While messing around with the new tail light setup I put on my car, I broke this little ground tab off. What's the best way to reattach it while still maintaining a good electrical connection? I tried superglue, but that didn't hold. Is there some sort of epoxy that would work well for this?
>>1020236
How was it attached before?
They make conductive glues but that's not the method I'd use. I would prefer to use a screw going through that eyelet into whatever it needs to ground to. Or solder if I absolutely had to. Can you get a pic of the other side of the assembly?
>>1020237
Wait...is that tab even attached to a wire? Does it just provide a bridge from one surface to the other?
>>1020237
>>1020239
Don't have any other pictures of it at the moment. The tab was attached by what looked like 2 very small solder points. The part that I'm pinching between my fingers is I guess the male part of it. I crimped a female connector onto the wire that I used for the ground, and that's what is used to make the connection.
>>1020241
I can think of a way to make it work, maybe, that would last, touch the connector to the tip of that nut. I'm assuming the nut is holding that housing in place since there's one on the opposite side, that may provide enough of a connection. If it works you can crimp an eyelet connector big enough to accept that stud/bolt and put it under the nut. Worth a shot. If you're not equipped to solder or spot weld that tab back on you can try the conductive glue I mentioned. All I know is that it exists, Google is a better resource than I am for that.
>>1020236
Easy mode: I would get a little (steel) pipe clamp and clamp it on using that. Don't tighten more than needed tho.
You could try soldering it, if you have the stuff for doing that.
self tappers
>>1020334
I think self tapping screws would damage the inside of the light. Inside the part I'm trying to attach the tab to is where the base of the bulb sits, and where the power wire feeds in. Wouldn't want to risk messing that stuff up.
>>1020286
Went out and bought some epoxy, so I'm waiting on that to dry. Hopefully it works okay. If not, I'll probably end up buying a small hose clamp. Never even thought of that. As far as soldering it goes, how would I go about doing that? I have a soldering iron and solder, but I didn't think I could solder something like this with it. I figured that stuff was just for wires.
>>1020361
>epoxy in a circuit
>thinking solder is just for wires
Most people can't solder steel well.
I'd clamp it, but I wouldn't clamp the tab, I'd expose the connector which was intended to slide over the tab and clamp that instead. Fewer parts, compact result, no problem. I'd put a thick smear of RTV over the result to prevent moisture intrusion. RTV is best because you can peel it off in future if needed.
RTV is also good for securing plastic interior panels whose tabs snapped off. It doesn't disturb the plastic.
>>1021075
>Most people can't solder steel well.
that's because they use the wrong flux.
Carrs Green flux, or a similar strong acid flux will prevent oxidisation and make a 188 solder wick perfectly on steel.
