Self adhesive conductive aluminium tape

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the circuit
would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have any
left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around my
mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp, much tidier than wires. Does
anyone know where I might source some of this tape, about 6mm wide, 2m
in length ?

Screwfix.com do aluminium tape, but I don't know if it's the same stuff
you're after. Wouldn't a run of thin uninsulated wire underneath gaffer
tape do basically the same job?

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the circuit
would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have any
left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around my
mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp, much tidier than wires. Does
anyone know where I might source some of this tape, about 6mm wide, 2m
in length ?

SKS mudguards have embedded strips for this purpose. The connection
usually fails. I don't think that your tape will be any better in this
respect.

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the circuit
would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have any
left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around my
mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp,

I would think that burglar alarm tape would be a bad move - it's
designed to be brittle, don't forget, so if you crease your mudguard (by
propping your bike against a lamppost, etc) it could well be stuffed.

However, I've seen dolls' house lighting using self-adhesive copper
tape. I'd imagine that it's v. expensive from a dolls' house/craft shop
(Hobbycraft do it), but you might be able to source it cheaper directly
from the distributor.

Alternatively, as someone else has suggested, a run of wire, held in
place with a hot glue gun (better than gaffer tape in the long run)
would be even cheaper.

R.

Jeremy Collins said:

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the

circuit

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have

any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp, much tidier than wires. Does
anyone know where I might source some of this tape, about 6mm wide,

2m

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in length ?

Screwfix.com do aluminium tape, but I don't know if it's the same

stuff

Quoted message said:

you're after. Wouldn't a run of thin uninsulated wire underneath

gaffer

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tape do basically the same job?

Yes it probably would but not as neat I think. Perhaps on the inside of
the guard but I think it would come off after some cold an wet days.
The gaffer tape on my shoes has. I'll check out screw fix - cheers.

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the circuit
would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have any
left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around my
mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp, much tidier than wires. Does
anyone know where I might source some of this tape, about 6mm wide, 2m
in length ?

Maplin???

Gotta make sure it can take enough wattage.

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Gotta make sure it can take enough wattage.

Gah. You mean "current".

Ohmic conductors (wire) waste I²R watts (where I is the current flowing
through the conductor (variable) and R is the resistance (fixed)). This
is dissipated as heat - when there's too much heat to dissipate, the
magic smoke escapes and it stops working.

You could transfer as much "wattage" (power) as you like within reason
by upping the voltage, as power is voltage × current. The only limit
here is the breakdown voltage - when bits that don't normally conduct
(plastic, the air) start conducting. That's when sparks fly, and usually
leads to more magic smoke escaping.

This is why the Grid runs at several kilovolts: it keeps the I²R losses
to a minimum. This is also why 12V high-power bike lights are
conceptually better than 6V: the I²R losses are four times higher in the
6V system.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

MSeries composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape to put on the windows so that when smashed the circuit
would be broken and the alarm activated. I have no idea if I have any
left and no idea if my cousin can ge tme anymore. I thought occured
today that this would be ideal for running the connecttion around my
mudguard to my (dynamo) powered lamp, much tidier than wires. Does
anyone know where I might source some of this tape, about 6mm wide, 2m
in length ?

Any Glazing supplier ought to be able to get loads of the stuff .. Aluminium
tape is used to seal around DG units.

--
Paul ...
www.4x4prejudice.org
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

MSeries said:

When I installed my garage burglar alarm I had some self adhesive
aluminium tape

Think of the resistance of the tape versus normal wire.

Copper is a good conductor, aluminium IIRC has a greater
resistivity. Couple that with what must be a smaller cross
sectional area and you'll have a resistive loss in the 'cable'
But a great idea - worth developing. Get some tape and do some
resitance measurements?