Number plate light screws

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Arya2.0S
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Number plate light screws

Post by Arya2.0S »

Has anyone got a non rusty set of these? Mine look like something off of the Titanic, surprised I was able to take them off actually without them being ceased to the bodywork. Would rather not put them back if at all possible, and would to put something back that isn't going to rust.

Cheers.
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Bug
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Bug »

I hated those screws cos they always corroded and rounded off.
I actually ended up using the hex head bolts that are used in various places around the interior, in particular to mount the dash top on and in that area.
They look the part, being a golden colour, and the heads are much easier to get a grip on.
renaulthater
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by renaulthater »

i may have some stainless ones left over...
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Arya2.0S
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Arya2.0S »

Bug wrote:I hated those screws cos they always corroded and rounded off.
I actually ended up using the hex head bolts that are used in various places around the interior, in particular to mount the dash top on and in that area.
They look the part, being a golden colour, and the heads are much easier to get a grip on.
Hmm, shame im using the ones on mine to hold my dash in lol.
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Arya2.0S
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Arya2.0S »

renaulthater wrote:i may have some stainless ones left over...
You have a PM.
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Bug
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Bug »

Arya2.0S wrote:
renaulthater wrote:i may have some stainless ones left over...
You have a PM.
Answered someone else's post where they were having issues with earthing the number plate lights.
I pointed out that stainless screws aren't conductive, so may not work as the number plate lights earth through them

Worth checking first maybe?
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Arya2.0S
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Arya2.0S »

Bug wrote:
Arya2.0S wrote:
renaulthater wrote:i may have some stainless ones left over...
You have a PM.
Answered someone else's post where they were having issues with earthing the number plate lights.
I pointed out that stainless screws aren't conductive, so may not work as the number plate lights earth through them

Worth checking first maybe?
So the original type of screws arent available then?
renaulthater
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by renaulthater »

Er there stainless not plastic
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Bug
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Bug »

renaulthater wrote:Er there stainless not plastic
Er. Yes I know. And the stainless ones I used were not conductive. At least not enough to earth a 12v light
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Bug
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Bug »

Bug wrote:
renaulthater wrote:Er there stainless not plastic
Er. Yes I know. And the stainless ones I used were not conductive. At least not enough to earth a 12v light
Ok, done a bit of research and found the following:

While stainless steel is used primarily because of its strength and rust-resistant properties, the poor conductance of stainless steel is also a benefit. This may not sound like a feature, but when working in construction, manufacturing, and other potentially dangerous industries, injury prevention is paramount. Injuries from electrical shock are very serious and happen all too often. Potentially lethal electrical shock can be mitigated by the stainless steel’s poor conducting properties.

So if all metals conduct electricity, how do they all rank? Take a look at this chart:

Material IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard)
Ranking Metal % Conductivity*
1 Silver (Pure) 105%
2 Copper 100%
3 Gold (Pure) 70%
4 Aluminum 61%
5 Brass 28%
6 Zinc 27%
7 Nickel 22%
8 Iron (Pure) 17%
9 Tin 15%
10 Phosphor Bronze 15%
11 Steel (Stainless included) 3-15%
12 Lead (Pure) 7%
13 Nickel Aluminum Bronze 7%


So, as you can see, I wasn't 100% accurate in my initial statement.
It turns out stainless steel is conductive, just not very good at it.
In something like the number-plate lights, with their very small contact area, that would explain why I couldn't get them to work.

Hope that's cleared up any confusion.
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by renaulthater »

mm strange mine work fine
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by stevemarl »

That`s very interesting Martin. If you`d asked me I`d have said gold as the best conductor, presumably gold plating is a protection against oxidation rather than for conduction then? Just shows you`re never too old to learn...

Having said that, the fact steel has omly 10% the conductivity of copper doesn`t mean it will give 10% of the voltage, just that it has 10X the resistance, therefore it will give 10 times the voltage DROP across a given length cf copper. But as a good copper joint will have almost zero voltage drop, a stainless joint will have 10 X `almost zero`. A 0.01v drop with copper will become 0.1v with steel, barely noticeable in a bulb.
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Arya2.0S
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Re: Number plate light screws

Post by Arya2.0S »

renaulthater wrote:mm strange mine work fine

Just tried these today, they work perfectly. No issues at all and they look ace too in stainless steel. Thanks again dude!
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