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WHY GOLD PLUGS ARE BAD

post #1 of 23
1/19/04 at 8:14am
Thread Starter 
Look What I found on some web page

Quote:
When solder lead is applied to any gold surface, the gold diffuses into the solder in the course of years. The end result is a brittle joint which is a failure waiting to happen. In space applications, soldered gold contacts are a big NO-NO.
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post #2 of 23
1/19/04 at 12:12pm
"some web page" ....
Why bother quoting without providing the source?
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post #3 of 23
1/19/04 at 12:37pm
yea and seriously... who here keeps anything for more then 6 months hehehe

How many years is this supposedly? Also, this wasn't exactly a scientific study was it.
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post #4 of 23
1/19/04 at 12:44pm
Who the heck still solders lead?!

All I know is that gold is very durable and doesn't oxidize nearly as fast as silver, so it is a good metal for plugs.
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post #5 of 23
1/19/04 at 12:46pm
Actually, I've kinda heard this before, also that platings aren't used in space at all for they are afraid of small particles of the plating flaking in 0 pressure and getting into equipment, shorting it out. Weird things happen in space.

BTW, Marios, your PM is full (sorry to mention it here)
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post #6 of 23
1/19/04 at 12:48pm
I have some doubts about that, a company I worked for built airbag modules for Ford and Toyota. Guess what? Some of the boards for the modules had gold pads for the SMT components. Airbag electronics are built to the same standards (Class III) as aerospace & military stuff. They have to be built perfectly and you are not allowed to rework anything, a board with any imperfection that's still perfectly OK for medical or consumer grade goods gets scrapped.
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post #7 of 23
1/19/04 at 4:31pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/4133/know.html

heres the link I saw it on.

Dont blame me. Blame him ...
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post #8 of 23
1/19/04 at 5:08pm
I'd take the advice with a grain of salt -- there is a fair amount of misinformation on that web page.
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post #9 of 23
1/19/04 at 5:26pm
Could be But I remember reading things and visiting Air & Space, and they mentioning that in the Apollo missions no gold platings were used due to that possible flaking issue. Things have come a long way now so maybe it's not the same.

There's been this discussion, "Gold Plate or not Gold Plate" going around audiophilia for years. Some people claim the reduced corrosion, others claim the layer of dissimiliar, coated material causes more sound problems than the corrision issue solves. Don't think I've ever heard a final decision, though.
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post #10 of 23
1/19/04 at 7:58pm
If it really was a problem, we'd be hearing about it all of the time and manufacturers would have had to rethink their decisions in this regard. I'm not going to lose any sleep over this whatsoever.
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post #11 of 23
1/19/04 at 8:02pm

Re: WHY GOLD PLUGS ARE BAD

The gold surface is for the friction fit mechanical joint, not to solder onto.
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post #12 of 23
1/19/04 at 8:25pm
I plan to listen to all my audio equipment on this planet only -- and not in outerspace. However, if the situation changes and I decide to relocate to the International Space Station, I'll rethink my position on gold.
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post #13 of 23
1/19/04 at 9:05pm
Like Old Pa said, the plating is on the outside and the soldering on the core material. Case closed.
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post #14 of 23
1/19/04 at 9:12pm
Even if that was true (Which i doubt it is), why does it really matter? I don't mind re-soldering cables every couple of years
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post #15 of 23
1/19/04 at 9:48pm
hell i use nickel plated a LOT and have no problems at all

BTW-if DIY the trick is to use a hot iron and do the joint quick or you run the risk of melting the dielectric

way worse than worrying about the contact metal
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