Thurlby Thandar... not a happy bunny

[wraper]

Digging the grave but... Was packing my equipment because I'm moving to another place. Heard strange rattle in my PL303QMD. Sure enough one of the clips was broken. Decided to remove one from rectifier and use as a spare because it had 2 of them unlike other parts. It cracked during removal but did not break apart right away. Removed another one on the same rectifier and put in the middle of it. Then decided to remove one from rectifier in another channel, it simply disintegrated on the lightest touch. Barely touched another clips with tweezers, they simply fell apart with no force applied. In the end I have 2 good clips and 10 broken  . Will check another a bit newer PL303QMD at the new place since it's already packed.

[rsjsouza]

POS supplier of parts, not technology or method.

[wraper]

POS supplier of parts, not technology or method.

They are very thick and stiff compared to other clamps I've seen. And IMHO they were over-tensioned. If they were not inserted into the groove that deep, probably they would be fine.

[Huluvu]

I bet this is caused by hydrogen embrittlement due to the galvanisation process ....
The manufacturer of the clips scimped on the relaxation process during galvanisaion  ( which takes time and money)
This causes hydrogen to be trapped under the zinc plating in the hardened steel structure and will sooner or later make them brittle. Sometimes they gas out and the clips survive or it takes just longer ( can be many months)