Where do you buy your wire?

Local ACE hardware store.  John

I built my layout a little bit at a time. I always bought wire from the local auto parts store. Maybe not always in stock as far as gauge or color. But a major chain could quickly order up what you needed for the next day. Plus being a mechanic. I was always in one.  My layout was built way before you could shop on line or the big box stores existed. Sometimes you would have to splice to make a long run. But it is somewhat flexible, easy to strip ,wrap around and solder.  The spools are small. Maybe not the cheapest way per foot. But little goes to waste. Mind you at the time. I was buss wiring a layout. If I was wiring for DCS today. I would probably opt for good quality paired wire. If I was starting out today. I would probably check out All Electronics. They same to have a good quality of gauge and colors and what I’ve purchased seems good quality. They also ship fast from my experience.

Nicholas Smith. Local and friendly. And mostly use appropriate.

Bought it all from Amazon

I bought my #14 THHN stranded at Home Depot, it was the best price I could find for the 500 foot spools.

I bought my #18 copper for drops on AliExpress.

I go to Menard's and buy direct burial 14 gauge speaker wire in 100 foot bundles.  Inside the yellow insulation is 2 strands 1 red and 1 black.  Makes for easy running of lines for track wiring. Last time I paid I think $31.99.

Local hardware store (Ace, in this case). It's not always the cheapest but it's at the end of my street so how can I argue with the price? I'm there and back in under 15 minutes haha

I also bought my #14 from Home Depot.  They usually do a quanity discount with a few spools, same as GunrunnerJohn.

All Electronics

Wire has become very expensive. If you know an electrical contractor, see if he has some partial spools around in various sizes. I would recommend THHN which is stranded wire. I have several roles of solid wire which I would part with cheap if you are interested in 18 guage . Also ask the contractor if he would help you by purchasing at his discount level. Three 500 foot rolls of 18 guage THHN wire cost almost $200 but I am set for wire now. If you are using Z Stuff switch motors, 4 stranded  telephone wire works well  for just switch control and you only need 3 of the conductors.  I bought 100 feet of that at my local hardware store recently for $!2. You can also ask the contractors if they have any wire they have taken off jobs. I have some multi strand 22 guage  and that has a lot of feet in a roll. That you can have if you think you can use it for the postage cost to get it to you. Bill Park

@third rail posted:

I go to Menard's and buy direct burial 14 gauge speaker wire in 100 foot bundles.  Inside the yellow insulation is 2 strands 1 red and 1 black.  Makes for easy running of lines for track wiring. Last time I paid I think $31.99.

Menard's usually has great prices on wire.  But, midwest only.

There use to be a guy at York that sold all types of wire and terminals. I'm sorry, I don't remember his company's name.

Nearby there is no Menards, Ace, or Home depot. Only the other one, nuff said. Three words, Am a zon, and you can't beat the drive there and back.

@NJCJOE posted:

Curious where everybody buys their wire from. Will be looking for 12, 14, 16 and 18 ga. in various colors. Price is a major factor in today's world.

Hi Joe,

Yes, price is a definitely a consideration today as wire has gone up considerably.  Over the years, I have purchased wire from:

• Home Depot in 500' spools
• An electrical supply house (The Hite Company) - high quality stranded wire, American made, in 250' and 500' spools
• Waytek Wire
• All Electronics

Make sure you're not being sold some of that Chinese garbage.  It's cheap and God knows what it's made of.

George

@G3750 posted:

Make sure you're not being sold some of that Chinese garbage.  It's cheap and God knows what it's made of.

And where do you think home depot gets their wire from?

I've never bought wire.  In the 1970's my uncle gave me a bundle of phone wire.  It's always served me well and I don't even have to match the color coding on the wires! 

@Magicland posted:

And where do you think home depot gets their wire from?

Says right there, made in USA and bought at my local Home Depot.

I haven't bought any wire since last summer and I still have a limit supply at my "corner store".

As I mentioned before I have bought wire at Home Depot, I have also bought wire from auto suppliers like Del City. Personally, I avoid Amazon like the plague.

Lowes - 100 feet of 18-2, red & white, for 12 dollars... Use for lighting and other light duty.

Auto parts stores.  No big box stores in Gettysburg area.  They have different gauges.

NAPA Auto parts store.

I have purchased from Menards, Home Depot, Amazon and eBay. Mostly from Menards. I have also picked up some scraps from work. It helps to work for a phone and internet company.

My experience is that most of the major outlets are competitive on the price of commodity items like wire, so the choice depends on availability and convenience.

You picked a challenging time to buy wire and lumber.  But there's good news - compared to building a house, the amount that you'll need is relatively small; you only need to buy it once and it lasts forever.