John:
You can also get waterproof wire nuts at Home Depot. They are larger than
normal and have an anti-seize compond built in
They are designed for electrical connections in wet locations.
73 de Price
WØRI
----- Original Message -----
From: John B. Mitchell <k4iq@worldnet.att.net>
To: Donald Chester <k4kyv@hotmail.com>; <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 2:36 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial wire selection and installation
> Don, that's cool, but honestly, I don't see any need to solder radials.
If
> I did, I'd go all the way and use silver solder, like used in air
> conditioning repair.
>
> Why waste time soldering? You don't gain anything by doing that. Twisted
> together or clamped connections, waterproofed, are just as good
electrically
> and have the additional advantage of being maintainable. You can unwrap
> them and check every few years, just to ensure QC. Can't do that with a
> soldered connection; if it's bad, you won't even know. Plus all that
lost
> labor...
>
> JMHO, YMMV
> 73
> John K4IQ
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donald Chester" <k4kyv@hotmail.com>
> To: <topband@contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 4:43 AM
> Subject: Re: Topband: Radial wire selection and installation
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: "John B. Mitchell" <k4iq@worldnet.att.net>
>
> >One approach I learned from W3YOZ avoids soldering radials, which is time
> >consuming and ineffective unless great pains are taken to completely
> >waterproof each soldered connection.
>
>
> It is a matter of using the correct solder. Lead/tin in contact with the
> soil will quickly disintegrate into a white powder. I once tried it, and
> had to resolder all the connections every couple of weeks.
>
> I now use a silver alloy that is used by plumbers to solder copper water
> pipes. It comes in flat sticks about 1/8" wide and 18" long. You need a
> brazing torch because an ordinary propane torch doesn't get hot enough. I
> use a "MAPP GAS" torch, which looks and works exactly like a propane
torch.
>
> The sticks of silver solder don't need any external flux. If the copper
is
> clean and free of scale and green oxide coating, it will take to the
melted
> solder like a sponge takes to water. The copper has to be heated to a
faint
> dull red. Just be careful; it is easy to accidentally overheat copper
wire
> to the melting point with a brazing torch!
>
> I installed my present radial system 20 years ago and it is still intact.
I
> don't recall the brand name of the silver alloy product, but it is
available
> at any welding supplier. It is a violation of federal law to use lead
alloy
> solder to connect copper water pipes, since lead may leach into the
drinking
> water supply. Therefore, any welding or plumbing supply shop should carry
> it in stock. Just tell them what I described and they will know what it
is.
>
> Don K4KYV
>
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