What is the most conductive solder for speaker cable connections?

[BuddTX]

Title says it all!

I want to use banana clips on my receiver end, and I just want to solder the striped wire connection and screw it directly into the speaker via the binding posts on the speaker.

I have some CAIG GOLD spray that I will use just before connecting the wires.

Thanks!

 

[jaxvon]

Just use a high-quality solder. The differences in conductivity between standard and "Audiophile Silver Solder" are so minute it doesn't make a difference. Just make sure to use enough to do the job well, but not too much.

 

[jh.csv]

Try silver solder,it is the most conductive.

 

[j_garcia]

Silver solder is the best, but just for tinning the ends of speaker wire, any old solder will work. Bananas offer little or no signal loss and are still easier to use than tinned ends, so I use them whenever possible.

 

[markw]

Actually, solder should not be the main connection.

It should to simply hold an already existing solid physical connection securely in place and prevent atmospheric contamination from affecting it.

 

[j_garcia]

He's not making a connection, just tinning the ends of the wire. I agree though, for most connection types like this, solder is just a bonus to keep what should already be a mechanical connection together.

 

[BuddTX]

He's not making a connection, just tinning the ends of the wire. I agree though, for most connection types like this, solder is just a bonus to keep what should already be a mechanical connection together.

Exacty!

Thanks for all the responses.

I also learned that I need to heat up the wire so as to not get a cold solder.

 

[j_garcia]

Exacty!

Thanks for all the responses.

I also learned that I need to heat up the wire so as to not get a cold solder.

Which actually makes it a little tricky because 1) the heat starts to travel down the wire and 2) the sheathing may start to melt as a result. Cold solder joint is not good, but you aren't making a connection here so you don't have to get the wire to the point where it will melt the solder (at which point it will already probably be melting the jacket). The "Heat the work, not the solder." rule does not apply here, all you are really looking to do is heat the wire and the solder together to the point that it flows onto the wire but not so much that the solder is quickly wicked down the wire. Can you tell I've done this before?

 

[jneutron]

Title says it all!

I want to use banana clips on my receiver end, and I just want to solder the striped wire connection and screw it directly into the speaker via the binding posts on the speaker.

I have some CAIG GOLD spray that I will use just before connecting the wires.

Thanks!

Do not tin the end of a stranded wire that is to be compressed, you will either re-tighten them every month, or you will end up with loose connections.

All solders creep with time under stress. Under a binding post, the pressure will drop with time due to this ductile creep.

John

 

[jneutron]

Where's my manners?

Your question was in regard to the electrical conductivity of solders..here's a short table of the typical solders I use. Sorry the table went away as well as the spacing format..

Notes: the first column is the indalloy alloy number. The second is the melting temperature in degrees C, the third is the conductivity with respect to copper, the fourth is the alloy makeup, for alloys at or above 100 C.


alloy melt T %conductivity alloy type
C of copper

117 47 4.5

136 58 2.43

19 60 3.3

140 65 3.5

158 70 4

23 73 3.1

160-190 88 4.3

39 96 2.3 52 Bi/30 Pb/18 Sn

1E 118 11.7 52 In/48 Sn

255 124 4 55 Bi/45 Pb

1 125 11.7 50 In/50 Sn

281 138 4.5 58 Bi/42 Sn

290 143 23 97 In/3 Ag

4 156 24 100% indium

9 167 12.2 70Sn/18Pb/12In

106 183 11.5 This is standard lead tin solder

121 221 16 This is the standard tin silver we use in cry apps



Cheers, John

 

[Mudcat]

Mr Neutron likes to confuse us sometimes. This may be easier to read.<DIV align="center">
<TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TH><B>Indalloy Alloy No.</B></TH>
<TH><B>Melting Temp (^oC)</B></TH>
<TH><B>%Conductivity w/r Copper</B></TH>
<TH><B>Alloy Make-up</B></TH>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>117</TD>
<TD>47</TD>
<TD>4.5</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>136</TD>
<TD>58</TD>
<TD>2.43</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>19</TD>
<TD>60</TD>
<TD>3.3</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>140</TD>
<TD>65</TD>
<TD>3.5</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>158</TD>
<TD>70</TD>
<TD>4</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>23</TD>
<TD>73</TD>
<TD>3.1</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>160-190</TD>
<TD>88</TD>
<TD>4.3</TD>
<TD>NA</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>39</TD>
<TD>96</TD>
<TD>2.3</TD>
<TD>52 Bi/30 Pb/18 Sn</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>1E</TD>
<TD>118</TD>
<TD>11.7</TD>
<TD>52 In/48 Sn</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>255</TD>
<TD>124</TD>
<TD>4</TD>
<TD>55 Bi/45 Pb</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>1</TD>
<TD>125</TD>
<TD>11.7</TD>
<TD>50 In/50 Sn</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>281</TD>
<TD>138</TD>
<TD>4.5</TD>
<TD>58 Bi/42 Sn</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>290</TD>
<TD>143</TD>
<TD>23</TD>
<TD>97 In/3 Ag</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>4</TD>
<TD>156</TD>
<TD>24</TD>
<TD>100% indium</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>9</TD>
<TD>167</TD>
<TD>12.2</TD>
<TD>70Sn/18Pb/12In</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>106</TD>
<TD>183</TD>
<TD>11.5</TD>
<TD>std Pb/Sn solder</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>121</TD>
<TD>221</TD>
<TD>16</TD>
<TD>std Ag/Sn solder</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</DIV>

 

[jneutron]

well excuuuuuuse me.

Actually, thanks.
I tried pasting the table, to no avail. So, I tried spaces and tabs, I was tinkin a'just usin the darn smiley to denote spaces..I was in too much of a hurry, no time avail, to figger it out..

It was funny, though..you said "this may be easier to read", and when I looked, it was a complete blank page...figured you were bustin my chops.. I wuz rollin..

How's it goin Mudcat?

Cheers, John