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How not to foil your foil coil


Alexander

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Being a newbie with these foil coils I have a few simple question. Just got my Erse QFoil .16mH 14 AWG coils.

 

How would one make the electric connection? Roll the end length wise a bit to resemble a typical wire?

Mounting to the board, could it be stood on edge if needed with tie wraps?

Is there anything that needs to be taken into consideration that would be different to a convention air coil?  

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The center is .625", you might be able to use a fender washer that fits in there, and then drive a screw through the middle. Make sure all of the parts are stainless steel. Take one to the hardware store, and see if you can find one that fits.

 

You can also drills holes and use zip ties, but you can't really cinch down. The goal is to gently secure it, and to stop it from spinning. On it's side would work too, but I don't like the way it looks. Either way, not secure enough for anything except for sitting it at the bottom of the cabinet. I've only ever shipped one network using these, and it was a bit nerve wracking.

 

The leads: lay one flat on some wood, and make a hole using a punch. Expand the hole, and push some wire through. Fold the wire over one way, and the excess foil from the end over the wire -- then solder.

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If you don't want to solder, here is another way.

 

One of the reasons I use Red Oak is because of how it takes screws -- there is an insane amount of pressure applied to those screws. I've never had the wood split, or a hole strip out.

 

I forgot mention, you'll be tempted to use a drill instead of a punch to make the holes through the film. Don't do it, or you might end up with the whole lead wrapped around your bit. There's a reason I know that.

 

 

Copper Foil Inductor Mounting.jpg

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No, they're too heavy. I do drop some hot melt down the middle when I use zip ties, which does stop it from moving around, but those are for my personal builds - which typically sit on top of my LaScalas.

 

I don't know enough about adhesives to know what would be a good glue to use. I worry about damaging the coil, and most adhesives tend to off-gas for weeks before they're fully cured. If anyone has any useful input on that note - that would be welcome. I would use them more if I could ship with confidence.

 

Jantzen is the only  company that builds these right. They have a wood center, which is already drilled out to accept a washer and screw.

 

I think it's silly to wind and sell these, and not provide a way to properly mount them.

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Just finished these. Used some wax Janzen CFAC - here I put the standoff on top of the foil lead, and just put a screw through both of them. This is not the preferred way for me to do it, but when you start doing this kind of thing for other people, it doesn't take long to figure out that you have to protect the parts and connections from UPS and FedEx. Again. a lot of pressure on that screw. If there is any air between that standoff and the foil lead, I don't know where it is.

 

 

SuperX_2.jpg

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Reading this and trying to picture your process (Dean), could you buy a dowel rod of proper size.  Drill hole in middle.  Place dowel inside coil, fill remaining gap with silicone and then screw the dowel to the base plate (using your washer technique)?

 

Screw would keep it tight to the motherboard and the silicone would keep coil from rotating.

 

There may be 400 reasons you wouldn't want to do this, including perhaps it might not work....  it just came to me as I was reading.

 

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Amateur question on this. I understand that tight mechanical connection of stranded to stranded and then solder is good as the solder would permeate  but wouldn't a super tight clamping of stranded to foil prevent the solder from flowing into the connection?

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25 minutes ago, Deang said:

People tend to think of solder as glue - think of it like paint. Solder solidifies and protects the connection. 

Are you saying that solder does not benefit a connection other than preventing corrosion? Paint is for looks and corrosion delay by reducing oxygen intrusion period.

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