On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:00:10 -0400 Charles Moizeau <[email protected]> wrote: > > It has been my experience at this QTH in NJ that >soldered connections outdoors do not do well with solder >that contains lead. Over time the connections all turn >dull and often the solder on a well-soldered joint will >crumble over time. > Jorge,
I use No. 16 multi-strand, tinned, insulated wires for radials. They are soldered to a ring made of 1/2 inch copper pipe that is 2 inches above the concrete pad surrounding my TX vertical. The solder joints were made with regular Tin/Led (60/40) solder and were covered by a thick layer of heavy, insulating varnish (paint). The installation is about 4 feet from the seawall and is exposed to salt water spray. After 6 years all the joints remain perfect due to the paint. (Any exposed joints would have long corroded away.) Regardless whether you are soldering or crimping the radial wires, the joints must be protected against the entry of water and salt. I do not think there is any difference in the quality of soldered or crimped joints as long as they are made well and are properly insulated. (Although I prefer soldered joints, when using crimped joints, in addition to the insulation, I add a small amount of copper-grease between the wires and the crimp terminals. I work a lot on boats, where the environment is very corrosive due to the salt water. Because of the vibration, crimped joints are preferred, and I have found that they do well when prepared as described above.) GL es 73, George, AA7JV _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
