DIY nickel electroplated copper busbars

In this video we use basic electrolysis to electroplate copper busbars

[@jamesmason7124]

Thank you Brad for sharing this, it will help me with future projects on my bus. Keep up the good work and stay safe and God bless you and your family

[@Sylvan_dB]

This works. IIRC my chemistry you made some crude nickel acetate. Nickel acetate can also be purchased and it works faster, better.

[@ChrisEpler]

Missed the much more expensive part.

[@Sylvan_dB]

@@ChrisEpler buying powdered acetate is cheaper than buying nickel.

[@dogdipstick]

We have been in the power industry for 50 years. Sure, you can crush some old plumbers pipe in a vise, drill some holes, and use that for your bus bar. Correctly designed bars, are longer lasting, safer, and easier to machine, manage, and implement. Flexible, corrosion resistant, Electrically rated, durable good. Faulty, poorly designed, emergency bus bars have cost power generation plants millions of dollars in the past (example, : Titus Generation Station,) when the lights went out during emergency ( more than once).

[@BradCagle]

Sure, I get what you're saying. However this is DIY stuff, so I expect people to hopefully be aware that this "may not" be as good as a commercially available solution. DIY is about learning, saving money, and being self sufficient.

[@SilverTreasures]

You’re the man 👍

[@BradCagle]

Thanks!

[@iant419]

This is not conductive grade copper. Pipe copper is only 80% Cu if I remember right. Whether hard drawn or soft, fine stranded, commercial strand or solid they are all 99.99% copper. I bet you know that but just a heads up, a lot of people don't.

[@fredrikwiklund3335]

Exelent video, big help for me.

[@BradCagle]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@int16_t]

Very cool.

[@BradCagle]

Thanks

[@rickharold7884]

cool

[@iant419]

If you use salt which provides an anion and cation you won't need any vinegar.

[@rogerallen2685]

Thanks for the video. Can you tell us where you get your tin? I've found tin plates steel, but "pure" tin would work best?

[@BradCagle]

It's nickel strips I get them from amazon. You need to look for pure, and read to the reviews to make sure people are reporting it as pure.

[@Wrench_Warrior]

Why not tin?

[@KossuJahvetti]

Has anyone tried with tin?

[@mahalkasi]

Interesting video. Appreciate it. Your clothes are dry 😀

[@BradCagle]

Haha, actually the heating element was out so the clothes were taking hours to dry. I just splice the break in the element this morning while I wait for the new part to come in :)

[@managersamuel]

Isn't copper more conductive

[@BradCagle]

Yes, but the point of the nickel plating is to protect the copper from corrosion. The really thin layer of nickel won't impact the performance of the copper bar

[@alsemi-back-up579]

Hi Brad Like Your Videos 1 ? How Much Salt/ Solution of Vinegar?

[@BradCagle]

I just added salt until I had 1 amp flowing.

[@alsemi-back-up579]

I Guess You Never ANSWER Your Comments??

[@BradCagle]

Sorry man. I did not measure. I just added salt until I had 1 amp of current flowing.