Gold Plating... Is it worth it?

[PatHastings]

One of my friends wants me to install a "Ground Kit", an amp, and a couple subs in his car.
I have seen a lot of people saying that the ring connectors should be gold plated, but from what i have skimmed... on wikipedia... it seems that gold plating would be useless for something like this. I had planned to solder (and crimp) the connectors on and it seems that the gold plating will just mix with the solder. So from what I can see the gold plating is strictly for the corrosion resistance, but Im not so sure the ring connector will be corroding a whole lot in a trunk. Maybe in the ground kit under the hood, but i feel like some vaseline is a cheaper way to protect there.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
-Pat

Also how useful is gold plating? seems like a waste of money to me...

 

[Resqueline]

Gold plating looks great, and it offers good corrosion protection (if it's thick enough) but imho it's pretty much a hype and not of any other "technical" use.
Vaseline would like you say offer good corrosion protection too.
Gold is a much poorer conductor than copper, and it's easily absorbed by solder as you say.
But solder is also a poor conductor, and so connectors should be crimped first of all, and any soldering should only be done after - as a corrosion protection measure.

 

[PatHastings]

Awesome thanks for the answer, but i forgot to add something last night. 99.99% oxygen free cable. You think its useful or pointless? I feel like its also a waste of money for this application and any 8 or 4 awg wire will be pretty much work. Should i spend the extra money on it or just go w/ the cheaper stuff?

 

[davenn]

What makes gold better is that it doesnt oxidise and corrode like copper does. Oxidised copper is a poor conductor, which is why gold is used for electrical contacts --- edge connectors, terminals, plugs and sockets etc
but in your situation, copper terminals protected with vaseline or silicon sealer etc is going to be just fine
You will find a lot of terminals these days silver plated, which is ideal

cheers
Dave

 

[GSMelectronics.co.uk]

hey theres a guy here in newcastle who gold plates mobile phones and ppl fences! he makes a killing!!!!! £3-4000 a week. so depends where you are I guess!

 

[Resqueline]

Oxygen free cable is also a hype, imho.. A gold plated car would be nice tho'..

 

[davenn]

Oxygen free cable is also a hype, imho.. A gold plated car would be nice tho'..

agreed the OFC cables is the biggest con pulled on sound gear users
I still cant believe after so many years that people refuse to see the light and realise how badly they have been screwed lol

I just shake my head in amazement

Dave

 

[(*steve*)]

I still cant believe after so many years that people refuse to see the light and realise how badly they have been screwed lol

Yes, becasuse everyone knows that OFC is a con.

It is only "Monster Cables" that can make your sound better!

Bwahahahahaha

 

[GSMelectronics.co.uk]

Yes, becasuse everyone knows that OFC is a con.

It is only "Monster Cables" that can make your sound better!

Bwahahahahaha

pmsl ad steve. lol this has put a smile on my face! I think moster is a load of crap, even though they are good quality! there are other makes that are just as good!

 

[duke37]

Early transistors were supplied with gold plated leads but these were found to produce unreliable solder joints.The soldering was very easy but an intermetallic gold/tin compound was formed which was very brittle. See Wikipedia.

 

[GSMelectronics.co.uk]

Early transistors were supplied with gold plated leads but these were found to produce unreliable solder joints.The soldering was very easy but an intermetallic gold/tin compound was formed which was very brittle. See Wikipedia.

nice info duke thanks

 

[poor mystic]

A gold-plated carabiner for Resqueline.
Can we hear details of the 'gold-onto-plastic' technique please?