Since the connectors will already be tin plated, I wonder how that will eff= ect the gold plating process? I guess I'll have to experiment... Thanks, Bob ________________________________________ From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu on behalf of Russel= lMc=20 Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2019 7:35 PM To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [EE] Not so good connectors, gone bad Bob There is a large amount on-web in "immersion gold" plating (which doesn't mean "just dip it in".) This may be useful https://www.uyemura.com/direct-immersion-gold-as-a-final-finish.htm Other maybes https://www.finishing.com/184/71.shtml Why classical ENG is a bad dog https://wiki2.org/en/Electroless_nickel_immersion_gold ENIG premium - proprietary BUT patented http://www.lilotree.com/news/enig-premium-black-pad-newsletter Russell On Sun, 17 Nov 2019 at 13:54, Bob Blick wrote: > Hi Jean-Paul, > Thanks for the info. I didn't know the thicknesses for the insertion > limit. Hopefully the ones in question will not need multiple > reinsertions(so far, so good) as home plating will likely not deposit muc= h > metal. > Looking forward to trying my hand at gold plating. Digikey search and > order of connectors in my near future! > 73 Bob NS6B > > ________________________________________ > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu on behalf of > Jean-Paul Louis > Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2019 1:38 PM > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > Subject: Re: [EE] Not so good connectors, gone bad > > Gold on gold is good for insertable contact, but need lubrication (see > Bellcore recommendation for that). > Gold plated connectors specify an insertion limit. > Usually, 3 micro-inch gold plating )gold flash) is good for a limit of 50 > insertions. > Normal plating is 30 micro-inch thick, and insertion limit varies with > applications, > and how good was the nickel barrier. > > Just my two cents from 40 years in mfg engineering in several industries. > > Jean-Paul > N1JPL > > > On Nov 16, 2019, at 1:58 AM, Bob Blick wrote: > > > > Very interesting. Looks like gold plating might not be an impossible > dream. I'm going to try to track down a set of replacement connectors and > see if I can plate them. > > Thanks! > > > > Bob > > > > ________________________________________ > > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu on behalf of > mad.scientist.at.large > > Sent: Friday, November 15, 2019 10:28 PM > > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > > Subject: Re: [EE] Not so good connectors, gone bad > > > > You might try these, at least for the pins < > http://www.hunterproducts.com/plating_pens.html> < > http://www.hunterproducts.com/plating_pens.html>. I used these once > years ago and they were great. Looks like there are other companies doin= g > this now. Depending on the design, they may be useful for plating the > socket side. > > -- =93The whole world is watching! The whole world is watching!=94 > > > > > > > > Nov 15, 2019, 17:10 by bobblick > > > >> Thanks Harold. If I get a set of new connectors, the cool thing to do > would be to gold plate them. But I don't know how I would accomplish that= .. > So if I can get replacements I'll just expect them to start crapping out = in > 10 years or so. Which is as good as a lifetime, I guess :) > >> > >> Best regards, Bob > >> > >> P.S. Gold plating varies in goodness, too. I know that ENIG is way too > thin. Eventually the base metal shoots some oxide through and pushes the > leaf and pin apart. > >> > >> ________________________________________ > >> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu on behalf of > Harold Hallikainen > >> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2019 3:29 PM > >> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > >> Subject: Re: [EE] Not so good connectors, gone bad > >> > >> I believe the only solution to very low current connectors is gold on > gold > >> contacts. Attached are some notes from our engineering wiki on this. > We've > >> had problems with analog and digital low current signals going through > >> connectors. We've gone to gold on gold. We also have a lithium cell in= a > >> holder, both nickle plated. The load is 10 uA. The connection would dr= op > >> out now and then erasing private keys. The solution there was to solde= r > in > >> the battery. > >> > >> Low current switching and connectors are difficult. > >> > >> Harold > >> > >> > >> > >> > --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .