Does contact plating really make that much difference.

[SirLoki]

For a few weeks now I have been vaping a tugboat clone, not sure on the contact but it is silvery/stainless in color. But it has been super nice on my K100+ mod. Today I got a Tobeco Plume Veil clone with the gold deck and gold color positive contact. with the same build metering out to same ohms the PV is hitting a lot hotter and harder than the tugboat. Same mod same battery and the ohm rating is at most only 0.02 different.

So like the title of the post, can the contact really make that big of a difference, cuz if it does I am gonna have to add a few wraps to the coils on the PV.

I have to say with the mixed reviews on the PV clones I was really leery but since I can't afford an authentic I gave it a shot. I am very pleased I did as so far this thing is really meeting the hype I have seen about it.

 

[DancingHeretik]

I don't know the answer to your question. But, maybe if I bump you up to the first page, someone else will know the answer.

 

[Froth]

Yes, the contact can make that much difference. The materials the contacts are made of do make a difference in electrical conductivity, for a reference to the best metals, see the chart below.

Stainless steel is one of the worst conductors, which is why it is not shown on the chart. It would be almost double the size of bronze.

Silver plated copper(solid copper) contacts are one of the best possible but gold plating can and will help electrical conductivity even with a very thin coating over a base metal. I'm loving my Fasttech plumeveil clone with the plated deck, has held up well and really hits great.

 

[nynvolt]

If you have the tobecco tugboat you've got a silver plated copper center post. It's also got restrictive airflow and a larger chamber than the plume. I suspect that's why the difference, not the contacts.

As far as plating helping conductivity? Eh I don't think it makes a huge difference but it can't hurt. The reason a lot of high end electrical equipment has gold contacts is because gold wont tarnish. Not because it's higher in conductivity than copper or silver.

 

[nynvolt]

I was misinterpreting the chart... My bad lol.

 

[SirLoki]

I know it isn't the airflow or chamber size. The Tugboat was drilled out for more airflow. And the main difference I notice is that the coils in the PV make the cooking bacon sound instantly when I hit the button and the tugboat doesn't. And yes I believe the Tugboat is a Tobeco as well, bought from same place

 

[p7willm]

One other thing to remember is that most metals oxidize and develop a film of metal oxide on the surface and it is the oxide that is making the contact.

Silver is a great conductor but silver oxide is not as good. Coper is also good but it oxidizes easily. Gold is not as good a conductor as silver but it does not easily oxidize and gold is better than silver oxide.

Whatever you have cleaning it on a regular basis will halp, both to get rid of the oxides and also general gunk.

Noalox contains small particles of Zinc that are sharp and will cut through an oxide layer and the grease will help slow down oxidation. It also makes bad threads feel better.