[sdiy] interconnects

[Grant Richter]

>>
>> OTOH most engineers like to solder crimp pins
>> anyway. Who trusts a pure mechanical connection ???
>>

The Army Core of Engineers does and so does Underwriters Laboratory.  
The Wire Nut is the standard connector.

Solder itself is a rather poor conductor, what does the actual work  
is the alloy formed with the solder and the two contact surfaces. The  
rest of the solder just keeps oxygen away from the joint. Solder also  
cold flows (acts like a slow liquid under pressure) and electroplates  
(flows material with high current flow).

If you form a gas tight seal by mechanical action (crimping, Wire  
Nuts) it is actually superior to soldered connections with high  
current flow.

You will notice that this all applies to high current flows. For low  
currents (like electronics) solder works just dandy if you can get a  
good joint to begin with.