Home made buss bars
- Thread starter Bob S
- Start date
Ya gotta give us a bit more to work with... "Home made bus bar" then a question on plating...
Last home made bus bar I built, I used Monel and it certainly did not need any kind of plating.
How about some pictures and a more detailed explanation of how you are building this bus bar, especially the materials you are using.
dj
I made a set of buss bars for both positive and negative connections. I used 1.25" x 1/4" copper, drilled and tapped for mounting and for accepting connections. I provided tapped holes for 4 connections.
I did not plate the copper bars and I mounted them on pieces of nylon.
The picture below shows them and their condition after 26 years.
I do spray them at each layup with a corrosion blocking chemical, and if I remove any connections, I wire-brush the posts and the lugs before assembly.
I did not plate the copper bars and I mounted them on pieces of nylon.
The picture below shows them and their condition after 26 years.
I do spray them at each layup with a corrosion blocking chemical, and if I remove any connections, I wire-brush the posts and the lugs before assembly.
I can't answer for the OP - but it's been my experience that I've often found the off-the-shelf buss bars that are available don't meet the space/number-of-connections/size-connections-- needed that I've required. And they are easy to make...
dj
Tin is cathodic to copper, nickle will look pretty but not protect the copper after it cracks. It's the difference between galvanizing and chrome plating.
Tin is used for good reason.
I use this - works great:
On the other hand, we also have bare copper busbars from 2005 that look fine, like @Rich Stidger .
Mark
On the other hand, we also have bare copper busbars from 2005 that look fine, like @Rich Stidger .
Mark
The critical issue for bus bars is to make sure the cross section is large enough to carry the current being passed through the bus.
The other concern may be the space between the connections. If it is a positive bus it should not be exposed. The spaces between the connection points can be covered with heat shrink.
I don't think plating is necessary. The one bus I made was not plated and it was fine, no corrosion. A little oxidation turned the copper brownish. Then again, I was in fresh water.
The other concern may be the space between the connections. If it is a positive bus it should not be exposed. The spaces between the connection points can be covered with heat shrink.
I don't think plating is necessary. The one bus I made was not plated and it was fine, no corrosion. A little oxidation turned the copper brownish. Then again, I was in fresh water.
I guess I could have but I had the copper and have a machine shop. I decided to make it custom sized for my application. I can get them plated at no charge. My cost would be $20 for both.
