electrical bonding aluminium track

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

We're playing about with track circuiting our 5"g raised track. We've got it working on one length, and so we now need to electrically bond several lengths together (continuity across fishplates is very poor). The electrochemical potential between aluminium and copper is more than between ally and steel, so remembering the trouble with old landrover door tops, I imagine using copper wire might be a problem. Anyone got any advice/experience?

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Use Aluminium wire or Aluminium flat strip .

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

Wherever you have an electrical joint involving aluminium, whether with a similar or dissimilar mate, then the mating surfaces of the aluminiumshould be scratched through the oxide layer to reveal the base metal and immediately a correct aluminium jointing compound should be appied before the surface oxidises again. The joint whether crimped or compressed may then be completed. Such pastes are/were available from larger electrical wholesalers, particularly those dealing with HV equipment.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Use Densogrease (if you can still get it) aluminium cam also be soft soldered with the correct flux and wire, but use aluminium for the jumpers as well, then wash the joint and apply the Denso.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Thanks guys, we've got some aluminium MIG welding wire and some goo specially formulated for bonding ally busbars. We're going to try ally pop rivets and I've made some ally washers for holding the wires on, so we don't have any dissimilar metals. I'll keep you posted, but wait till we've had a winter before getting too cocky!

Don't fancy solder as it's out in the field and we have plastic sleepers, visions of meled plastic everywhere

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