Conductive thread lock

[Mark Sodapopinski]

I searched and it was closed: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...126-electrically-conductive-thread-epoxy.html

I recently patina'd my 4Nine and it came out beautifully. I wanted to loctite my spacers all together in perma-18650. well i didnt in fear that i would receive massive voltage drop or loose all circuit together and this morning while putting the battery on the charger the threads for the 18500 ring separated putting a line in my patina and all 10 layers of enamel clear.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a thread lock that they have had strong results with or even a bad product you used that i should avoid? Reading the thread i posted, no one seemed to try it and mocked at the idea more then explore the idea.

Heres my 4nine before the crack.

 

[asdaq]

You really don't need any conductive thread lock. Look at your threads closely and notice how many turns you need to make before it is closed fully. Pay attention to how much wiggle you have as the threading turns. From this info you should be able to determine from just looking at the male or female threads where is the point at the end of the turning. Then you can either apply a very small amount of epoxy just before this point on one of the sets of threads, or mechanically damage (very slightly, with pliers or similar) one portion of the threads to make it difficult yet not impossible to loosen or tighten. In both ways you are basically turning the threads into something like a lock nut, without interrupting the current flow.

 

[Froth]

If you want to go crazy with it, you want this.

Silver Conductive Epoxy: 4 Hr. Working Time / Extreme Conductivity | MG Chemicals

0.0007 Ω·cm electrical resistivity! You would literally never be able to tell it's there, very very conductive.

That will semi-permanently bond the tubes in 18650 and retain conductivity, if you ever wanted to remove it you would have to heat the bonded joints to over ~350° F. Use a very small amount on the threads, and make sure they are especially clean before doing so.

Edit: Better link.

 

[Mark Sodapopinski]

Thanks Froth, im looking for a permanent lock.

 

[exnihilo]

It is permanent, unless heated to 350 degrees. I.e. give me anything permanent, and will get it free again.

Tapa-shutup

 

[Froth]

Thanks Froth, im looking for a permanent lock.

You're not going to find a more conductive stronger bond than the product I linked in an adhesive, the only option after that for true permanent would be to physically braze the tubes together. For all intents and purposes, that epoxy will function AS permanent BUT just in case some time down the road if you ever wanted to take it apart it IS possible with that epoxy, but it's NOT EASY at ALL. Lots of heat and force would be required to break the epoxy bond, which is MUCH more than that threadlocking product you linked plus the epoxy is much more conductive.

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

If you want to go crazy with it, you want this.

Silver Conductive Epoxy: 4 Hr. Working Time / Extreme Conductivity | MG Chemicals

0.0007 Ω·cm electrical resistivity! You would literally never be able to tell it's there, very very conductive.

That will semi-permanently bond the tubes in 18650 and retain conductivity, if you ever wanted to remove it you would have to heat the bonded joints to over ~350° F. Use a very small amount on the threads, and make sure they are especially clean before doing so.

Edit: Better link.

Yipes!

8330S-21G SILVER CONDUC EPOXY 21G SYR

 

[Froth]

Yipes!

8330S-21G SILVER CONDUC EPOXY 21G SYR

I never said it was cheap! Hahaha. Something loaded with that much silver is going to be costly. However, this is the best possible solution IMO to the problem the OP has posed, basically looking for "conductive threadlock". The epoxy would retain factory conductivity and lock the tubes together effectively forever.

Edit: The only other option IMO would be to braze or silver solder the tubes together which COULD be done but would require stripping/cleaning the mod of all patina to prepare it, and then you have the chance of the heat warping the tubes with that method.

 

[Norrin]

As pointed out your options are limited
1) Really expensive glue
2) Solder/Braze, but bye bye patinae
3) Damage threads

or (but this is risky and a pain to remove if i mucks up) you only put glue on part of the thread and hope you put enough on without mucking up conductivity

I would just take a saw and damage the threads slightly, easiest and most effective way even though technically not permanent.

 

[Froth]

As pointed out your options are limited
I would just take a saw and damage the threads slightly, easiest and most effective way even though technically not permanent.

As an ex machinist I simply can't recommend damaging a thread connection to serve as a "lock", Just asking for issues to show up down the road. Copper is too soft and will re-form itself a bit after you've damaged the threads slightly and screwed them together, making it easy to screw and unscrew again over time and perhaps completely stripping the threads and ruining the mod down the road.