[TowerTalk] Best Way To Clean Copper Ground Wire for Erico Cadweld Connection?

[David Gilbert]

I'm not sure the tarnish matters much in the first place, especially if 
the tarnish is copper oxide since copper oxide is one of the key 
components of Cadweld welding material (copper thermite).

_3 CuO + 2 Al    >   3 Cu + Al2O3 + lots of heat + lots of light

But if he wants to get rid of the tarnish, I don't think a wire brush is 
going to do a very good job on stranded wire.  What does work is Lime 
Away, or the more gentle Lemi Shine, followed by a water rinse.  I've 
used both.

73,
Dave   AB7E



On 7/17/2020 10:09 PM, Gene Smar via TowerTalk wrote:
> Wayne:
>
>       Just use a wire brush and elbow grease, no added materials.  Hint
> (based on experience):  Put a ring of electrician's putty around all
> openings in the ceramic crucible for the shot, including the opening
> underneath for the ground rod.  My first shot leaked out of the crucible so
> I added the putty for all subsequent ones.
>
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of WA7NE
> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2020 12:36 AM
> To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Best Way To Clean Copper Ground Wire for Erico Cadweld
> Connection?
>
> I'm installing a number of ground rods to be connected by 2 awg stranded
> copper wire.   I plan to use Erico's OneShot for making the connections.
> My 2 awg stranded copper wire is a bit tarnished so I'm inquiring about the
> best way to clean it for Cadwelding.
>
>   
>
> Is something like Brasso or Noxon followed by a wire brushing sufficient or
> is there a better way?  I know there should be no contaminants left on the
> wire.
>
>   
>
> Thank you,
>
> Wayne / WA7NE
>
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