silicon grease

David2452 said:
Me too, same thing that I have been using regularly for over 40 years without issue, Servisol silicone grease, if it ain't broke........
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Genuinely interested...

Can this stuff be applied to say bullet connectors and then connectors mated? Or do you apply it after connection is made?

Does it stop exterior nav light bulbs on sailing boats corroding that may get a bit wetter than mobos?

Do you use a spray or 'solid' (paste)?

From Maplin:
Lubricates, waterproofs, insulates and preserves electrical and electronic equipment
High surface resistivity
Ideal for switch contacts, ignition systems and EHT connections
 
savageseadog said:
I spent some years of my life trying to understand how electrons move around materials, your version is near enough. Silicone grease is the best thing for marine connectors. As a point of interest don't use vaseline as it tends to dry out.
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Vaseline seemed to work OK 20 years ago when I had a Moto Guzzi, a model well known for electrical trouble in the rain.
It had lots of big unsealed connectors which collected a lot of spray.
Silicone is kinder to rubber seals AIUI, so that's what I use now.
For 'indoor' stuff on boats, where you don't want to leave things greasy, a light coat of GT85 or silicone spray to penetrate the connections, then wipe off with a clean cloth seems to help.
 
KevinT1 said:
contralube 770 is the best "grease" for electrical contacts - buy it from boatlamps.co.uk - it cleans and protects / waterproofs

I wouldn't use silicon anywhere near electrical contacts - isn't it an insulator ?
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nigelmercier said:
Yes, to all.
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Contralube is electrically conductive then ?

Have to be careful with it in multiple pole connectors or mains stuff then or you will run the risk of short circuits or electrocution, not to mention nuisance tripping of RCDs.
 
Sailingsaves said:
Genuinely interested...

Can this stuff be applied to say bullet connectors and then connectors mated? Or do you apply it after connection is made?
Click to expand...

I used to work on research ships sticking oceanographic kit in the sea. Lots of electrical cable connections getting put under water for hours to months at a time. For plugs I recommend putting silicone on the contacts themselves, so on the pins and in the pin holes. When you push the plug together the grease squeezes out and you can just wipe off the excess.
 
Yes, I use it on spades, rings, (though I often use liquid neoprene on rings) and Japanese bullets, both as I slide the insulation sleeve forward over the bullet to give a good seal between the cable and boot, then on the bullet, I have even checked the resistance bare and with Servisol from the tube on a few occasions out of interest and there is no measurable difference. It certainly works on exposed contacts.



Sailingsaves said:
Genuinely interested...

Can this stuff be applied to say bullet connectors and then connectors mated? Or do you apply it after connection is made?

Does it stop exterior nav light bulbs on sailing boats corroding that may get a bit wetter than mobos?

Do you use a spray or 'solid' (paste)?

From Maplin:
Lubricates, waterproofs, insulates and preserves electrical and electronic equipment
High surface resistivity
Ideal for switch contacts, ignition systems and EHT connections
Click to expand...
 
VicS said:
Contralube is electrically conductive then ?

Have to be careful with it in multiple pole connectors or mains stuff then or you will run the risk of short circuits or electrocution, not to mention nuisance tripping of RCDs.
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From the Contralube website, re 770:
Typical Applications For Contralube 770: [includes] Multipin Connectors – Electronic & Data Connections.
Dielectric product – cannot introduce faults if mis-applied (breakdown voltage is 10kV).

http://contralube.com/contralube-770/

And see my post #10
(Not that I'd take issue with one as informed as you on anything technical, Vic.)
 
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I've been using Contralube 770 for some time on plug contacts and nav. light bulb contacts with great success after reading of it on this forum. It's only just occured to me that it would perhaps be worthwhile to apply it on wires and crimp connectors before crimping.
It could possibly also protect the ends of untinned conductors (if applied when the conductor is new) in a crimped fitting.
Does anyone have a view on that?
 
basil421 said:
I've been using Contralube 770 for some time...it would perhaps be worthwhile to apply it on wires and crimp connectors before crimping.
It could possibly also protect the ends of untinned conductors (if applied when the conductor is new) in a crimped fitting.
Does anyone have a view on that?
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It surely can't do any harm, so that's what I do. And why do they sell supposed 'marine' products with bonded-in cables which are not tinned?
(Don't try to answer that: we all know the reason :ambivalence:)
 
basil421 said:
I've been using Contralube 770 for some time on plug contacts and nav. light bulb contacts with great success after reading of it on this forum. It's only just occured to me that it would perhaps be worthwhile to apply it on wires and crimp connectors before crimping.
It could possibly also protect the ends of untinned conductors (if applied when the conductor is new) in a crimped fitting.
Does anyone have a view on that?
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Well worth doing. Then wrap some insulating tape around joint just to stop you rubbing against connector with your sleeve and getting the gel on your sleeve (although it washes out easily). I bet that joint would last 30 years.

It can do no harm ... to anything I have tried it on and I have been spreading it around all over the place. It cannot create a short.

I spread it on memory sd cards in supposedly waterproof cameras, in battery holders of cameras in case AA batteries leak, the uses just keep cropping up.

GPS battery case. All cockpit connectors e.g. tiller pilot, chartplotter connectors.

Mate's echo sounder display took a sloshing the other day. It is removable and the connector / terminal is exposed to elements when display is not hooked up. Beginning of season I filled the connector (all the pins) with contralube and after one season it is still in there and the contacts look new.

I even wired up two single Cree LEDs as daylight running lights to my car but left the joints uncovered (normally would have used liquid insulation 'tape') and for a year the lights have worked and still are with no corrosion and even the heat build up has done no harm to the contralube gel.

I will have to experiment with this silicone grease and conductivity but I do know Contralube works; it was designed for this job, but is now pricey.

I bought loads of tubes before the price went through the roof - about 40 tubes so if anyone wants to buy a tube...
 
To conclude what can I use on the pins of the connector of the Raymarine mhu before pluging it in the socket up the mast to prevent corrosion.Many thanks.
 
youen said:
To conclude what can I use on the pins of the connector of the Raymarine mhu before pluging it in the socket up the mast to prevent corrosion.Many thanks.
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If you only have silicone grease as post #1 sort of indicates you have some, seems that it has worked well for other professionals, so go ahead and use it.

If you had silicone and contralube, I'd use contralube.
 
Sailingsaves said:
[re Contralube 770:]
From Maplin:
Lubricates, waterproofs, insulates and preserves electrical and electronic equipment
High surface resistivity
Ideal for switch contacts, ignition systems and EHT connections
Click to expand...

Maplin only seem to stock the 8g sachet of Contralube 770. Their web site links to several other suppliers who have the 25g tube. It lasts for ages but, once used, you wouldn't want to run out.

http://contralube.com/stockists/
 
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I made the mistake of stuffing a mast cable joiner with Vaseline once. Here in Oz the 'normal' temperature turns it into Kerosene and it leaks all over the deck.

As for Silicon, anyone who has been near any in the last is banned from boarding. Have you ever the results of the very tiniest trace of silicon that was on a freshly painted surface?

Sand wash sand and wash again then think about painting it all over again.

Silicon be gone you Devil in disguise.

Good luck and fair winds.
 
oldsaltoz said:
As for Silicon, anyone who has been near any in the last is banned from boarding. Have you ever the results of the very tiniest trace of silicon that was on a freshly painted surface?

Sand wash sand and wash again then think about painting it all over again.

Silicon be gone you Devil in disguise.

Good luck and fair winds.
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Couldn't agree more with most of that, oldsaltoz, but silicone grease has its uses for certain applications (such a O-ring lubrication), which with only the tiniest care need not contaminate other surfaces. For electrical connectors, though: Contralube (or equivalent) every time. It's silicone-free so you'd be allowed it ;)
 
oldsaltoz said:
Interesting, how does Contralube stand up to a bit of heat though?

Good luck and fair winds :)
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Recommended Service Range (°C) -40 to 130
For high voltage/arcing contacts, please consider using
Contralube 880.

Loads of info on their website including a datasheet

http://contralube.com/contralube-770/

But I'm sure you could have found it through Mr Google :-)
 
I have a genuine question, how long have people extolling its virtues been using contralube? i.e. how well does it really work in practise over the long term and by long term I mean 5 or ten years, not season to season.
 
David2452 said:
I have a genuine question, how long have people extolling its virtues been using contralube? i.e. how well does it really work in practise over the long term and by long term I mean 5 or ten years, not season to season.
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1 year minimum, 2 cree LEDS 12 inches from road on front spolier of car. Copper of wires showing and simply smeared with contralube. Still working as new after over 10k miles through wind rain and salty roads.

7 years on a mate's moody all lights, interior and exterior, under the contralube, metal is as shiny as day it was made.

Nigel M will know more I reckon.
 
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