RF relays

[teclu]

In first picture from left to right: Au99,99% from res type, Au92% from siemens type and Au75% from haller type
http://i25.tinypic.com/336vk9jk.jpg

and here are 3 oz from 200 pieces of siemens relays with 24 contacts
http://i29.tinypic.com/2j1vvb8.jpg

teclu

 

[lazersteve]

One time I pulled a couple of ounces of golden points from some old telephone contacts. I melted a sample of them and discovered they where only silver thickly plated with gold.

Steve

 

[goldsilverpro]

Same with me, Steve. I have seen many, many gold plated silver contact points in relays. I have seen no solid gold ones, although, according to the literature, they are made and used. They must be quite rare. The easiest way to see what they are is to cut into them with a knife and look at the colors.

Teclu,

Where did you find those photos and purities? Do you have a link?

 

[teclu]

Steve and GSP Hi!




The pictures are made by me, what kind of link?
I'm sorry, then PtIr and PtRh contacts not worth posting.

By the way, there was someone from Russia here?

teclu

 

[goldsilverpro]

Sorry. I just assumed you found the photos on the internet. I was just curious as to how you determined those purities. Did you assay them or were they figures given by the manufacturers? Of course, PtIr and PtRh are worth posting. Do you have any of these?

 

[teclu]

Sorry. I just assumed you found the photos on the internet. I was just curious as to how you determined those purities. Did you assay them or were they figures given by the manufacturers? Of course, PtIr and PtRh are worth posting. Do you have any of these?

GSP Hi!

RES 9 (russian relays) http://i30.tinypic.com/32f6psg.jpg
Siemens relays http://i32.tinypic.com/2jfac3w.jpg
Siemens 2 http://i25.tinypic.com/2q9xd5m.jpg
Haller relays http://i31.tinypic.com/249hikg.jpg

Yes, all are tested by the buyer/refiner with x-ray spectrometer(at selling).


Bellow is a russian relay with PtIr10 contacts, 1,318 grams alloy/piece, on the coil of the relay you can also see these details.

http://i32.tinypic.com/13ux2l1.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/2dtz0wj.jpg
http://i25.tinypic.com/287l7e9.jpg

and the last pictures, after nitric action....6,5 oz PtIr10
http://i26.tinypic.com/6g920m.jpg

Steve, when you meet some suspicious relays contacts(Au or Pt group), is enough to analyze one piece first, for not to be disappointed after a lot of work,... I mean silver in the final.

teclu

 

[goldsilverpro]

Thanks, teclu,

Very impressive. Like I said, the literature lists all sorts of PGM contact point alloys but they sure seem to be rare in the U.S. Several years ago, we bought several hundred pounds of loose, mixed, reject contact points (no copper backing - just points) from a contact manufacturer. They were mostly silver. They contained some cadmium and just enough palladium to complicate things. No platinum. A little gold.

Chris

 

[qst42know]

I would guess one would use what you have on hand first. Cold war era self sufficiency perhaps?

" more than 90% of world platinum production is concentrated in just two areas in South Africa and Russia."

A plentiful supply would explain why you find more there than here. 8)

 

[lazersteve]

Very impressive scrap indeed!

I would love to get my hands on some of the platinum/ rhodium points.

Steve

 

[teclu]

I would guess one would use what you have on hand first. Cold war era self sufficiency perhaps?

" more than 90% of world platinum production is concentrated in just two areas in South Africa and Russia."

A plentiful supply would explain why you find more there than here. 8)

qst42know Hi!

Yes, you're right, it was pretty "cold" here, but now is "warmer", so it seems that it is the era of the gold plated stuff...

teclu

Thanks, teclu,

Very impressive. Like I said, the literature lists all sorts of PGM contact point alloys but they sure seem to be rare in the U.S. Several years ago, we bought several hundred pounds of loose, mixed, reject contact points (no copper backing - just points) from a contact manufacturer. They were mostly silver. They contained some cadmium and just enough palladium to complicate things. No platinum. A little gold.

Chris

GSP Hi!

The truth is, that these relays are not so easy to find/bought here, fortunately they are still used in various applications, especially the Siemens and Russian types, and there are a few radio amateurs who have a surplus of these older parts.

teclu

Very impressive scrap indeed!

I would love to get my hands on some of the platinum/ rhodium points.

Steve

Steve Hi!


I understand you, I too would love to hold in my hands my first 24K button, but this probably won't happen so soon...

teclu