where to order stainless microclips for lpr/mpr?

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Marc_G

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Hi folks,

I'm sick of rapid corrosion of the copper micro clips I got from radio shack. What's a good source to order say 5 sets with hopefully low shipping costs? Looking for smooth jaw clips, not alligator clips.

Thanks

Marc
 
NAR Technical Services sells them, but they're $1.20 a piece. I'm sure shipping is reasonable though.
 
I found some at a major electrical supply house about ten years ago and I am still using them. All I can remember is that I thought the price I paid was high, but after all these years it ended up being a good buy. You could try McMasters?
 
I like the SST clips, but find the problems soldering copper wire to them and the associated conduction issues to be more problems then they are worth. A mix of vinegar and salt will clean up the copper clips that are solidly soldered to the wires and greatly extend the live of the copper clips. I've found that biggest issues with any of those clips is the lack of good solder connections on the SST and just plain mechanical failure with all of them. I find it amazing how quickly they can get bent and twisted out of shape and made useless by heavy fingers.

I've also found that the springs in the SST and the copper clips are made of spring steel and they can be a constant source of failure also.
 
The stainless steel clips from NARTS are worth the $1.20. CMASS uses them and our equipment gets heavy use. When we have to replace one it's usually because the wire failed and not the clip. Before that we used the solid copper ones and they didn't last nearly as long. If you have trouble soldering stainless steel LACO N-3 flux will solve the problem.
 
I for one, enjoy having to maintain and sometimes replace and re-solder my Alligator Clips. Makes me feel like I accomplished something.
 
I for one, enjoy having to maintain and sometimes replace and re-solder my Alligator Clips. Makes me feel like I accomplished something.

It gets old fast when you're maintaining a club's equipment.
 
I bought this to rebuild CJ Aerotech Interlock controller :

https://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-electrical-clip-set-67589.html

but I also see this now :

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-alligator-clips-37107.html

And picked this up too, am using more on my avBays than launch systems :

https://www.harborfreight.com/127-piece-heat-shrink-tubing-set-67524.html

Kenny
Clips with plastic connectors will not last. As BillSpad said at CMASS our SS clips get a lot of use. We run 11 low/midpower pad and 3 high power pads at a typical launch and launch 250-350 rockets per launch. The modroc pads see 20 to 30 firings per launch and with ~12-14 launches per year the clip leads see 250-400 firings per year. The SS clips outlast the zip cord leads which have to be cut back and resoldered every 2 or 3 years.

Bob
 
I bought 100 plated clips for 15 bucks. At that price a little hassle changing clips is worth it. I'm thinking of installing banana plugs to make swapping plugs easy peasy.
 
Mueller BU-60x standard size alligator clips are all SS including spring/rivet, available on Digi-Key for 0.87 each. Interestingly you can plug them right onto a standard 4mm banana plug...though for heavy duty use you might as well go ahead and solder them with the proper flux to avoid transferring the point of failure to the banana plug :)
 
Mueller BU-60x standard size alligator clips are all SS including spring/rivet, available on Digi-Key for 0.87 each. Interestingly you can plug them right onto a standard 4mm banana plug...though for heavy duty use you might as well go ahead and solder them with the proper flux to avoid transferring the point of failure to the banana plug :)
The Mueller part number for smooth Stainless Steel micro-clips is Model # : BU-34X. The X designates Stainless Steel. Mueller do not list any US distributors as having the BU-34X in stock.
https://muellerelectric.com/product-category/alligator-clips-insulators/
 
Indeed the small smooth SS ones are hard to come by, but after using the bigger jaggy-jaw ones a lot for HPR I now prefer them anyway (and they are well stocked)...they have a lot more grip and are much sturdier. You need to take a bit more care about relieving the weight for LPR ignitors though.
 
The Mueller part number for smooth Stainless Steel micro-clips is Model # : BU-34X. The X designates Stainless Steel. Mueller do not list any US distributors as having the BU-34X in stock.
https://muellerelectric.com/product-category/alligator-clips-insulators/

I just talked spoke with Laurie at Mueller Electric https://muellerelectric.com/?s=bu-34c&post_type=product.
She said that the BU-34X Clips will be available within the next month at several distributors. Can someone tell me how well these hold up in the field?

Thanks
Ron
 
I just talked spoke with Laurie at Mueller Electric .
She said that the BU-34X Clips will be available within the next month at several distributors. Can someone tell me how well these hold up in the field?

Thanks
Ron
At least 500 launches. I don't think CMASS has had one fail since we switched to stainless clips.

Bob
 
Stainless Steel??

Isn’t stainless steel a rather poor conductor of electricity?
 
Stainless Steel??

Isn’t stainless steel a rather poor conductor of electricity?

It's not a good a conductor as copper but it's a better conductor than nichrome and it's a much better conductor than the crud that builds up on either kind of clip.
 
Here is a link to a manufacturer. Don't know what their minimum purchase quantity is, though.

https://www.lakewoodproductsinc.com/products/alligator-clips/

falingtrea:
Lakewood is the Only US Manufacturer source for 303/304 all Stainless steel micro clips. Mullers smoothjaw clips are zinc plated steel not Stainless.
The NAR's supply store NARTs sells the Lakewood Stainless clips without the 100pc miminum Order Lakewood products requires. Narhams and All my personal launcher have been using Lakewood products inc. 1-1/8" Smooth Jaw Stainless steel test clips since 2003. the Club equipement gets very heavy monthly use with 100-400 launches per day. We've had very few failures since switching to the Stanless clips. To be Honest I believe I've re-used more clips then replaced on copper wire leads burned off by Poor wire placements before launches. These 304 Stainless Body with 303 stainless springs out last all other forms of smooth Jaw micro clips by a factor of 10 -15 to one. Our original 100pc (50set) club purchase is just now in 2015 getting to a point where we will soon need re-order. During the last 12 years we have switch over ALL club equipment and added quite a few new launchers, Cables and pad micro clip leads. My records show only about 12 replacement of stainless clips due mainly to broken jaws.

I know I posted this information back before TRF turnover so Perhaps the links and stuff have been lost.
My recent research has confirmed again that Lakewood Products inc. is in fact the ONLY manufacturer of Stainless Steel smooth jaw 1-1/8" Test clips in the USA.
Lakewood Products Inc.
705 Tower Drive, Hamel Mn. 55340.
phone: 763-478-8926
www.lakewoodproductsinc.com ( NOTE! minimum order 100pcs)

Same clips available from: NARTs; purchased individually or as many as you need.
These Stainless Steel Micro Clips are well worth the extra few cents they cost.
Below is a "How To" I put together for our club members for attaching to stranded copper wire using either 60/40 tin/lead or silver bearing solder.
Hope this helps.

View attachment Soldering StainlessSteelClips(Pictorial)-c_09-07-12.pdf
 
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