Conductive epoxy instead of solder or crimp ?

[rumme]

Anyone used conductive epoxy to attach 8-12 gauge wire to connectors for use up to 100 amps ? Does it work well ?

 

[Chalo]

Anyone used conductive epoxy to attach 8-12 gauge wire to connectors for use up to 100 amps ? Does it work well ?

Conductive epoxy is way less conductive than any metal. Might work for carrying signals, but not power. Think about it-- epoxy resin isn't conductive. You'd be depending on filler particles, most of which don't even touch each other, to carry all that current. Not gonna happen.

 

[Dauntless]

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9395

 

[MadRhino]

We are in a new era. They want to build everything with tape and glue. I guess I am too old to understand the new generation.

 

[Rassy]

I've been using MG Chemicals Silver Epoxy for years, but not on as high of current as you are asking about. I always use it on insulated crimp connectors, by first adding a small amount to the wire and inside the connector before inserting the wire and crimping it. I've done dozens of butt connectors etc. on both the 10 or 12 gauge battery wires and phase wires. None have ever failed.

The stuff is expensive, but I only use a small amount at a time:

https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Silver-Epoxy-Adhesive/dp/B008UH4DB2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506911928&sr=8-3&keywords=silver+conductive+epoxy

 

[liveforphysics]

We are in a new era. They want to build everything with tape and glue. I guess I am too old to understand the new generation.

I'm grateful they still dream big, who wouldn't want to just glue connections and have it be a robust electrical joint.

All the advice given in this thread is fair and correct for today's practical to afford and apply conductive glue technology. That said, there is no intrensic reason it can't exist. The money today going into solid electrolytes is making some accidents that are pretty amazing electrical conductors (which means the experiment failed for being a solid electrolyte, as it must conduct only ions but not electrical current.) Today these are often based around liquid phase molten salts becoming a solid through some creative polymerization reactions, but don't underestimate the conductor potential in molten phase salts (molten at Temps way below 0degC).

Perhaps soon you will be able to buy a bottle of "electrical glue" that is useful for current just from some botched solid electrolyte test batch.

 

[wturber]

We are in a new era. They want to build everything with tape and glue. I guess I am too old to understand the new generation.

I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm 58. I have a bonded aluminum framed Trek 1400 that's been doing fine since around 1990. I have many thousands of miles on that bike. Composites (glue and fabric) have made revolutionary changes in some areas. Someone here was/is selling torque "arms" that are attached with a very strong epoxy - and that seems to be working well. So "tape and glue" doesn't seem so strange to someone even as old as me.

 

[dogman dan]

Does sound like a good idea for those pesky teeny tiny connectors. Twist the wires together tight, then apply the epoxy sounds damn tempting.

But nothing beats a good crimp. learn to crimp if you are going to be into this stuff.

Of course solder only for some types of connectors, so learn that too.

 

[MadRhino]

We are in a new era. They want to build everything with tape and glue. I guess I am too old to understand the new generation.

I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm 58. I have a bonded aluminum framed Trek 1400 that's been doing fine since around 1990. I have many thousands of miles on that bike. Composites (glue and fabric) have made revolutionary changes in some areas. Someone here was/is selling torque "arms" that are attached with a very strong epoxy - and that seems to be working well. So "tape and glue" doesn't seem so strange to someone even as old as me.

I am familiar with "tape and glue" in bicycle fabrication, and even use some CF components. Yet I am a mountain rider and fast city commuter doing thousands of miles every season. Over the years of DH bikes development, there have been many failures due to the propension to try making everything with resin and composite materials. I know that it does achieve some improvement for many applications at the end, but too often it is made to save time and be disposable.

Then, I am not against progress and invention. I always try to build lighter and better bikes myself. I just find that "quick and disposable" era is so far from someone who have been farming with horses and spent his life building with stones. :wink:

 

[TheBeastie]

Anyone used conductive epoxy to attach 8-12 gauge wire to connectors for use up to 100 amps ? Does it work well ?

Yeah like everyone have said, its all been tried but failed, use crimp if you don't want to solder. 100amps is a lot, your going to need the most proven techniques possible.

 

[melodious]

Used in lieu of signal wires, it would remove another strand from the spaghetti that is part of the battery/controller/motor triad. It just needs to be robust &a flexible enough to handle daily transportation stresses.

Frames using epoxies to carry throttle & PAS/torque & hall signals would be an interesting progression. My wires have deteriorated from 5+ years of daily usage. :wink:

 

[wturber]

Then, I am not against progress and invention. I always try to build lighter and better bikes myself. I just find that "quick and disposable" era is so far from someone who have been farming with horses and spent his life building with stones. :wink:

I don't know if we care more about "quick and disposable" today than in the past (discounting things that are clearly made to be disposable like plastic razors, paper diapers, etc.) For instance, I remember when getting 100,000 miles on a car's motor was great. Now 100,000 miles is commonplace and expected and tune-ups are what, every 50,000 miles?? I also remember people complaining about cheap Japanese imports when I was a kid - much like they do about Chinese goods today. So I'm not sure how much things have really changed. - at least in the last fifty or so years. What I mostly see is more choice - which does include a lot of cheaply made stuff - but also a lot of really well made stuff.