Bdale is right that the terminal blocks used on the altus metrum flight units work just fine and make a good to great connection on bare stranded wires of the correct gauge IF the strands are twisted together.
On the other hand timing the wires CORRECTLY works just as well as long as you are using solder that will compress. AND one nice benefit is keeping the wire nicely together !! On the other hand, the soldered wire tolerates less flexing then without the solder, so keeping the wire stationary is more important when it is tinned by the end user. (i.e. After being bundled and sleeved with insulation during manufacturing. If the wires are tinned during manufacturing of the insulated wire is a different scenario.) Sorry for the ramble...but I wanted to complete my previous answers. *** By the way, don't tell anyone, but I sometimes tin the stranded wires after twisting them together and sometimes I do not.... !!! **** Oh yeah, please don't tell anyone, but I obviously have no experience with such things. I'm quite obviously talking offa the top of my head ..... !!! - Bob Finch On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 12:00 PM, Bdale Garbee <[email protected]> wrote: > Clay & Carly Dunsworth <[email protected]> writes: > >> Most of the time where >> space isnt critical ive used machine tool wire, but doesnt work with the >> "smallness" of the Altus Metrum products.(16ga). > > The screw terminal blocks we use can theoretically be used with up to > 18ga stranded wire, but the useful range is about 20-26ga. For the > hardware kits we build for Apogee I chose 22ga stranded, for three > reasons. It's it's a good fit for our terminal blocks, it's mid-range > for the 3M crimp connectors I like to use to make bulkheads detachable, > and larger gauge is easier for the inexperienced to work with > (stripping, twisting, etc). > >> I bought some smaller 26ga stranded... > > The power switch leads on TeleMini boards is 26ga stranded. It's the > finest wire I'd suggest using, largely because even if you're only > running low current, smaller gauge means higher resistance thus less > power hitting the intended place (ultimately, a bridge wire in the > e-match). > >> I have never tinned the ends of my wires, but the belkin cable i cut up the >> other day suprised me that the wires were stranded copper, and seemed >> suitable for this. > > Tinning stranded wires that go into screw terminal blocks actually > reduces the probability of maintaining a solid connection in my > experience. Twist the strands, stick 'em in, and crank down on 'em. > They'll naturally smoosh into the minimum cross sectional area and > maximum contact surface that way. > > If you're talking about tinning the ends of bare copper solid wires, > then that might make sense to reduce oxidation .. but if you crank down > the screw terminal enough to get a gas-tight seal that just won't > matter. > > Bdale > > > > _______________________________________________ > altusmetrum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.gag.com/mailman/listinfo/altusmetrum > _______________________________________________ altusmetrum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gag.com/mailman/listinfo/altusmetrum
