To solder or not to solder - This is the question

J

JERD

Guest
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There is
one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before terminating,
over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose connection.

I have no option to using a terminal strip.

Any definitive answer to this one?

JERD
 
"JERD" <
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There is
one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before terminating,
over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose connection.

I have no option to using a terminal strip.

Any definitive answer to this one?
Click to expand...

** Yep - you use a plated copper "ferrule" and crush it on the end of the
cable with a crimping tool.

Then poke it in the hole and screw it down with two ( or more) hefty grub
screws.

Solder is out of the question.

BTW

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper cable
?



....... Phil
 
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:5pvdn7FtknchU1@mid.individual.net...

** Yep - you use a plated copper "ferrule" and crush it on the end of the
cable with a crimping tool.

Then poke it in the hole and screw it down with two ( or more) hefty grub
screws.

Solder is out of the question.

BTW

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper cable
?
...... Phil
Click to expand...
TNX your reply.
A BIG one Phil

JERD
 
Phil Allison wrote:

** Yep - you use a plated copper "ferrule" and crush it on the end of th
Click to expand...
"crush" is very much the wrong word !!!!!

These need to be crimped on correctly, too much crimp and the cable will
go hard and break, too loose and it will over heat with the current

MAYBE if you can't crimp correctly, hard solder, maybe.

Max
 
Phil Allison wrote:

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper cable
Click to expand...
A few waves ofthe lpg torch should suffice {:).
 
JERD wrote:
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:5pvdn7FtknchU1@mid.individual.net...

** Yep - you use a plated copper "ferrule" and crush it on the end of the
cable with a crimping tool.

Then poke it in the hole and screw it down with two ( or more) hefty grub
screws.

Solder is out of the question.

BTW

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper cable
?
...... Phil


TNX your reply.
A BIG one Phil

JERD
Click to expand...
The Australian Electrical regulations prohibit soldered connections
unless it's for earth bonding. (From what I recall).

Dorf
 
The Australian Electrical regulations prohibit soldered connections unless
it's for earth bonding. (From what I recall).

Dorf
Click to expand...
Should have said in my original posting this is a 12 volt application.

JERD
 
JERD wrote:
The Australian Electrical regulations prohibit soldered connections unless
it's for earth bonding. (From what I recall).

Dorf

Should have said in my original posting this is a 12 volt application.

JERD
Click to expand...
I suspected as such. There's still a lot of wisdom in the regulations.
Soldering is more likely to cause problems in a high current situation
than a high voltage one.

Dorf
 
"Terryc"
Phil Allison wrote:

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper
cable

A few waves of the lpg torch should suffice {:).
Click to expand...

** Oh yeah - what happens to the PVC covering ??

Anyone for toasted, melted plastic ?





..... Phil
 
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:5q01sjFt8j9aU1@mid.individual.net...
"Terryc"
Phil Allison wrote:

What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper
cable

A few waves of the lpg torch should suffice {:).


** Oh yeah - what happens to the PVC covering ??

Anyone for toasted, melted plastic ?





.... Phil
Click to expand...
Could be welding cable with heat proof cover.
 
Phil Allison wrote:
"Terryc"

Phil Allison wrote:


What ginormous iron were you expecting to use on a 20+ sq mm copper
cable

A few waves of the lpg torch should suffice {:).

** Oh yeah - what happens to the PVC covering ??

Anyone for toasted, melted plastic ?
Click to expand...
If you think that is bad, you should see what happens when you use the
oxy torch {:).

You are spot on Phil, but I've seen that done with a soldering iron as
well by someone who claimed they did know how to solder. 25 pin plug
with every wire bare for 1" back from the plug. Shudder.

Adfter that experience, I inadvertently asked an old plumber "can you
solder". After all he and all the other old guys stopped laughing, he
said "not the type you need".

I was trolling a bit there Phil.
 
JERD wrote:
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip.
There is one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before
terminating, over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose
connection.
I have no option to using a terminal strip.

Any definitive answer to this one?

JERD
Click to expand...
A soldered multi-stand cable end into a screw terminal strip will become
loose after a period.

geoff
 
"Ted"
"JERD"
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There is
one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before terminating,
over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose connection.

I have crimped lugs onto 00 gauge welding cable then heated the lugs with
a blowtorch and feed solder in. It was for a 24v 600a amp application. so
far ok.
Click to expand...

** IME that idea works just fine:

You are NOT relying on solder to hold copper wires together that are being
crushed apart by a clamp or grub screw.

You ARE making the termination more reliable by using solder to conduct
the current flow from the surface of the crimp lug to the surfaces of the
( otherwise) bare copper strands.

Keeps out moisture and prevent tarnishing & corrosion too.



....... Phil
 
"JERD" <jedunk@REMOVEbigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:46v_i.12326$CN4.661@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There is
one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before terminating,
over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose connection.
Click to expand...
I have crimped lugs onto 00 gauge welding cable then heated the lugs with a
blowtorch and feed solder in. It was for a 24v 600a amp application. so far
ok.
 
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:5q1un8Ftvff3U1@mid.individual.net...
"Ted"
"JERD"
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There is
one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before terminating,
over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose connection.

I have crimped lugs onto 00 gauge welding cable then heated the lugs with
a blowtorch and feed solder in. It was for a 24v 600a amp application. so
far ok.


** IME that idea works just fine:

You are NOT relying on solder to hold copper wires together that are
being crushed apart by a clamp or grub screw.

You ARE making the termination more reliable by using solder to conduct
the current flow from the surface of the crimp lug to the surfaces of the
( otherwise) bare copper strands.

Keeps out moisture and prevent tarnishing & corrosion too.



...... Phil
Click to expand...
Years ago I worked at a welding gear makers, the usual way was crimp then
run solder in. There was a fairly high failure rate as capillary action drew
solder past the crimp and made the wire "ankle" brittle - this suited the
company just fine, selling replacement cables at extortionate prices.
 
Ted wrote:
"JERD" <jedunk@REMOVEbigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:46v_i.12326$CN4.661@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip.
There is one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before
terminating, over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose
connection.

I have crimped lugs onto 00 gauge welding cable then heated the lugs
with a blowtorch and feed solder in. It was for a 24v 600a amp
application. so far ok.
Click to expand...
That should be fine. I think th OP was proposing soldering bare wire ends
and putting directly under a screw .

geoff
 
"ian field" <dai.ode@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:JWZ_i.16499$ib1.13398@newsfe3-win.ntli.net...
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:5q1un8Ftvff3U1@mid.individual.net...

"Ted"
"JERD"
I need to terminate two 50 amp cables in a large terminal strip. There
is one line of thinking that if the cables are soldered before
terminating, over time the solder 'gives' making a possible loose
connection.

I have crimped lugs onto 00 gauge welding cable then heated the lugs
with a blowtorch and feed solder in. It was for a 24v 600a amp
application. so far ok.


** IME that idea works just fine:

You are NOT relying on solder to hold copper wires together that are
being crushed apart by a clamp or grub screw.

You ARE making the termination more reliable by using solder to conduct
the current flow from the surface of the crimp lug to the surfaces of
the ( otherwise) bare copper strands.

Keeps out moisture and prevent tarnishing & corrosion too.



...... Phil



Years ago I worked at a welding gear makers, the usual way was crimp then
run solder in. There was a fairly high failure rate as capillary action
drew solder past the crimp and made the wire "ankle" brittle - this suited
the company just fine, selling replacement cables at extortionate prices.

Yes I can see how they would become brittle, in my application the cables
Click to expand...
were fixed (not a welding application) and so never had a problem.
 
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