SparkFun Forums

[Daisy]

Hi!
I'm new to this and have a couple of questions. I would like to purchase conductive thread to use in the fingertips of mittens &r gloves. I would be knitting the thread along with the yarn.
My questions are:
(1) Which thread would be best? I was thinking the "Conductive Thread - 234/34 4ply at 14 Ohms per foot". Is a higher or lower Ohm number better/stronger/more sensitive to use?
(2) Would the wearer be able to wash the gloves/mittens, would washing destroy or lower the effectiveness of the thread?
(3) This may sound really dumb, but would the wearer feel any sort of shock (like static electricity) when using this?

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Daisy

[esklar81]

Daisy,

First, welcome to SparkFun fora!

I'll start off by stating that I have no experience with SparkFun's e-textile offerings. That said, let me see if I can be of some help.

1) The ohm, for which the symbol is Ω, is the unit of resistance. So, the lower the number of ohms/unit length, the more electricity will flow through a given length of wire at a given voltage difference between the ends. More usefully, the lower the number of ohms/unit length, the less voltage drop (effectively, power loss) you will have for a given current and length.

There's no fundamental connection between resistance and mechanical properties, such as stiffness, as the inherent properties of the material (For example, silver is much more conductive, malleable, and ductile, than steel, but a thinner steel wire is less conductive, but easier to bend, than a thicker steel wire.) also effect resistance.

If you let us know what you want the conductive fingertips to accomplish, perhaps someone here can be more useful on this point.

2) I took a quick read through some of the information SparkFun provides, but didn't see anything on washability. That said, a stainless steel fiber should tolerate hand-washing with a mild soap or detergent reasonably well.

3) I don't see how the conductive thread, itself, would produce a static charge. If anything, having a large conductive area on one's finger might make discharging static less uncomfortable, as it would distribute the current over a larger skin area.

I hope that's of some use.

Have Fun,
Eric

[Daisy]

Hi!
Thank you for such a quick reply!
I suppose it would have helped if I had included my purpose, wouldn't it?
I am making some gloves and mittens for my sister and would like for her to be able to use her iPod and phone without having to take them off. I know I could just go and buy a pair that can do that, but I wanted make them myself. I hope that is more helpful!

Daisy

[Mee_n_Mac]

I am making some gloves and mittens for my sister and would like for her to be able to use her iPod and phone without having to take them off. I know I could just go and buy a pair that can do that, but I wanted make them myself. I hope that is more helpful!

Daisy

I'm a bit lost as to how conductive thread in gloves/mittens does anything re: usage of an iPod and/or phone.

[Daisy]

Hi! From what I read it allows you to use the touchscreen with your gloves on, whereas normally you would have to take them off to use your fingers.