Copper Tape Voltage Drop Fix

[roflwaffles]

Hey guys, I've been seeing this concept float around Facebook for the past week or so



Apparently, you just put copper tape down the length of the tube and it will minimalize voltage drop on your device. Verified by several other guys who commented on the Facebook groups.

 

[Dampmaskin]

Sounds plausible. Hmmm. I've got a roll of copper tape lying around after shielding my guitars.

Nah, too much hassle when I want to change the battery length.

 

[State O' Flux]

A few months back, I had the opportunity to make a mech using bronze end caps... and a length of non-conductive Easton carbon fiber/Vectran/Kevlar tubing - "borrowed" from a racing bicycle application. (I have 30+ years of prototype design and development experience, so this was pure entertainment for me)

As there were no electrically conductive elements woven into the composite tube, and the primary intent was for it to be structural rather than a "cover" over a metal tube, I had to line it with copper tape. There was an average 0.14v drop (@ 1.0Ω resistance), so I was quite happy with the final result. As the owner uses it primarily for 0.5Ω attys and above, the small loss was not a great concern.

So yes... I'd agree that copper tape could be used to "supplement" a mech or other device with poor conductivity.

Safety warning: Always test any "modified" electrical device thoroughly - before committing to every day use, or handing it over to someone, who's health and welfare you care about. ;-)

 

[MrPlink]

Interesting idea, might try it for the lulz.

 

[principle]

I may just try this as i have some copper tape in the draw, thanks for the tip

 

[BliND123]

Where can I find a small roll? $15 is kind of too much to experiment for me. Would aluminum foil work?

 

[Dumas Mesuri]

Where can I find a small roll? $15 is kind of too much to experiment for me. Would aluminum foil work?

I may be way off base here but aluminum foil is not the best conductor so unless your using a $8 plastic mod, I don't see how it could help, add its tendency to slide/tear and it might be great if your planning to make a bomb out of your mod. Sometimes my 2 cents are only worth about 1/5th of a nickel.

 

[BliND123]

I may be way off base here but aluminum foil is not the best conductor so unless your using a $8 plastic mod, I don't see how it could help, add its tendency to slide/tear and it might be great if your planning to make a bomb out of your mod. Sometimes my 2 cents are only worth about 1/5th of a nickel.

Dangers were the first things that came to mind when I wrote that. I was thinking I would tape up everything but the ends that would be touching the threads. Just to see if this would make any difference at all for me before going out and buying this $15 tape. Currently getting 0.4-0.5 voltage drop in my aluminum/brass M16 clone, pretty high.

 

[Dumas Mesuri]

Dangers were the first things that came to mind when I wrote that. I was thinking I would tape up everything but the ends that would be touching the threads. Just to see if this would make any difference at all for me before going out and buying this $15 tape. Currently getting 0.4-0.5 voltage drop in my aluminum/brass M16 clone, pretty high.

Clean your threads and switch with alcohol if you haven't already.

Dampmaskin might have inadvertently answered the $15 question before it was asked. Bring your mod to a local music store (not a chain store as their techs seem to be only capable of screwing up a perfectly good floyd rose on their best days, no offense intended, just been my experience) ask to talk with the tech and show him what you have and need. Even if he is a non smoker/vaper, he will most likely be interested in something new to tinker with and tape it for you for little or no charge. You might even make a new friend. No guarantees but worth a shot. Clean the body inside and out with alcohol asap before entering the store to make the tape stick better and more importantly to insure we don't have a news story about a guy getting addicted to nicotine because someone handed him a mod with nicotine on it. Far fetched yes, but, better safe than sorry.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[NatureBoy]

A few months back, I had the opportunity to make a mech using bronze end caps... and a length of non-conductive Easton carbon fiber/Vectran/Kevlar tubing - "borrowed" from a racing bicycle application. (I have 30+ years of prototype design and development experience, so this was pure entertainment for me)

As there were no electrically conductive elements woven into the composite tube, and the primary intent was for it to be structural rather than a "cover" over a metal tube, I had to line it with copper tape. There was an average 0.14v drop (@ 1.0Ω resistance), so I was quite happy with the final result. As the owner uses it primarily for 0.5Ω attys and above, the small loss was not a great concern.

So yes... I'd agree that copper tape could be used to "supplement" a mech or other device with poor conductivity.

Safety warning: Always test any "modified" electrical device thoroughly - before committing to every day use, or handing it over to someone, who's health and welfare you care about. ;-)

Wow, bronze and carbon fiber? I like the sounds of that. Any pics?

 

[Bunnykiller]

is the adhesive conductive too??

 

[Dampmaskin]

On the copper tape that I have, yes. It's made for shielding, and makes contact with itself when overlapping. No soldering needed. (But I soldered the tape in my guitars anyway, in case the adhesive loses its conductivity as it gets old.)

 

[State O' Flux]

Wow, bronze and carbon fiber? I like the sounds of that. Any pics?

Sure... see Paragon mods for a production version. ;-)

 

[CrackerTeg]

This is definitely an interesting concept. Wouldn't mind doing that to my Nemmy or Sentinel. Since I never change battery sizes, it won't be an issue.

 

[BliND123]

Something is up with my mod. I cleaned up a lot of more crap than I thought would off of the threads and suddenly only getting 0.28 voltage drop, very acceptable. I open it up and close it again, now I'm at 0.6 voltage drop? .... It's my button. Now getting 0.25 voltage drop, guess cleaning it gave me 0.03 more.

Edit: Yeah, I'll just get some copper tape later.

 

[roflwaffles]

The guy who posted it on Facebook dropped his Blackhawk from 1.0 to .6 and his Hades from .7 to .35, I think I'll grab some and try it on my Nemesis.

 

[Muggs]

Interesting concept. I have an EHPro caravela clone I would like to try this on. Looks like a home depot run on the way home.

 

[roflwaffles]

I got some, tried it on my Panzer, and wow it really works.

 

[porkchopbun]

Dangit....I told myself I would stop ordering stuff...just ordered some of this copper tape .......maybe I'll try it on Hades clone later if I get one..I heard they have pretty voltage drops with magnets installed.

 

[illitirit]

i saw this yesterday on a vape blog. Does anyone know if the width of the copper tape matters? I see it in like 1/4' , 3/16, 7/32 etc. I would guess the wider it is, the better it is? And does quality matter with these? Like a 5 dollar generic roll vs a 15$ brand name roll?