There's this rumor going around.

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Quigsworth

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Rob said he was having some beefier firing pins made. Some folks had trouble with the new ones cracking. (button mashers...:) )

Serious?...I mean, I'm a card carrying masher and I've never cracked the contact "round" off...though if you try and use one of Rob's S/O pins on another mod and you need to put a sharp bend in it you'll snap it like any other beryllium copper strip :facepalm:

20150219_213458.jpg

Wonder if they'll look like these bad boys...my 3P 30A relays came in...I would love to find the source company that makes just these leafs (I'm thinking so would Rob)
 

beckdg

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Hadn't heard this (other than the gold contacts put to market the better part of a year ago). Where, pray tell, did you hear this?
This... or similar...
Rob said he was having some beefier firing pins made. Some folks had trouble with the new ones cracking. (button mashers...:) )

Serious?...I mean, I'm a card carrying masher and I've never cracked the contact "round" off...though if you try and use one of Rob's S/O pins on another mod and you need to put a sharp bend in it you'll snap it like any other beryllium copper strip :facepalm:

View attachment 413961

Wonder if they'll look like these bad boys...my 3P 30A relays came in...I would love to find the source company that makes just these leafs (I'm thinking so would Rob)
I'm hoping for better EC & better contact patch. Couldn't fathom mashing hard enough to warrant an upgrade.

Tapatyped
 

beckdg

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I cracked a contact. But was using vtc5 which lots have had issues with arcing apparently. AW all the way now

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I, personally don't believe all the hype about flat tops creating the arc. Electrically speaking, it's just not sound logic.

High amps create arc at connection and more so at disconnect. Couple that with a small contact patch and the arc is more pronounced and or stronger from not being spread out over more area.

Methinks there's only 2 possibilities why people with button tops are observing less arcing...

1) less current... Meaning the internal resistance of the cell is that much higher and choking the output...

Which... according to the many, many accounts by posters saying they get a "better hit" off AWs... seems impossible to think they're choked to the point of eliminating arc... because at that point performance would suffer and lack greatly.

2) they just don't see it... The nipple (point of contact) is hidden tucked into the plastic separator at the positive contact.

Out of sight, out of mind... must not be happening.

Either way... The inherent v - drop of the AWs under load could absolutely be the reason pitting is all but eliminated... or people building more forgiving coils due to the lower amp rating of the cells as well... or maybe a combo of both.

And yes... I could easily see the vtc5 producing the highest arc... As it's the cell that's reported and tested to hold its voltage and provide current best under load. Though, visibly, *I* see no difference between the arc of a vtc5, 25r, he2 or 1600mah AW. (Yes, I removed the plastic guard to see for myself once some time ago)

ETA... I'm going to add an additional point to increased arc and arc temps... it may just be me, but it seems to me that the rolled end of the current gold contacts may have a high point on either side of the contact end. This would make for 2 very narrow contact patches when contacting a flat top and one wider contact patch when connecting to a nipple top. I think i need to take some close up pics to inspect better at some point. I'm not 100% sure that's what I'm seeing...

Tapatyped
 
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zmauls

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Serious?...I mean, I'm a card carrying masher and I've never cracked the contact "round" off...though if you try and use one of Rob's S/O pins on another mod and you need to put a sharp bend in it you'll snap it like any other beryllium copper strip :facepalm:

View attachment 413961

Wonder if they'll look like these bad boys...my 3P 30A relays came in...I would love to find the source company that makes just these leafs (I'm thinking so would Rob)

Those are sexy, but unless my eyes are mistaken (which they may be), looks like two separate pieces. Less pieces = less voltage drop. Please tell me I'm wrong, because I don't know what those are or what they're for, but I want one.

Hint: Link me, Quigs.
 

Quigsworth

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I, personally don't believe all the hype about flat tops creating the arc. Electrically speaking, it's just not sound logic.

High amps create arc at connection and more so at disconnect. Couple that with a small contact patch and the arc is more pronounced and or stronger from not being spread out over more area.

Methinks there's only 2 possibilities why people with button tops are observing less arcing...

1) less current... Meaning the internal resistance of the cell is that much higher and choking the output...

Which... according to the many, many accounts by posters saying they get a "better hit" off AWs... seems impossible to think they're choked to the point of eliminating arc... because at that point performance would suffer and lack greatly.

2) they just don't see it... The nipple (point of contact) is hidden tucked into the plastic separator at the positive contact.

Out of sight, out of mind... must not be happening.

Either way... The inherent v - drop of the AWs under load could absolutely be the reason pitting is all but eliminated... or people building more forgiving coils due to the lower amp rating of the cells as well... or maybe a combo of both.

And yes... I could easily see the vtc5 producing the highest arc... As it's the cell that's reported and tested to hold its voltage and provide current best under load. Though, visibly, *I* see no difference between the arc of a vtc5, 25r, he2 or 1600mah AW. (Yes, I removed the plastic guard to see for myself once some time ago)

ETA... I'm going to add an additional point to increased arc and arc temps... it may just be me, but it seems to me that the rolled end of the current gold contacts may have a high point on either side of the contact end. This would make for 2 very narrow contact patches when contacting a flat top and one wider contact patch when connecting to a nipple top. I think i need to take some close up pics to inspect better at some point. I'm not 100% sure that's what I'm seeing...

Tapatyped

If I owned a ranch, I'd bet it on #2...there needs to be a specific angle to be able to see it.

continue reading only if you care :p

The reason why our mods arc (especially visible on high currents and breaking the connection), there's 2 forces at play, one is pretty basic, current is already flowing and it doesn't like to stop, as the contact breaks, the spark super heats and ionizes the air in the gap making it more conductive, creating a tiny plasma stream.

The other force is what's called back EMF. when current is flowing through our coils, a magnetic field is created (lines of magnetic flux, remember the iron filings around a magnet when we were in school?), when the current is stopped, those lines of flux collapse at a very rapid rate and cut through the coil, basic generator effect...this induces a spike voltage and causes current to flow in the opposite direction...feeding the already produced plasma stream.

There really is no logic behind claims of one battery type arcing more than others save for terminal surface condition, some VTC4's and 5's had some relatively rough surfaces.

...but, ultimately the batt really has nothing to do with the arc other than it's the initial power source.

just throwin' it out there :2c:
 

distortoblotto

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I use a plethora of flat top batteries on 13 Metal REO's. I mash the button until it stops and then some more for good measure. So far I have never cracked, bent, broke any part of the contact pin.

I have to agree with RX. I also use VCT 5's most of the time and the only contact issue I've ever had is when the coil made very miniscule contact with the top cap on a Chalice III. I always treat all contacts and batteries with first Deoxit and the Deoxit Gold. 11 Reo's and counting here.
 

beckdg

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If I owned a ranch, I'd bet it on #2...there needs to be a specific angle to be able to see it.

continue reading only if you care :p

The reason why our mods arc (especially visible on high currents and breaking the connection), there's 2 forces at play, one is pretty basic, current is already flowing and it doesn't like to stop, as the contact breaks, the spark super heats and ionizes the air in the gap making it more conductive, creating a tiny plasma stream.

The other force is what's called back EMF. when current is flowing through our coils, a magnetic field is created (lines of magnetic flux, remember the iron filings around a magnet when we were in school?), when the current is stopped, those lines of flux collapse at a very rapid rate and cut through the coil, basic generator effect...this induces a spike voltage and causes current to flow in the opposite direction...feeding the already produced plasma stream.

There really is no logic behind claims of one battery type arcing more than others save for terminal surface condition, some VTC4's and 5's had some relatively rough surfaces.

...but, ultimately the batt really has nothing to do with the arc other than it's the initial power source.

just throwin' it out there :2c:
My man... Neil Degrasse Quigsworth... puttin' down the physics lesson.

Thanks for the refresher.

FWIW, I'm betting your ranch on # 2 too. Double or nuthin', baby!

Tapatyped
 

beckdg

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I use a plethora of flat top batteries on 13 Metal REO's. I mash the button until it stops and then some more for good measure. So far I have never cracked, bent, broke any part of the contact pin.
I have. But not from mashing. The eraser trick doesn't cut the mustard for me. I have to use something more abrasive despite my constant applications of deoxit products.

I have basically filed through 2 gold contacts since their inception.

Tapatyped
 
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