Cecil Moore wrote:
I'm no metallurgist so forgive my ignorance. Most of
us have had the problem of interfacing copper to
aluminum. Is there some sort of alloy terminal block
that will accomplish that feat? Seems simple enough
to create an alloy that gradually transitions from
copper to aluminum but what do I know?

The problems are mostly the different thermal coefficients of expansion
and surface oxidation of Al. Galvanic corrosion can also be an issue.

For more than you probably want to know:

http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/aluminum.htm

If you are talking about your house wiring, the above link will get
you to stuff that addresses the problem.

If you are talking about home brew stuff, the general solution is to
clean, apply anti-oxide grease, and connect under compression, i.e.
something with a tightening screw.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

wrote:
If you are talking about home brew stuff, the general solution is to
clean, apply anti-oxide grease, and connect under compression, i.e.
something with a tightening screw.

I'm putting my rotatable 20m dipole back up and am,
once again, needing to connect ladder-line to
aluminum tubing out in the weather. I guess I'll try
brass hardware this time.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore wrote:
wrote:
If you are talking about home brew stuff, the general solution is to
clean, apply anti-oxide grease, and connect under compression, i.e.
something with a tightening screw.

I'm putting my rotatable 20m dipole back up and am,
once again, needing to connect ladder-line to
aluminum tubing out in the weather. I guess I'll try
brass hardware this time.

If there isn't already, stuff a short hunk of something solid like a
fiberglass rod or wood dowel in the end where you make the connection,
put terminals on the wires, use stainless screws with star lock washers
under the screw head and between the terminal and tubing and the terminal
and nut, anti-oxide grease, overwrap with sealing tape then with regular
tape.

That's how I connected to the vertical in the middle of my lawn where
the sprinklers hit it about a decade ago and there have been no
problems.

FWIW, I tried brass (because someone gave me a bunch) for this sort of
thing and switched to stainless.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

Bart Bailey wrote:
What about stainless hose clamps for more surface contact,
and of course a liberal application of anti-oxide paste,
maybe even some of that self vulcanizing tape on top of it all to try
and obviate WX effects?

Been there, done that. Nothing seems to completely
solve the problem forever.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com