How do to all,
This has been an interesting thread on solder for use outdoors, on radials, and
what ever else. It is my humble observation,
from YEARS of it, that some of us go to extremes on installs of equipment,
antennas, station grounds...
And yet Josh / KF4YLM,
On BC MW AM installations, I use 15% Ag StaySilv bars for brazing
radials together, or to a common feed/EQ strap ring at the base of the
antenna, or strap running along a center line between two members of an
array where the radials will intersect.
I'll use alternately a Oxy/MAPP torch set,
To: Topband@contesting.com
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2015 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Silver solder
Hi Jorge,
Aluminum wire may have a short life due to corrosion, depending on
your local soil conditions. Aluminum wire buried in poorly drained
clay soils is particularly susceptible
[mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] En nombre de Gary Smith
Enviado el: miércoles, 31 de diciembre de 2014 02:49 a.m.
Para: Topband@contesting.com
Asunto: Re: Topband: Silver solder
I 2nd Merv's experience. My on the ground radials, on an oceanside salt
marsh, have held up as new for 4
...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jorge
Diez - CX6VM
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2015 9:28 AM
To: Topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Silver solder
Thanks all for the help
Will be looking for a lead free solder to solder terminals to the radial
wires
According to use 3.5 mm aluminum wire
Paul,
If you had trouble with an oxyacetylene torch, then I'll bet you used
silver-bearing (tin-copper-silver) solder, which melts at well under 700
degrees. (In that kind of solder, the small amount of silver is added
mainly to lower the melting point a little). That's commonly referred to as
The silver solder I have here does have a high silver content, yes. :-)
It also contains cadmium, which shouldn't be used indoors because the fumes
are toxic.
It's 1/16 diameter round wire. When it's gone, I'll probably replace it
with a cad-free alloy.
I mostly heat the work (that is, the
My whole buried radial system uses this type of silver solder to connect the
ground radials which are 1/2 in. copper tubing between ground rods. Each
ground rod radial is also soldered to the Rohn tower base plate. It has
been in over 20 years and no noticeable deterioration. I agree with the
“If you had trouble with an oxyacetylene torch, then I'll bet you used
silver-bearing (tin-copper-silver) solder, which melts at well under 700
degrees.
These are mid-level silver sticks with 15% silver + copper/phosphor and have a
working temperature of 1200-1400 degs. F – but not the 2-5%
The only issue is that solder requires a bit more heat
then the leaded solder.
To get adequate heat when using silver-solder bars, one option is to use a
small acetylene cylinder tank with a single line torch kit. The typical
air/acetylene temperature is about 1000 degrees F higher than
MAPP gas burns at 2000C in air, and is cheap and available almost anywhere.
It works with most tin-silver solders.
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Hi Jorge,
Very high cost silver solder isn't needed for radial connections. Any
mechanically and electrically secure connection that achieves and
maintains about an ohm or less of connection resistance will have an
undetectable affect on the the performance of your antenna (much
less than 1
Jorge,
You do not need or want a high silver content. It will be too brittle.
What you should ask for is a solder that has high tensile strength, is
ductile, and works well with copper or whatever your radials are.
That will not be a high silver content. It will probably be less than 8%
2% is about what the lead-free electronic solders are (they are a
tin/silver/copper alloy and are mostly tin). Don't bother with the 30%. My
mechanical contractor uses this stuff to fix things he can't reach well enough
to braze. It's not generally used for anything normal.
Coincidentally I
What I use is 3.6% silver wire with a resin core and a diameter of .031. I
would avoid the bars as to difficult to use.
Regards,
Jeff W6JK
On Tuesday, December 30, 2014 4:28 PM, Jorge Diez CX6VM cx6vm.jo...@gmail.com
wrote:
Hello
I read about using silver to solder wire radials to
Hi Frank
Thanks for the information, so 2% will be good, nice!
I will do bolted connections to a DXE radial plate, but I was asking about
soldering the wire to a terminal to be bolted to the radial plate
HNY!!
73,
Jorge
CX6VM/CW5W
Enviado desde mi iPhone
El 30/12/2014, a las 22:58,
Hello Tom
Ok thanks for the info
I think will be using cooper wire, so I can use 2% or will ask for another
option that has high tensile strength
A friend told me about an used 3.5 mm aluminum cable, that a company is
replacing and we c
An buy a low cost, but don't know if this will last too
Here in salt air regular solder turns to white powder pretty fast,
I have been also using lead free solder, I got a roll of plumbers
solder and a jar of resin flux. works very well on #10 radials and
4 inch wide copper strap etc. Have left several joints exposed
and there is no corrosion
On 12/30/2014 4:27 PM, Jorge Diez CX6VM wrote:
Hello
I read about using silver to solder wire radials to terminals
What we need for our use? Will be ok to use 2%? The difference in price is
extremely high!
Thanks,
Jorge
CX6VM/CW5W
The key issue is the absence of lead rather than the
I 2nd Merv's experience. My on the ground
radials, on an oceanside salt marsh, have
held up as new for 4 years and I used the
lead free plumbing solder. The only issue
is that solder requires a bit more heat
then the leaded solder.
That's all I use outdoors any more.
734 HNY,
Gary
KA1J
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