Renewable Energy Questions/Discussion > Wiring and Code discussion

Tinning Copper Bus bars

(1/3) > >>

Rover:
OK... I've made several attempts in the past to Tin the connection point on my battery bus bars (1"x1/8"x 17") , and frankly just gave up as my little butane torch can't deliver enough heat to do a good job (yes fluxed).

Anyone have a suggestion? dipping solution ?

Only reason I'm asking as I'm starting to see some oxidation on my bus bars, which I would like to stem.

Rover

Cornelius:
Do you have a gas stove?

Should make the bars hot enough... ;D

Rover:
Nope , no gas stove.

But figure if I can't get it hot enough (reliably) with a standard butane torch .... IMHO gas stove element not going to match heat...

Rover

Rover:
Arrgggg... butane.. meant propane... nerts

Rover

rossw:

--- Quote from: Rover on February 23, 2012, 02:02:17 pm ---OK... I've made several attempts in the past to Tin the connection point on my battery bus bars (1"x1/8"x 17") , and frankly just gave up as my little butane torch can't deliver enough heat to do a good job (yes fluxed).

Anyone have a suggestion?

--- End quote ---

I presume you're using low-temperature solder (tin/lead), and a reasonable flux (non-acidic).
Clean the copper bar. *PROPERLY*.
Once you have those, the only remaining thing is the right heat. 17" of 1" wide bar will conduct (and dissipate) heat fairly quickly. Here's a trick I've used to braze 1" copper pipe when I didn't have enough heat to just do it normally.

Wrap as much of the copper in insulating material (offcuts of fiberglass insulation bats is great). This will stop the heat you CAN apply from escaping so quickly.

Pre-heat the work if possible. Put it in the oven on high heat for a while. Once the whole bar is hot, wrap it in the fiberglass matt with just the required work area exposed. Apply additional heat, flux and solder as required.

I've found that propane seems to inhibit good soldering - and seems to burn the flux quickly. I've had far better results indirectly heating the area. So... apply the torch to the underside of the bar, and tin from the top. "Chase" the solder along. If you can get a good coating, while the solder is nice and runny - "wipe" it off with a dry paper towel or clean rag. You can spot the areas that need more flux and solder easily this way, and it leaves you a nice thin, uniform layer.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page