Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Gecko burned out

> It's a common sense issue. If we tin the strands into a solid
> diameter then clamp the diameter between two flat surfaces the area
> of contact would be smaller than a bundle that can be flattened when
> clamped.

Hmmm. I haven't wired my Xylotex up yet, but it's certainly going to
be with tinned wires. Tin is soft enough so that the screw can squash
it almost like it does untinned wire. In fact, the surface area of the
contact is larger than without tin because the soft tin can fill in
the gaps between the rigid copper contacts and wire strands. Also, tin
prevents corrosion: remove an untinned copper wire from its terminal
after it has been in there for 10 years, and chances are it will be
brittle from corrosion. You don't get anything like this with tinned
wires.

I had a colleague at work once who always clamped untinned wires. I
made the same connections with tinned wire. Needless to say, his
connections never worked properly, mine always did.

Andras