Bogert,

I would consider using anything but a gold to gold interface for this
connection to be close to criminal.

At that level of current even a few milliohms of resistance can cause a
disaster. Electroplated gold over nickel is needed to prevent oxides
from forming and interfering with the surface interface. The gold must
be thick enough to endure multiple insertions and removals. The
connector must be well protected against moisture and contamination
gaining access to the interface area.

I have seen the results of high current connector explotions when
contamination caused by a worn spot or from an outside source creates a
"hot spot". This leads to thermal runaway and a catastrophic failure.

(80amps x 80amps x .01ohms = 64 watts in a tightly confined area)

David A. Douthit
Manager
LoCan LLC

- Bogert wrote:

>February 10, 2005
>
>How does one determine what current can be carried by electrical connector contacts to determine capability to carry about 80 AMPs (RMS), low freq AC, or DC.
>
>We have an application that uses a carbon steel base metal pin contact.  The contact is given a nickel flash, followed by a copper plating (to fill in small voids), followed by another nickel flash, followed by silver plating.  Does one calculate current capacity from just the carbon steel base metal, or does one need to take the plating into account?  What formula or chart is used to support the calculation?  If the nickel flash thickness is increased, will it impact current capacity?  If plating is changed to gold, does that impact current
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>capacity?
>
>
>
>

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