposed and will easily short.

There is such a thing as Flat Wire

Though not cheap, it will do the job...often comes ready to stick in place.

Steve

Posted by Marc Hansen (Member # 705) on 10-20-2008, 10:04 PM:

Mike
Go to a stained glass supplier. They have self adheasive copper tape that is used on the edge of glass. Works great and you can solder to it. Many years ago we even used it to make a "free form" slot car track. Used a router to make the groove and the copper foil for the power.
Marc

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-21-2008, 12:13 PM:

Mike,

There are a number of copper foils available. The thickest is 1.5 Mill and in different widths as well as in sheets. Stay away from the silver colored adhesive or the black, clear is best adhering to other than glass surfaces.

If you need to have more current capacity, just parallel the strips. Try taking a resistance reading on the foil before you apply any current. You will need a solder with flux in order to make a good joint. The foil is relatively inexpensive by the single roll.

Try looking here for more info.

http://www.warner-criv.com/search/search.aspx?&type=search&strSearch=copper%20foil&sort=n&page=3

Let us know how it works out.

KEN

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-21-2008, 02:25 PM:

Well I'm in kind of a time limit here (it has to be done by this Friday) so there's no time to order anything in. Rather than mess with the tape, I found some #20 wire and used a wire stripper and sharp knife to remove the insulation where each light is, and attached the wires from the lights. The whole thing doesn't sit as flat as I'd hoped (due to the wire thickness) but it works. Thanks for the replies.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-23-2008, 11:35 AM:

I love model trains. Mike, send us pictures!