| |
Letter 38265
Why must Copper Bus Bar be Tin
Plated?
+++++
Sir,
Why we need Tin Plated Copper bar to be used in 6.9 KV busbar
interconnection. My question is What is special with Tin Coating for
copper bar?
Thanks and Regards,
ROY L. HARADJI
Oil Co. - Abu Dhabi, UAE
+++++
Copper oxidizes and the oxides do not stay on the copper well.
When they come off there is more copper exposed, which in turn
oxidizes, and so-on. Also the oxides do not conduct well. This causes
poor electrical contact, which then gets hot and increases the
oxidation rate. The oxides, because of their poor conductivity, also
cause arcing at the electrical contacts, eroding the copper.
Tom Gallant
- Long Beach, CA, USA
+++++
Tin plating has two main technical advantages:
1. The thin tin oxide film (10-30 nm) forms on the surface of the tin
coating could act as a shield, inhibiting further oxidation;
and
2. Being a relatively soft metal, tin provides a low constriction
resistance.

T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan
- Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
+++++
Tin plate works well to prevent corrosion and provide a good,
clean contact surface. However, I prefer to heat the end of the
copper end of the part to be coated, apply flux and then melt solder
onto the surface, which I smooth out with a solder brush. Use lots of
flux(soldering paste). The final step is to smooth our the coating
and eliminate lumps and drips with a wet rag, wiping quickly to
remove excess material.
Come to think of it, it might be easier to tin plate! Why didn't I
think of that??
The advantage of soldering the connection surface is the heavy
coating that results.

Daryl P. Spindler, Sr., CEF
- Greenbrier, TN
November 4, 2009
we are manufacturing different types of Copper/Aluminium Busduct
as well as panels; in these systems we use lot of copper, we inquire
the effect of tinning on Copper Bus & Aluminium Bus (meaning
Current Capacity ie how many percent increase in current )
Jagdish
power systems - Nashik, Maharastra, India
Dear Reader, please --
- Answer or follow-up on this
subject (in non-commercial
fashion).
-
- Post a
new question or inquiry on a
different subject.
 |