electrical connections - silicon grease - use or not?

[PaulR]

have slight voltage drop on the earth wiring on our boat so at the weekend took off the connections to the alternator and cleaned all the connections - liberally coated them with silicon grease and reassembled - voltage drop now worse!

suspect the grease (that I had understood is good for electrical connections) is the problem - hence 2 questions.


1. Anyone suggest best way of cleaning off the silicon grease from connections?

2. I take it correct approach is to clean the contacts - do up the connections (without silicone grease or anything else) and then - apply grease to the external faces of the contacts- is that best way or should I be using anything else in the contacts ?


thanks

 

[greenalien]

The increase in voltage drop sounds likely to be a badly-made crimp connection on one of your wiring terminal fittings.

As you say, assemble everything, then a small smear of grease to help keep salt spray, water vapour etc out and reduce the opportunity for corrosion.