Piers
Well-Known Member
Is it OK to spray WD40 onto the pins of our shore power cable's plug to 'oil' the pins so they don't bind so much in the pontoon's shore power socket?
Tight shore power connectors
- Thread starter Piers
- Start date
alt
Well-Known Member
I used silicone spray as it's not oiley and did a mighty job but it was on the plastic, not the pins
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Well, if it ain't OK I hope someone will explain why, 'cause I've done that for more years than I can remember... 
With zero problems so far, fwiw.
With zero problems so far, fwiw.
Piers
Well-Known Member
Well, if it ain't OK I hope someone will explain why, 'cause I've done that for more years than I can remember...
With zero problems so far, fwiw.
Just done it and it's perfect. Thank you.
ph321
New Member
I use Inox Lanox for anything like this on the boat. I find it lasts longer without washing away than silicon/WD40. Really handy for preventing corrosion.
http://www.inoxmx.com/inox/mx4-lubricant/
From their website:
LANOX doesn’t become sticky, gooey or gum up.
LANOX is non-conductive, non-static & non-corrosive.
LANOX has neutral properties, low flammability (NON-AEROSOL)
Lanox doesn’t dry out or wash off with water
Paul
http://www.inoxmx.com/inox/mx4-lubricant/
From their website:
LANOX doesn’t become sticky, gooey or gum up.
LANOX is non-conductive, non-static & non-corrosive.
LANOX has neutral properties, low flammability (NON-AEROSOL)
Lanox doesn’t dry out or wash off with water
Paul
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Actually Piers question, as I understood it, was meant to avoid pins getting stuck, rather than avoid corrosion.
Before I got the habit of using some WD40 (well, actually a different thing from CRC, but pretty much the same stuff), sometimes I struggled to remove the plug from the dock socket, even if there were no evident signs of corrosion.
Interesting suggestion anyway, thanks.
Strictly for corrosion prevention, so far I always used spray vaseline, which works well but doesn't last very long.
On paper, this Lanox thing seems better in this respect, but can you (or anyone else of course!) confirm that their website claims are true?
Before I got the habit of using some WD40 (well, actually a different thing from CRC, but pretty much the same stuff), sometimes I struggled to remove the plug from the dock socket, even if there were no evident signs of corrosion.
Interesting suggestion anyway, thanks.
Strictly for corrosion prevention, so far I always used spray vaseline, which works well but doesn't last very long.
On paper, this Lanox thing seems better in this respect, but can you (or anyone else of course!) confirm that their website claims are true?
maby
Well-Known Member
WD40 should be ok. Be careful selecting lubricants for electrical connectors such as shorepower - last year our connector was getting very stiff and I grabbed the first aerosol I could find from the cockpit locker - gave the pins a good squirt and plugged it back in. The plug went in easily, but the power didn't come on. I read the instructions on the can carefully and noted that it was listed as "an excellent insulator"! It took me ages with solvent and emery cloth to get it off again and restore power!
Piers
Well-Known Member
DOH!
ph321
New Member
I haven't seen the spray Vaseline but am really happy with the Inox product. I use it to spray bronze strainers, bronze fittings, hydraulic platform mechanisms, electrical cable joints and most other items in the engine bay (nothing actually under water). It's also a lubricant so I assumed would help with a stuck power cable probably being effective longer than WD40.
Our locksmith at work actually recommends Inox for lubricating key locks as spraying WD 40 in them will eventually damage them?? It's worth a try if you can find it easily enough.
Our locksmith at work actually recommends Inox for lubricating key locks as spraying WD 40 in them will eventually damage them?? It's worth a try if you can find it easily enough.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Does he mean Inox or Lanox?
I understood from your link that Inox is the company name, but they actually have two products (Inox & Lanox), which appear similar - confusing, or what...? :nonchalance:
Ref. finding it, I already looked on Amazon and found it here.
But 90 quids for a small spray can... WTF?!?
ph321
New Member
He meant the Lanox and that's what I use on the boat. Having said that, 90 pound is way too much! I pay AUD$13.75 for the same can which is about 8 pound... You could try Googling Aerosol Lanolin to see if there are any similar products at a reasonable price in the UK?
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=50132
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=50132
Ian MacAulay
Well-Known Member
I use electrical contact grease. specially designed and made for the job and works on our switch gear and so on in substations
Piers
Well-Known Member
Thanks Ian. Interestingly, I found it wasn't so much the connectors but the plastic surround that was causing the jamming.
