HELP Sequencing apparatus

[bjvv at scinet2.up.ac.za]

The wire in the bottom buffer tray of our BRL sequencing apparatus 
recently broke.  The wire is a platinum wire, and a replacement will be 
nearly impossible to get within a short period of time.  Any ideas on what 
can be used instead of platinum, eg. would gold be a suitable 
alternative?
We did try "normal" wire, and although the gel heated up to the correct 
temperature and the volts were correct, the reactions smeared badly.