Where to get Magnet Wire?

Wondering where to get magnet wire? For solid copper insulated wire, view our product lines below. For other types, including aluminum, plastic or rubber insulated, bare or stranded wire, call us for a quote!

View our Magnet Wire selection here:

Soderon 155 » GP/MR-200 »


What is Magnet Wire?

Magnet wire has a copper or aluminium conductor, with a layer of insulation. The insulation on magnet wire will be thinner than the usual plastic or rubber insulation.

Magnet wire converts electric energy into magnetic energy.


Coiled magnet wire is used in transformers, inductors, motors, speakers, hard disk head actuators, and electromagnets. TEMCo is where to get magnet wire to use in your application.

Where to get magnet wire for Motors Where to get magnet wire for Transformers Where to get magnet wire for generators


Conductor Type

Copper has the highest conductivity of any metal behind silver, which is why it is used in electrical wiring more than any other metal. Copper is much cheaper than silver because it is a non-precious metal.

Aluminum wire requires a 1.6 times larger cross section than an equivalent copper wire in order to create the same current capability. This makes copper wire less cumbersome than aluminum wire and, in most cases, more efficient.

Copper can also withstand more extreme conditions because it is 300% more durable than aluminum.

TEMCo offers two types of wire produced by Essex: Soderon 155 and GP/MR-200.

Solid vs. Stranded Copper Wire

Wire can be either solid, which means it will be one solid piece, or it can be stranded, which means it is made of multiple wires braided together.

The main difference between the two types of wire how flexible they are. Solid wires are often used in environments that will not necessitate frequent wire movement because solid wires are not easy to bend. As the number of strands goes up, the flexibility of stranded wire goes up. There will be at least seven wires in a stranded wire; one will be in the middle with at least six other braided around it.

Stranded and solid wire also have different durabilities. Stranded wire is more likely to corrode because of its surface area, but it also resistant to metal fatigue because of its elasticity. Fatigue results in the cracking of wire material due to continuous use.

TEMCo is where to get magnet wire that is solid, though stranded wire is available upon request.

Solid Magnet Wire Stranded Magnet Wire



Magnet wires are almost always square, round or rectangular. Wire shapes alter the tightness of the coiled wire.

Square wires will be wound tighter than round wires, simply because of its edges. These wire have less space between the turns and are used in confined spaces and where higher power is required.

Because they are flat, Rectangular copper wires are able to be wound even tighter than square wires, leaving no spaces between the turns.

Round wire, on the other hand, will have the most space between the wires.

TEMCo is where to get magnet wire that is round, but we can supply wire in any shape if required.

Rectangular Magnet Wire Round Magnet Wire



Magnet wire comes in different colors purely for aesthetic reasons, such as making it is easier to differentiate wires coming from different circuits. No mechanical aspect of the wire will be affected by its color.

In the event that a specific wire color is necessary, depending on the manufacturers, they might be able to provide customers with that wire color.

TEMCo offers Soderon 155 in red and green; GP/MR-200 comes in natural/amber.

Where to get Magnet Wire Color


If you were to coil bare wires, which are not insulated, the turns would short out when they came in contact with each other. Insulation prevents this from happening by protecting the wire. Insulation is absolutely necessary for wires that will be turned hundreds, or thousands, of times.

Wires can come with double coated insulation, which allows the wire to incorporate the properties of two insulations. Having double insulation also makes the wire stronger and more durable.

Both the Soderon 155 and the GP/MR-200 are both double coated, TEMCo is where to get magnet wire with dual insulation.

The polyester-imide insulation and polyamide-imide overcoat that the GP/MR 200 comes with gives the wire an increase in dielectric properties and in chemical resistance to solvents and refrigerants. The Soderon 155 wire's polyurethane insulation and polyamide overcoat, enhances resistance to solvents and increases its windability.

Insulated Magnet Wire Bare Magnet Wire


Wire Gauge

Looking at the wire gauge will give you the diameter and weight of the wire. American wire gauge (AWG) represents standardized specifications of solid, round wire, in the United States and Canada.

Standard wire gauges go from 0000 to 40. Larger gauge wires actually have smaller diameters and weights. A 0000 gauge wire contains a 11.684 mm diameter and weighs 640.5005 lbs per 1000 feet. A 40 gauge wire has a 0.0799 mm diameter and a weight of 0.0299 lbs per 1000 feet. Wires are so small beyond the 40 gauge that diameters become theoretical.

TEMCo offers Soderon 155 and GP/MR-200 in any gauge.

Temperature Rating/Thermal Class

Wires insulation is designed to have a service life of 20,000 hours. The temperature at which it will achieve this is called the temperature rating. Increasing the operating temperature of the wire will have the effect of decreasing the service life; decreasing the operating temperature will extend the life of the wire.

Temperature rating is measured in degrees celsius.

Soderon 155 has a temperature rating of 155°C and the GP/MR-200 has a temperature rating of 200°C.

Bondable Magnet Wire

Bondable wire uses a film on top of normal insulation that creates a self supporting coil. The film is activated by heat and can be epoxy, polyester or polyamide.

There are three ways you can create a bonded wire.

Solvent bonding does not use heat, instead apply the solvent by dipping the completed coil into it.

Oven bonding uses heat to activate the bond coat. Oven bonding process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to complete.

Resistance bonding used an electric current to activate the bondcoat. Time and voltage will be different for every coil, as it is based on the size and design of the coil.

If you want to know where to get magnet wire that is bondable, call TEMCo today.

Soldering Process

Wires need to be soldered, or fused, either to another wire or a circuit board.

A metal with a lower melting point than the applications it is soldering, typically tin or lead, will be applied it to the end of the wire so that, when the metal resolidifies, the wire will be merged with the other application.

Whether or not insulation needs to be removed from a wire before it is soldered depends on the wire being used. To give two examples, the GP/MR-200 wire that TEMCo sells requires the insulation to be removed first. The insulation on the Soderon 155 wire acts as a flux, so the wire does not need to have its insulation taken off.

Breakdown Voltage

The breakdown voltage, of which there are three grades, is a representation of the insulation's dielectric strength.

The breakdown voltage depends on the insulation build. The measurement of the build is calculated by subtracting the diameter of the wire from the diameter of the insulation and wire put together. There are four different types of build: single, heavy, triple or quadruple. Single and heavy are the most common. Breakdown voltage goes up as the insulation becomes thicker, and as the gauge becomes smaller.

The Soderon 155 and GP/MR-200 offered by TEMCo will be heavy build.

Where to get Magnet Wire

If want to know where to get magnet wire, TEMCo is the best place for you. TEMCo supplies insulated, solid, round wire, but if you need any other type of wire, don’t hesitate to call TEMCo a quote. Check out our inventory below, or give us a call today!


Call us at 877.474.8209