with all this fuss I think carbide lights would be easier.
Ron
----- Original Message -----
From: Dr. Gerald N. Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2000 7:09 PM
Subject: Re: [VAC] Marker light grounding. New idea.
> Philip Piper wrote:
> >
> > Gerald, The hot side of the bulb socket has a pigtail, what is the
ground
> > side of the socket made of, the older units I have worked with are
brass,
> > could you solder a pigtail to it then attach the ground wire to that?
> > Phil
> > ________________________________________________________________________
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>
> I was kind of figuring on soldering the wire pigtail to the brass strap
> that goes over to the mounting screw. I like my latest idea best.
>
> The platic boss is a little over 3/8" diameter. I removed its center
> down to the brass strap with a 3/8" diameter end mill. The brass springs
> out of the way so that could be done just as well with a 3/8" drill bit
> so long as the brass could spring away from the drill. Then I found the
> depth of the hole (on the model 234) is exactly the same thickness as
> two standard 8-32 hex nuts. I dug up some bronze internal star type
> lockwashers which I'll put on for trial but I'll find some stainless
> steel soon. I happen to have some 8-32 x 1" aluminum screw with nuts.
> Soon as its light and I have some fresh plumber's putty, I'll go try one
> on the Caravel. I'll coat one lockwasher with aluminum wire connector
> grease, then I'll put that lock washer on the screw and put the screw
> through the rivet hole from the inside (may have to drill out the hole a
> little) working through that 1-1/2" hole under the light. I'll run a
> pair of nuts down against the shell from the outside, and lock that
> screw to the shell. Then I'll make sure the other mounting hole is right
> for a #8 x 3/4 self tapping screw, fill up the back of the light with
> plumber's putty, fish the wire lead through (has a spade lug connector
> on it) the base of the light, and slide the bared ground connector down
> against the double nuts. Then I'll install another aluminum connection
> greased lockwasher and a nut against that brass strap and tighten it
> down. With the self tapping screw on the other side, I'll have a
> connection significantly better than before and probably better than the
> pigtail.
>
> The trouble with the soldered wire is that solder wicks into the wire
> past the end of the stripped insulation and makes it stiff so it breakes
> from vibration. Another problem is that the connection out in the
> weather with solder and brass and copper ages poorly with dissimilar
> metals and thus electrolysis when wet to destroy the solder connection.
> A pressure connection preserved with grease like the aluminum conductor
> grease should last significantly longer.
>
> Now if all the marker lights have that large hole, I'm in... If not,
> I'll make an aluminum spacer the thickness of two nuts and use the self
> tapping stainless steel screws I bought Saturday with stainless steel
> lockwashers (which I'll order tomorrow) and aluminum connection grease
> on the threads and at the lockwasher.
>
