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Material for making banana sockets

T

TomH

Jan 1, 1970
0
Greetings,

I need to use a large number of banana sockets for a patchbay. Rather
than buying these by the hundred, I find that I can buy hard brass
tube of the correct internal diameter for a few cents. Now collegues
have told me that I must have these plated with nickel or similar to
get a good contact, but I recall the patchbays used for low level
microphone signals used in recording studios were often unplated
brass, and no care was ever taken to clean them, in fact they were
often filthy with a black greasy deposit. Also scientific and
laboratory instruments up to the 20's were made with unplated brass
terminals.

What do people think, could I get away with unplated brass? My
application is for patching low level dc voltages in the range +/-10V.

Regards

TomH
 
R

Robert Baer

Jan 1, 1970
0
TomH said:
Greetings,

I need to use a large number of banana sockets for a patchbay. Rather
than buying these by the hundred, I find that I can buy hard brass
tube of the correct internal diameter for a few cents. Now collegues
have told me that I must have these plated with nickel or similar to
get a good contact, but I recall the patchbays used for low level
microphone signals used in recording studios were often unplated
brass, and no care was ever taken to clean them, in fact they were
often filthy with a black greasy deposit. Also scientific and
laboratory instruments up to the 20's were made with unplated brass
terminals.

What do people think, could I get away with unplated brass? My
application is for patching low level dc voltages in the range +/-10V.

Regards

TomH

As long as the atmospher there is not corrosive (sulphor from the salt
mines, or salt from the deep ocean), you should have no problems.
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
Greetings,

I need to use a large number of banana sockets for a patchbay. Rather
than buying these by the hundred, I find that I can buy hard brass
tube of the correct internal diameter for a few cents. Now collegues
have told me that I must have these plated with nickel or similar to
get a good contact,

Your colleagues are idiots. Or maye their brother-in-law has a plating
shop.

Brass is superb for that kind of crap. It even solders good. And it
doesn't corrode much - ever seen a ship bell?

Have Fun!
Rich
 
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