DIY Tinned-Copper bus bars

[FilterGuy]

I did not like the thin buss bars that came with a set of cells I purchased, so I decided to make my own. I purchased .25" x .75" copper bar from a local metal supplier, cut and drilled them and then electroplated them with tin (They are destined for a boat).




I had never done electroplating before.... I pretty much followed the instructions on this site:

http://transistor-man.com/electroplating_busbar.html

I had to play around some with the current for electroplating and even then I was getting whiskers of tin that I had to wipe off now and then but it all came out fine. After the electroplating I used a wire brush wheel on a drill press to polish them.
Note: I will be putting heat-shrink on to minimize the exposed metal for a dropped tool to find.

Here are some other bus bars I made for the same project.


The post is tinned brass 3/8" all-thread. I tapped the bus-bar, threaded it in and then soldered it to lock it in.

 

[Supervstech]

Sounds like a project you could start posting how to's on...

Where is the video link?

 

[FilterGuy]

Sounds like a project you could start posting how to's on...

Where is the video link?

Sorry... I did not take video as I went, but here is a little bit about what I did:

I am not an expert on any of this!! I learned as I went.

This link has the Tinning instructions:
http://transistor-man.com/electroplating_busbar.html

Warnings:

• Do this at your own risk. Muriatic acid is nasty stuff.
• Wear acid proof gloves!!!
• Wear eye protection!!!!
• Do this in a very well ventilated area. (Particularly the first part where you are dissolving the tin in the acid to make the Tin-salts bath. See the instructions in the link

A few key notes:
You can't get the copper too clean before you start. From the start I would only hold the copper with nitril gloves so no oil from my skin would get on it. I first shined it up with a wire wheel on my drill. I then washed it in soap and water, and wire-wheeeled it again.


Here is a pic of the electro-plating bath.



It is not obvious in the pic, but the part being tinned is suspended above the bottom of the plastic tub and fully submerged in the tin-salts bath.

The main thing that the instructions did not cover was the best current. For this part I found .3A to .5A seemed to work. For the small cell bus bars I used ~ .2A. If you see bubbles coming from the part, the current is probably too high.

Note that I used copper wire to hold the part in the bath. If I do this again, I would try to find some stainless steel wire.

After a while I would get tin 'whiskers' growing from the part. I would stop the process and wipe the whiskers off with a paper towel every once in a while.

When I thought it was thick enough I would take it out of the bath, rinse it with tap water and then polish it with the wire wheel. If any copper shows through...it went back in the bath for more plating. Once there was no copper showing after the wire wheel, I would plate it one more time and then do a final polish with the wheel.

 

[John Frum]

Perhaps this could be a cottage industry.
I have been looking for a "glue" component to make sub assemblies.
For instance connect this

m-Series Mini On-Off Battery Switch with Knob - Red - Blue Sea Systems

300 Amps continuous rating for outboards and small gasoline or diesel engines.

www.bluesea.com

to this

MaxiBus 250A BusBar - Four 5/16"-18 Studs - Blue Sea Systems

Insert-molded stainless steel studs an optional fully enclosed insulating base and cover.

www.bluesea.com

and this

DC Digital Current Shunt - 500A - Blue Sea Systems

For use with DC Ammeters.

www.bluesea.com

to this

MaxiBus 250A BusBar - Four 5/16"-18 Studs - Blue Sea Systems

Insert-molded stainless steel studs an optional fully enclosed insulating base and cover.

www.bluesea.com

 

[Keith C]

You're insane..

I'm impressed.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

You can also use 'liquid tin' which is used in the PCB manufacturing industry - but just as the above method, you're dealing with potential nasty chemicals and you have to know how to work with them. Another way to do it (which I use) is essentially treat the bus bars (and copper washers I make) like a very thick wire: heat the thing up and apply tin. This is the same way copper cookware is traditionally tinned. Might need a torch (or a nice hot charcoal fire) but it works, and you don't have any chemicals to dispose of.

 

[FilterGuy]

Your insane..

I've heard that before.... (and no....it was not voices in my head saying it. )

 

[Supervstech]

I have three commercial threaded copper bussbars 5’ long, and 1.5”wide, 1/4” thick, with matching sandwich bars... I have been deciding what to do with them, and this sounds like a fun project... not sure where I’m going to get a 5’ long plastic container though...

 

[BiduleOhm]

not sure where I’m going to get a 5’ long plastic container though...

You can do one half and then the other half. Not ideal but a 3' container will be enough

 

[Keith C]

5’ long plastic container

Plastic rain gutter with associated end-caps.

 

[tictag]

Is Muriatic Acid an America thing? Why isn't is called Hydrochloric Acid?

Do Americans say they have Muriatic Acid in their stomachs?

Rhetorical question, I guess, just curious.

Edit: Added curiosity(!)

 

[jasonhc73]

Is Muriatic Acid an America thing? Why isn't is called Hydrochloric Acid?

Do Americans say they have Muriatic Acid in their stomachs?

Rhetorical question, I guess, just curious.

Edit: Added curiosity(!)

More or less like saying Xerox or Saran wrap or Coke. It happens to be a brand name but just means "acid".

 

[Keith C]

Tictac; It annoys me too!
It's because you can't easily buy Hydrochloric Acid anywhere but everybody stocks Muratic Acid.

 

[Supervstech]

Is Muriatic Acid an America thing? Why isn't is called Hydrochloric Acid?

Do Americans say they have Muriatic Acid in their stomachs?

Rhetorical question, I guess, just curious.

Edit: Added curiosity(!)

Muratic is acid is a concoction of a certain concentration for cleaning cement products... mortar, concrete tile grout, etc...

 

[offgriddle]

I did not like the thin buss bars that came with a set of cells I purchased, so I decided to make my own. I purchased .25" x .75" copper bar from a local metal supplier, cut and drilled them and then electroplated them with tin (They are destined for a boat).

View attachment 9237


I had never done electroplating before.... I pretty much followed the instructions on this site:

http://transistor-man.com/electroplating_busbar.html

I had to play around some with the current for electroplating and even then I was getting whiskers of tin that I had to wipe off now and then but it all came out fine. After the electroplating I used a wire brush wheel on a drill press to polish them.
Note: I will be putting heat-shrink on to minimize the exposed metal for a dropped tool to find.

Here are some other bus bars I made for the same project.
View attachment 9240

The post is tinned brass 3/8" all-thread. I tapped the bus-bar, threaded it in and then soldered it to lock it in.

Nice work.

 

[FilterGuy]

Muratic is acid is a concoction of a certain concentration for cleaning cement products... mortar, concrete tile grout, etc...

More specifically it is a particular concentration of Hydrochloic acid. ( ~31% Hydrochloride Acid )
It is used for cleaning concrete and treating pool water.

 

[tictag]

Ahhhh, like 'rubbing alcohol' is actually just a 70% concentration of Isopropyl Alcohol (Propan-2-ol)? That does make sense.

 

[Steve_S]

US Gallon is 3.78 litres while a Real Gallon is 4.54 litres. Colour the Honour Rolls ! snicker snicker…
ps, the first CON played by US Standard Oil in the 20's was the US Gallon ! some games never change do they.
Decoding US English & terms to global English & terms is a pita...
I wonder what 99.9% pure Isopropyl is called in the States ?
Boot is Trunk, Bonnet is Hood, Windscreen is Windshield… Petrol is Gas oivey….

BTW: Pro-Tip before plating, yes clean the part wipe it all down and remove any oils etc... BUT the last step should be an alcohol wipe to ensure the part is truly clean of oils etc. Prep Work is the devil in the details, better proper = better end result. Always good to remember the term GIGO, "Garbage In, Garbage Out".

 

[Keith C]

99.9% Isopropyl is called 99.9% Isopropyl in the USofA.

However, it's called 2-Propanol in the laboratory realms, for instance if you need it for an testing chemical you 'd likely look at "chemical" supply houses for the 2-Propanol.