gold plated contact vs copper contact?

[picard]

does gold plated contact make difference compare to regular copper contact on a light? this is a flashlight rather than a high end telecom equipment here.

 

[tebore]

does gold plated contact make difference compare to regular copper contact on a light? this is a flashlight rather than a high end telecom equipment here.

The gold plating is just to prevent any corrosion/oxidation. I'd say it makes a minimal difference in overall conductivity compared to a nice new shiny pure copper connect.

Side note: Wouldn't this be better placed in Electronics part of the forum and not LED.

 

[MrGman]

does gold plated contact make difference compare to regular copper contact on a light? this is a flashlight rather than a high end telecom equipment here.

electricity is electricity and oxidation is oxidation. Neither of which care what the application is. If you are the one who wants the flashlight to work you want clean contacts. Copper is the better conductor when it is clean, however its impossible to keep it oxide free. Gold stays as a noble element unless put under some really hard conditions which is why every one plates contacts with it that they want to keep working for a lot of years.

Gold is much better over the long haul than oxidized copper and copper will oxidize plain and simple. Push current through it when its wet and bad things really start to happen. If you can keep it mostly clean and dry it will work fine.

 

[smokinbasser]

I have a set of battery jumper cables that were constructed from platinum plated multibraided wire and the original use was for well lets just say government use and these suckers have virtually no voltage/amperage loss after 4 decades of storage in less than ideal conditions. The moral ? noble metals are best, the more noble the better!!!!!!!!

 

[DM51]

Side note: Wouldn't this be better placed in Electronics part of the forum and not LED.

I agree. I'm moving it now.

 

[thermal guy]

I have a set of battery jumper cables that were constructed from platinum plated multibraided wire and the original use was for well lets just say government use and these suckers have virtually no voltage/amperage loss after 4 decades of storage in less than ideal conditions. The moral ? noble metals are best, the more noble the better!!!!!!!!

They weren't used in glass works were they?

 

[kosPap]

hmm this is a good chance to ask....If you are goin to have a flashlight where + batt pole contacts the pcb copper pad directly, is there a reason not to add solder on it?

I feel (and judging by my experiece) that the softer solder makes a better mechanical contact...

Isn't it so?

 

[kwkarth]

With a tinned (solder) or bare copper contacts, the judicious application of DeOxit should help inhibit corosion and enhance the contact by lowering resistance at the junction point.