ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some basic feature of the connections, degradation mechanisms affecting their performance, palliative measures used to suppress the adverse effects of the contact deterioration, installation practices, testing methods and also recent developments in connector materials and design. The connector is generally a weak link in the power grid, which raises doubts about the ability of some of the connector designs to provide effective long-term connections. Connectors can be broadly classified into three groups: light-, medium-, and heavy-duty connectors according to their current-carrying capacity and their functional operation. Insulation piercing connectors are designed to operate with hermetically-sealed electrical contacts to prevent moisture ingress. A connector serves to provide connection between electrical circuits, to carry the current for the required period without overheating. The oxidation of the metal-metal contacts within the contact interface is widely considered as the most serious degradation mechanism occurring in mechanical connectors.
