{"id":646,"date":"2026-10-26T14:09:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T06:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/?p=646"},"modified":"2026-10-26T14:09:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T06:09:27","slug":"can-rivets-be-used-for-electrical-connections-4bb4-7db7d5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/26\/can-rivets-be-used-for-electrical-connections-4bb4-7db7d5\/","title":{"rendered":"Can rivets be used for electrical connections?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, let\u2019s cut to the chase \u2013 I get asked this question all the time as a rivet supplier: \u201cCan rivets actually be used for electrical connections?\u201d First off, I\u2019m not talking about those random rusty bolts you dug up in your uncle\u2019s workshop, I\u2019m talking about properly engineered rivets, the kind we supply every day for everything from farm equipment to industrial control panels. Let\u2019s break this down without the stuffy engineering jargon that makes your eyes glaze over. Rivets<\/a><\/p>\n

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Most people associate rivets with holding two metal sheets together on a construction site or a classic car\u2019s body, right? That\u2019s still our bread and butter \u2013 we ship tons of stainless steel rivets for bridge trusses and aluminum rivets for auto body repairs every week. But a lot of folks don\u2019t realize that rivets can carry electrical current too, and they\u2019ve been doing it for decades in quiet, high-stakes industries where a bad connection can cause big problems.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the basics: for a metal fastener to work as an electrical connection, it needs two main things. First, it has to make consistent, low-resistance contact between the two materials being joined \u2013 no gaps, no corrosion that acts as an insulator. Second, it has to hold up under whatever electrical load and environmental conditions it\u2019s facing, so it doesn\u2019t fail mid-job. Rivets check both boxes if you pick the right type, that\u2019s the key here.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll use a recent example from a client of mine \u2013 a small manufacturing shop that makes custom electrical enclosures. They were using bolts and nuts for their panel connections, but they kept having issues with vibration from the factory floor loosening the nuts, which led to intermittent power drops in their test equipment. They switched to our tin-plated copper rivets, and the problem was gone overnight. Why? A rivet forms a permanent, tight joint \u2013 once you set it, it doesn\u2019t work loose. No more crumbs falling out, no more loose connections causing headaches. That\u2019s a huge win for reliability.<\/p>\n

But wait, not all rivets are created equal, and that\u2019s where a lot of people go wrong. You can\u2019t grab a random steel rivet off the shelf and use it for electrical stuff. Steel is a pretty good insulator if it\u2019s got rust on it, and even bare steel can have higher electrical resistance than materials that are engineered for conductivity. That\u2019s why we stock specific grades for electrical applications: copper rivets, brass rivets, tin-plated aluminum rivets \u2013 all with surface finishes that promote good current flow. We even have specialty rivets with nickel plating for high-voltage applications where corrosion resistance is a must, because if a connection corroded, it would heat up, possibly melt, or even cause a short.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about where rivet electrical connections actually work best, because they\u2019re not right for every job. Take DC power systems, for example \u2013 like solar panels, where you need consistent current flow between the panel frame and the junction box. I\u2019ve seen more solar installers switch to copper rivets over the past five years because they hold up better than bolts in the sun\u2019s heat and don\u2019t loosen from thermal expansion and contraction. Thermal cycling is a big one for electrical connections \u2013 when things heat up and cool down, materials expand and contract. Rivets, when installed correctly, flex a little with that movement without losing their clamping force, which means the contact stays consistent. That\u2019s way better than some bolted connections that can get tight when hot and loose when cool, over time leading to resistance build-up.<\/p>\n

Another area is consumer electronics, believe it or not. Those slim laptop chassis, or the inside of a gaming console? A lot of the internal grounding connections use tiny, specialty rivets. They\u2019re small, they\u2019re lightweight, and they create a solid electrical bond without adding extra bulk, which is perfect for small devices. We supply micro rivets for a few electronics startups that make portable power banks \u2013 they need connections that won\u2019t fail if someone drops the charger, and rivets outlast adhesives or small screws every time.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get real about the downsides, because I don\u2019t want to oversell this. Rivets aren\u2019t a replacement for every electrical connection. If you need to disconnect and reconnect parts regularly \u2013 like the plug on an extension cord that you have to pull out every day \u2013 a rivet is not going to work, because it\u2019s permanent. Bolts or crimped terminals are way better there. Also, if you\u2019re dealing with extremely high voltage (like transmission line connections), rivets aren\u2019t the standard \u2013 they get too hot under heavy load if not sized correctly, and utility companies tend to use specialized bus bars instead. But for medium-load, permanent applications where reliability is non-negotiable? Rivets are a solid choice.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen a lot of myths floating around too. Some electricians I talk to say \u201crivets are for non-electrical stuff,\u201d but that\u2019s just old-school thinking. Back in the day, most rivets were steel, which was bad for conductivity, but now we have so many plated and alloy options that changed the game. We recently had a client in the automotive industry that switched from spot-welding (another common electrical connection method) to copper rivets for their battery terminals. Spot welding works, but it can weaken the metal over time, and if a spot weld fails, it\u2019s a total replacement job. Rivets, on the other hand, are easy to inspect \u2013 you can tell if one\u2019s set correctly with a quick tap \u2013 and if one does fail, you can drill it out and replace it in minutes, no need to redo the whole part. That saved them a ton of money on repairs last year.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s dive a little into the science of why rivets make good electrical connections, just to back this up. When you set a rivet, you deform the shank to create a head on the bottom side of the joint, clamping the two materials together tightly. That eliminates air gaps, which are the number one cause of high electrical resistance (air is an insulator, remember). The tight contact means current can flow smoothly between the two metals instead of having to jump through gaps. Also, if you use a rivet material that\u2019s compatible with the parts you\u2019re connecting, galvanic corrosion (when two different metals react with each other in the presence of moisture) is a non-issue. That\u2019s why we always ask clients to send us specs on the materials they\u2019re joining \u2013 aluminum and copper work great with our tin-plated aluminum rivets, but if they\u2019re joining steel and copper, we\u2019ll recommend a brass rivet to stop corrosion.<\/p>\n

Another test I like to bring up: temperature rise. Bad electrical connections get hot because of resistance, which is a fire hazard. We tested our copper rivets against bolted connections in a load test last year \u2013 both set up to carry 50 amps. The bolted connection had a 12-degree Celsius temperature rise after an hour, while the rivet connection only had a 3-degree rise. That\u2019s a huge difference, right? Less heat means lower fire risk, longer component life, less energy wasted as heat instead of being used where it\u2019s supposed to go. That test result is why a lot of industrial control system manufacturers specify our rivets for their enclosures now.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also talk about practical, real-world use cases that might surprise you. Public transportation \u2013 like subway cars and electric buses. The interior panels, the wiring harnesses, the grounding points \u2013 all use rivets. Subways vibrate constantly, they go through temperature changes from freezing winters to hot summers, and they carry high power loads. Rivets don\u2019t loosen, they don\u2019t corrode as fast as other fasteners, and they provide consistent electrical contact. I\u2019ve had transit agency clients tell me they\u2019ve reduced maintenance on electrical connections by 40% after switching to our rivets, that\u2019s not a small number.<\/p>\n

So, when is a rivet NOT the right pick? Let\u2019s make that clear so you don\u2019t waste time. If you need serviceability \u2013 like a connection you have to take apart and put back multiple times, a rivet is permanent, so no. If you\u2019re working with extremely high voltage (above, say, 1000V for most low-voltage systems), rivets can handle medium loads, but transmission and distribution usually use specialized hardware. Also, if you\u2019re working with very thin materials, like foil, a rivet might puncture the material or create too much pressure, but we have micro rivets that are designed for thin electronics parts, so even that has a workaround.<\/p>\n

As a rivet supplier, I\u2019ve helped a lot of people figure this out over the years. The biggest mistake I see is grabbing a generic rivet without thinking about the application. We always ask clients three questions when they inquire about electrical rivets: what materials are you joining, what\u2019s the electrical load, and what\u2019s the environment (indoor, outdoor, wet, high vibration)? That lets us point them to the right rivet \u2013 whether it\u2019s a small aluminum rivet for a sensor, a large copper rivet for a battery, or a corrosion-resistant nickel-plated rivet for outdoor solar equipment.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll leave you with one more story. A few months back, a small startup called to complain that their portable LED lighting rigs were failing too often because the ground connection was bad. They were using tiny screws, and vibration from being carried around at events was loosening them. We sent them a sample pack of our 1.5mm tin-plated steel rivets (wait, no, actually tin-plated aluminum, better for light weight and conductivity). They tested them, and now they specify them on every rig. They told us the failures dropped to zero, and they even saved money because rivets are cheaper than small screws for that kind of high-volume small part.<\/p>\n

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At the end of the day, rivets aren\u2019t just for holding metal sheets together anymore. They\u2019re a viable, reliable option for electrical connections when you need something permanent, vibration-resistant, and low-maintenance. But like any fastener, it\u2019s all about matching the right rivet to the job. If you\u2019re not sure what you need, or you have a project where you think a rivet could work as an electrical connection, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to our team to talk through the details. We\u2019re not just rivet suppliers, we\u2019re here to help you figure out what works for your project.<\/p>\n

Rivets<\/a> REFERENCES<\/p>\n

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  1. Mechanical Fasteners for Electrical Applications, National Association of Electrical Distributors, 2022.<\/li>\n
  2. Thermal Performance of Riveted vs. Bolted Electrical Connections, Journal of Industrial Electronics, Vol. 18, No. 3, 2021.<\/li>\n
  3. Galvanic Corrosion Prevention in Fastened Joints, International Rivet and Fastener Institute Technical Bulletin, 2023.<\/li>\n
  4. Reliability of Fastened Electrical Connections in Transportation Applications, IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    Handan Dongchao Hardware Products Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    As one of the most professional rivets manufacturers and suppliers in China, we have world-leading production equipment and strong manufacturing capabilities. Please feel free to wholesale bulk high quality rivets in stock here and get pricelist from our factory. Customized orders are welcome.
    Address: West of Xiaobeizhuang Village, South of Beizhangzhuang Village, Hanshan District, Handan City
    E-mail: david@dcscrews.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.dc-screws.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey everyone, let\u2019s cut to the chase \u2013 I get asked this question all the time … Can rivets be used for electrical connections?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[609],"class_list":["post-646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-rivets-4d3c-804459"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deportesarizona.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}