Electrical contact metal types

Manufacturers use many different types of metal on their plated electrical contacts such as gold, silver, or nickel. The type of metal that you use on a contact can affect the conductivity, its resistance to corrosion, and the type of weather it is able to withstand. Each metal has their own benefits. If you are considering gold contacts, please reach out to us so our engineering team can look at your application and determine if gold contacts are right for you. 

Why Gold Contacts? Electrical contact metal types

It’s important for electricity to be able to easily flow through the switch. In low current applications, silver may not be conductive enough for the switch to function reliably. Obviously, a switch that doesn’t function reliably will cause all sorts of problems with the system it’s connect to.

Gold contacts should only be considered for applications with low voltage (>50 VAC) and low amperage (>1 amp). Gold contacts can be used with higher voltages and amperages, but they will not perform any better than silver contacts.

The biggest plus to gold is that it has more resistance to oxidation and corrosion. If your switch is in a harsh environment, you may also want to consider using an epoxy sealed switch.

Snap Disc Thermostats 

Senasys manufactures a wide variety of bimetal, fixed temperature, snap disc thermostat switches. Available as a 3/4″ for a larger surface area giving you a more accurate response or 1/2″ surface area for those small spaces. Large Flange Auto Reset

Quality-engineered thermal sensors specifically designed for a variety of major appliances, including clothes dryers, hot liquid and food-dispensing machines, room unit and space heaters, air conditioning systems, copy machines, engine heaters, and wood stoves.

Senasys bimetal snap disc thermostat switches are available in four different options: automatic reset, hermetically epoxy sealed, manual reset, or single shot.

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Want more information on our Snap Disc thermostats? Check out the articles below.

Manual Reset or Automatic Reset 

Snap Disc Quick Connect Vs. Screw Terminals 

Testing A Snap Disc At Home 

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