Dielectric grease revisited

[motoman]

Sheesh, Brant, you could at least narrow it down a skosh! There are so many brands of conductive greases with different compounds and applications from the common Permatex anti-seize to specialty greases that it's almost impossible to guess what was in the tub/tube that guy had at the counter.


Small tube:-
Gardner Bender Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound

Same small tube at Lowe's.com:-
Shop Lowe's: Gardner Bender 1oz tube Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound


Sanchem NO-OX-ID



Big tubes and tubs:-
2 Cartridge Case ~ $99
48 Pound (6 Gallon) Container ~ $1,974
Superior-Industries Electric Contact Grease ECG-66


There are more ... a lot more!

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Was in a tube like the ones U first showed, just De-Oxit brand. Likely the same thing. At the time, I was actually looking for the De-Oxit spray blaster that I presumed others have talked about using. No luck tho, and the three different RadioShacks that were here are long gone. Guess I'll have to resort back to the CRC cans of heavy duty(whatever that means) electrical cleaner I already have if needed.

[DeanR]

I got the De-Oxit spray can at The Guitar Center.

[motoman]

I got the De-Oxit spray can at The Guitar Center.

Thanks Dean! Got a couple places like that here. I'll have to check.
BTW, good input on ST-Owners with FACTS to back both sides. From what I read, IMO, if one uses dielectic anything other than to seal away moisture from outside elements , resistance issues WILL eventualy occur. The silicone properties dictate that, and there's no stopping it. If connectors have been unplugged and plugged back a few times, that would be the initial demise that will create resistance over time.....how long?...who knows, but likely rear its ugly head when your on two wheels 200mi. from nowhere.
Overall, looked to me like if one uses De-Oxit to clean a DISTURBED plug-in connector, then a bit of Caig DeOxit for a gradually improved contact surface that actually REDUCES resistance over time between the contact surfaces is the best bet for a previously DISTURBED connector that's been scuffed up already. Makes perfect sense to me........now gonna go see if I can 'sniff' out the De-Oxit stuff, for whenever its use may be justified.

[jetmechmarty]

Speaking of mechanical contact, it was pointed out to me that the bullet connectors on our bikes, like the ones in the turn signal circuit are single use by design. Once they've been plugged and unplugged, it's time to throw them away. How many of us are going to actually do that? I received this info from someone in the business. Who knew?

[mrhammer2u]

Just great! My mechanic buddy told me to fill up a couple connections with dielectric grease to keep the water out. Trying to remember which ones so I can clean them out now. It's always something

Thanks for the info

[jetmechmarty]

Just great! My mechanic buddy told me to fill up a couple connections with dielectric grease to keep the water out. Trying to remember which ones so I can clean them out now. It's always something

Thanks for the info

Supposedly, no solvent is going to touch that stuff. If you find something that works let us know. Also, it's only a problem if you believe me. There are plenty of folks here who believe I'm full of crap. You decide.

[mrhammer2u]

Supposedly, no solvent is going to touch that stuff. If you find something that works let us know. Also, it's only a problem if you believe me. There are plenty of folks here who believe I'm full of crap. You decide.

LOL!
Q-tips and tooth picks will be my tool of choice. Followed by some contact cleaner. But this will have to wait as I have more pressing projects.
Need to shorten the brake hose (keeping the shorter bars) and reroute my throttle cable. Every time I turn hard right it revs to about 3k. When I'm trying to park people think I'm hot dogging.

[motoman]

Just great! My mechanic buddy told me to fill up a couple connections with dielectric grease to keep the water out. Trying to remember which ones so I can clean them out now. It's always something

Thanks for the info

Blow it out the best you can with electrical cleaner.

[motoman]

Just great! My mechanic buddy told me to fill up a couple connections with dielectric grease to keep the water out. Trying to remember which ones so I can clean them out now. It's always something

Thanks for the info

Blow them all out the best you can with electrical cleaner. The coil plug-ins on the 81's are rectangle 2-wire plug-ins, not bullet type. I ended up a year or so back blowing the dielectic crap out of those plug-ins(bad stumble/misses riding in heavy rains) BEFORE they became an issue. I then plugged them back in. Went to Tru-Valu in the electrical contractor supply section, bought a roll of professional grade Scotch linerless rubber splicing tape, 130C for low and high-voltage(thru 69kV), wraped from wire ends both sides over plug-in while stretching as I went(designed specificly to be applied that way), giving a seal from end to end that is tighter than a ducks a$$....and that's water tight!......Never have had an issue since in heavy rains, and even tested for G&G running a water hose under the tank with motor running.....not so much as a hiccup from motor. JAT for those that have previously packed those connectors with dielectic grease......issues are not if.....but when from the silicone fumes.

[CaptonZap]

Yes. CZ is right. There is a weak connection at the terminal. It's not the greatest design, and opening and closing it all this time weakens the mechanical connection. Dielectric grease is an insulator. Putting that in the equation makes it worse. I had an engineer explain to me how it outgases as it decomposes or gets near any spark and becomes silicon dioxide. That loose connection may be doing some sparking. How do you remove silicon dioxide?

Why use this stuff at all? What is the benefit? I say there is none. I concede that it's a good o'ring lube and I expect fine for spark plug boots.

:

"And now, the rest of the story."
Since we are quoting people, let me quote http://http://www.wisegeek.org/what-...ug-isolated-on

And :

Discussion Thread
Response Via Email (KRAYCSIR, DAVID P. (DPKRAYCS)) 05/29/2015 03:18 PM
Dear Captain Zap:

Hello and Thank You for your interest in Dow Corning Corporation Silicone based products.

It is true that 111 will not cure, but volatiles in the silicone fluid that forms the base of this compound can outgas at elevated temps (above 350 F) and form SiO2. There are many articles online the describe this issue.

With that said the Dow corning 4,5,7 and 111 compounds are used extensively in electronics for sealing applications

If you have additional questions, PLEASE respond directly to this email or call me at my direct line below, so we can work together to best resolve your situation. Thanks again for your interest in Dow Corning and good luck!

Dave Kraycsir - Sr. Engineering Specialist
Dow Corning Corporation/XIAMETER
North America Technical Customer Service
Phone: (800) 248-2481, Ask for Dave

Note: If I have provided you with sales and service contacts for our products, when interacting with the distributors, please take a moment and mention that you have spoken with the Dow Corning Technical Customer Service team. This will ensure that you get the best service possible when working with our products.



Notice the operating temps (mentioned in the first link) at which the silicone out gasses, and tell me when was the last time the wiring harness on an xs11 saw those kind of temps. And if it did see that temperature, then we're back to a faulty connector (with resistance, caused by dirty or oxidized metal with not enough clean conducting surface area contact) causing heat, and sure enough, the heat causes oxidization, and conduction goes to hell.
The silicone will retard the onset of oxidization, that's what it is designed to do, but it can't save a bad connection. It can seal out moisture and air, which, as those of you who live on the coasts know, can wreak havoc on most metals, plated or other wise.
And by the by, the one article mentions MEK and mineral spirits as solvents for the grease. ??????
I know MEK is my solvent of choice for hard to clean gunk, but I don't live in California, and can get it readily. Others might not have that option, so if one of you guys that is going to clean out your connectors will try mineral spirits and let the rest of us know, it would be appreciated. I assume that Dow and the rest of the suppliers use about the same chemistry, so if the solvent works on one brand, hopefully it will work on the others. ???

Tires, oil, and grease, the list just keeps on growing.

CZ

[MPittma100]

Resistance

I have doubts that dielectric grease "causes" electrical problems. It is simply a lubricant that may help to keep corrosion away from electrical contacts.

In the event of a failure in a plug-in connector, there are only a few causes. One is poor contact due to dirty connector terminals. Another is too much current for the connector. And the most likely cause is too much resistance caused by a poor ground.

If the number of electrical/conductor lubricants on the market today caused such failures, I'm pretty sure they would be out of business.

[jetmechmarty]

OK. How hot is an arc at a weak connection?

My contention is, this stuff is totally unnecessary. There's controversy. Why mess with it? We don't need dielectric grease. Leave it alone.

[TopCatGr58]

Heard back from the Quick Start folks regarding their copper connection compound. They don't make it anymore....but they said that they had some left, and could make up an order of 3 tubes for $14.97 plus $5.95 S&H.

Since I/we don't know how much of the "stuff" they have left, I don't know how many tubes they could fill. I'm assuming that they may still use it for their own purposes, and that's why they have it still.

However, as I stated, we could probably also use copper Anti-seize or other conductive greases as needed/desired vs. having to get this stuff??? I do like it, and it's got lots of copper in it and surprisingly very little grease.

I'll write them back and ask if how much they have and if they would entertain making up more tubes than just 3??

T.C.

PS De-oxit listed on Amazon in Musical Instruments:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...it%2Caps%2C219

Same in Electronics:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...2%2Ck%3Adeoxit

[3Phase]

T.C., hopefully less than $1000 a pail!

OK. How hot is an arc at a weak connection?

Well, momentarily, it's actinic!

My contention is, this stuff is totally unnecessary. There's controversy. Why mess with it? We don't need dielectric grease. Leave it alone.

Beware of the Blob! Indescribable ... Indestructible! Nothing Can Stop It!

If you see a clear gel slowly oozing out of a connector you either used too much grease or you should grab a CO2 extinguisher and go hide in a walk-in freezer with a pretty girl.

Dielectric grease is useful if you don't slather it all over the place. For the terminals, "A little dab'll do ya!" It also helps ye olde plastic connectors seat and stay seated and less likely to break when you open them back up again.

If you did it right, the terminals will conduct electricity for another thirty years. They also won't stick together so they'll also come apart again and the little metal retainer tab(s) won't pull out and rip through the oxidized plastic when you have to work on the bike.



The Blob


"Okay, but what about conductive grease?"
Heh, it'll be a million times worse than The Blob if it ever gets loose!



.

[CaptonZap]

Well, momentarily, it's actinic!





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Jeez Scott, remind me not to play Scrabble with you.

CZ