Silicon filler or Duralac?

[dukes4monny]

Hi all, I've got to assemble my new Plastimo 810S roller reefing gear this week and was wondering where the instructions say to use: "Silicon filler to reduce the stainless steel / aluminium electrolytic couple".....can I use Duralac instead or will this make it more difficult to take apart in the future?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Poignard]

The two compounds are not really comparable. Silicon filler [sealant?] will stay fexible, fill gaps and prevent any movement between foils and couplers [a good thing] whereas Duralac is, as its name suggests a lacquer which dries to leave a relatively thin coating; it won't fill gaps, it just prevents corrosion between dissimilar metals. Seems to me that silicon sealant would be the best.

If it was me, I would follow the manufacturer's instructions and use silicon sealant. They might not honour any warranty if you don't use it.

[I have not found anything assembled with Duralac difficult to take apart. ]

 

[VicS]

Id have preferred them to have said Duralac, but if they say silicone filler (and they do!) silicone filler it has to be I think.

 

[Poignard]

Unless Chemical Vic vetoes it for technical reasons, what's to stop you coating the mating faces with Duralac, letting it dry and then assembling with silicon sealant?

Best of both worlds, belt and braces or gilding the lily! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[dukes4monny]

Thank you both for your replies. That's a good point about the warranty. The phrase that they use seems to indicate that it is used solely to reduce electrolytic couple, which is what Duralac is for (of which I have a full tin), but the warranty argument wins the day.
I do like a 'belt and braces' approach............but I don't think I'll be using both, I'd end up in a proper mess /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif