# Anyone know if this contains silver



## pimpneightez (Nov 23, 2013)

Just took apart a contactor and got a couple of these silver contacts. Just wondering if these curly-Q things contain silver as well. I think they are called heaters and they are some type of fusible link. Don't have access to test right now maybe someone has already.


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## Harold_V (Nov 23, 2013)

My opinion?
Highly unlikely to contain silver, unless there's a thin layer of silver plated on the surface (which I doubt).

My reasoning is that if they are intended to be a heater and fusible link, silver fails miserably for both functions, as it is a very good conductor, and has a relatively high melting temperature. 

Are you familiar with Schwerter's solution? If you are not, you should be. Do your homework, now that I've given you the name. 

Schwerter's solution is used for an instant test of silver. It displays a blood red reaction upon contact with elemental silver, and variations of the same color if the silver is alloyed. Make some and perform tests on known alloys, as well as some pure silver, so you become familiar with the reactions. 

Harold


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## pimpneightez (Nov 23, 2013)

The reason I think it's some sort of silver alloy is because it's a silver color all the way through and non magnetic It's also on the soft side. I tried to melt it with a b-tank and it just got red hot and didn't melt. It's definatly not lead. Also the original heater looks to have some tarnish on it with no oxidation. It was on a high voltage 3 phase starter. So in theory it should melt and break the circuit if there is a problem. I know what schwerters solution is but I don't have any at the moment. I also know one of them retails for $90 that should be a clue on the composition of materials. I might xrf in a week or two when I get a chance.


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## butcher (Nov 23, 2013)

The spring looking item are heaters, these will not be made of silver, there function in the contactor are the current going through these heaters trip the overload mechanism, running different motors on the contactor would require changing the heater size, to protect the motor circuit.

Fusible links (not speaking of fuses here), will not be in a contractor, fusible links are normally made of very low melting point metals such as bismuth or an alloy of bismuth and lead, these are so this solder between the links separate at a certain temperature range.

contactors can have or use fuses it is rare but I have found a little silver in some large industrial fuses.

I cannot tell from the picture but the top portion of your picture looks like it might be the contact points which may contain silver and tungsten (normally found in high current contacts)


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## Smack (Nov 23, 2013)

Not magnetic, no color change when you sand a spot? Sounds like stainless to me based on the aplication.


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## pimpneightez (Nov 23, 2013)

Sounds about right. I found what I think is silver in some high voltage fuses. I think they were 200amp and had rows of a silver type metal running through them. Had about 8 pounds of copper in them. I'm assuming the heater is made with some sort of eutectic alloy. Any ideas? Maybe something with NI or PB. I feel like I cut through it too easily with cutters for it to be pure stainless.


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## Smack (Nov 23, 2013)

Post a picture.


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## butcher (Nov 24, 2013)

I have replace hundreds of the motor overload heaters, never giving a thought as to what metal they are made of look like it may be a bi-metal (which change mechanical position with heat from the current running through them producing heat as watts). 

I did not read these search results but noticed bi-metals, which makes a lot of sense considering how they function in the motor contactor.

https://www.google.com/#q=what+metal+are+motor+contactor+overload+heaters+made+of


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## pimpneightez (Dec 27, 2016)

Could they be tungsten? Thus the name heating element. Usually tungsten is used in high temperature components and electrical heating elements.


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## snoman701 (Dec 31, 2016)

Smack said:


> Not magnetic, no color change when you sand a spot? Sounds like stainless to me based on the aplication.



I'd put money on your answer.

It's a high nickel high chromium alloy resistant to corrosion. Nichrome wire is commonly used for heating elements, whether they be motor overloads or space heaters.


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## Topher_osAUrus (Dec 31, 2016)

NiChrome is also used in ecig buildable coils.
And if platinum wire is unavailable, it can be used in the borax bead test.

I ran into a bunch of it just recently. Was trying to find interesting things to do with it.


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