Remember that in almost any connection there is always an oxide layer. The
purpose of the sanding is to remove enough of this so that a reasonable
pressure between the wire/strap and the connection can break through this layer
and form a gas tight connection. The grease is just there to keep m
My take on this is that the zinc is redundant. I use petroleum jelly.
Certainly not a conductor. At a microscopic level each metal surface in
the joint has pronounced peaks and valleys. Only the peaks touch. The
grease, being a fluid, displaces to fill the voids and the many localized
pressure
That is the theory and it seems to be confirmed by two experiments.
When the cells arrive, the terminals are often noticeably covered
with corrosion. Perhaps this corrosion is due to prolonged exposure
to the sea environment during shipment, or to corrosive chemicals
used during manufacture. I
Thanks for the level-headed reply Bill.
You described three functions - grease excluding moisture, zinc as a
sacrificial anode, and somehow removing aluminum oxide by sanding.
Here on this list I have been persuaded that the grease excluding moisture
is likely a good idea. Pick one that won't dr
Here is an article describing how to make aluminum to copper
connections, and when to use (and when not to use) oxide inhibiting paste:
http://www.stabiloy.com/NR/rdonlyres/AD9F20D3-FA28-4662-A013-A154C569435C/0/AluminumBuildingWireInstallationandTerminations.pdf
The cell manufacturer gives no g
