flyrotary@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

Thanks, Bob. I went with tin as my research indicated that was more than suitable - in fact I think (if memory serves me) that aircraft wire is tin coated to prevent the copper oxidizing. My plug is exposed to moisture when the canopy is open, rain/dew, etc. Also, I did not use any corrosion preventive such as grease or spray so given all that, perhaps the news is that it held up so well for so long. So given its been over 10 years, I guess gold is not a requirement {:>). Wow! $1200 and its not even solid gold {:>) Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob White" <rlwhite@comcast.net> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 3:39 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Gold Plated Pins On Wed, 16 May 2007 13:11:26 -0400 "Ed Anderson" <eanderson@carolina.rr.com> wrote: <snip> Perhaps Bob White can chime in here, my recommendation would be to go with the gold plated pins vice the tin plated on for critical systems especially where they might be exposed to weather (like the tip up canopy can do). <snip Ed Ed Anderson Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered Matthews, NC eanderson@carolina.rr.com http://members.cox.net/rogersda/rotary/configs.htm#N494BW http://www.dmack.net/mazda/index.html That's an interesting question Ed. The EFI and coil connectors use tin plated connectors also. They are both sealed so that undoubtedly helps and I haven't heard of any major problems in the auto industry caused by the connections going bad. I can theoretically get gold or silver plated pins for the coil connectors, but the coil is still tin plated. Also, for the gold pins, there is a minimum order of $1200 so there would have to be a huge demand. :) I don't have a source for gold or silver pins for the EFI connectors. Using a sealed connector might be a better way to go. Molex also makes sealed connectors and I have the 6 and 8 pin versions of the same Metri-Pack connectors used on the LS-1 coils available. That's the larger one. I use them for the EFI and Coil cables. Someday I'll get all this stuff in my catalog. The information I have on gold and silver plating is related more to switch contacts. If the switch is handling a signal (low current) gold is preferred. If it's switching power, silver is better. When there is arcing, the gold tends to be vaporized leaving the base material. I don't know if the silver is less prone to vaporization or a thicker layer is used but power switches are silver plated. Bob W. -- N93BD - Rotary Powered BD-4 - http://www.bob-white.com 3.8 Hours Total Time and holding Cables for your rotary installation - http://www.roblinphoto.com/shop/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html