Charging issues

[skids]

I read that article before. If your connections are clean and fairly tight, it squishes the dielectric grease (or whatever grease) out of the way to make electrical contact. It is great for preventing corrosion. Not real good for things that get hot. I can tell you that it can collect dust/dirt. Some people recommend using it around the halves of the connectors and not to the actual contacts, unless it is something like battery terminals.

[jetmechmarty]

I don't have personal experience with this, but this guy seems to: https://www.w8ji.com/dielectric_grea...ive_grease.htm. I'm planning to use dielectric grease on all connections when I'm working on my bike this winter.

Don't do it!

Use Deoxit instead. That dielectric grease is trouble unless you're using it for o'rings or spark plug boots.

[MaximPhil]

Hi Dan,
This topic is nearly as contentious as tires and oil
There are two "camps" so you are doomed which ever way you go
I am firmly in the camp of not using it. it makes a hellva mess collecting dust.
Not sure I have it all cleaned out yet. Ugh !
Phil

[3Phase]

Don't do it!

Use Deoxit instead. That dielectric grease is trouble unless you're using it for o'rings or spark plug boots.

Yep, Marty's right.

Dielectric grease is not "a pure grease of light viscosity", it's a non-conducting silicon grease that's really hard to burn through or set on fire if electricity does manage to arc across it.

Regular old GP grease works fine for low voltage. Use a stiff brush to work a light coat onto and into the terminals inside the connectors but don't slather it on, you're just trying to ease assembly/disassembly and reduce corrosion, not haul a set of doubles across the country.

I like the copper anti-seize for battery connections and grounds but I've never had a problem using any of the other metallic compounds. They do get messy if you're not careful and they can be hard to get off your tools, shop rags, your garage, anything else in the garage, doors, knobs, hands, eyes, clothes, nose, elbows, computers, glasses, cellphones, ears, face, dogs, cats, hamsters... you get the idea. And it loves to conduct electricity.

Silicon grease has the same problem but you can't see it. Lord help you if you have to clean/paint after it's had a few years to migrate.

[Phare Est]

I finally got around to installing the new REG/REC on my XS1100, and I'm very happy to announce that the charging problem has been solved 😀. I would like to express my gratitude to all who have offered me advice on how to go about resolving this issue. Electrical gremlins can quickly become very frustrating and without you're guidance, I would undoubtedly still be trying to figure out the cause of the problem.

My sincere thanks!

[skids]

I finally got around to installing the new REG/REC on my XS1100, and I'm very happy to announce that the charging problem has been solved 😀. I would like to express my gratitude to all who have offered me advice on how to go about resolving this issue. Electrical gremlins can quickly become very frustrating and without you're guidance, I would undoubtedly still be trying to figure out the cause of the problem.

My sincere thanks!

That is great! On the plus side, you probably have impeccably clean associated connections now with all of the trouble-shooting and remedials that you did!