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Peeling silver plating in Electrical bus

2001

We have received some electrical bus components for magnets in which the silver plating is peeling. The silver plating is on top of a nickel plating and they are both applied by brush plating using electricity. Both the silver layer and the nickel layer are peeling leaving the copper exposed. The current flowing through the copper bus ranges from 300 A to 700 A.

Question1: what happens if the peeling layer is buried in a bolted connection that will not be undone? Will the copper get oxidized?

Question2: is it enough to scrape the peeling layer (without removing it completely) and just apply an anti-oxidation compound like Penetrox?

Thanks,

Domenico Dell'Orco
- Menlo Park, California, USA

Brush plating quality is extremely operator sensitive. Done properly, it would not peel. The only long term answer is to have it replated. Option 2 is to live with it.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2001

James Watts is correct if the process was done properly adhesion is not an issue. I believe your best bet is to have the bus components replated, the silver was put on for a purpose and by removing it from the surface or by trying to sandwich it in will defeat the purpose.

David Crocker
- Valencia, California, USA
2001