Where/how to uses dialectic grease

[prdicon]

 

Hi,

I have some mudding/water creeks questions guys,

Other than spark plug booth, where should I apply this grease? 

I wonder if there is a spray form, maybe it would be easier just to spray?

Do I need to disconnect the connectors, or is it good enough to spray/apply around the connectors?

Also, is this grease considered a good brand? 

[MarkinAR]

Permatex is fine.  For it to work correctly you have to put a dab inside of connectors, boots, etc.  Keep in mind though that Dielectric grease is not for waterproofing, it's to help keep connectors from corroding.  A little dab does wonders.

[Mech]

Permatex has a good name here in N.Z.

Grease, whether that stuff or a petroleum grease, keep water out and off components and so maintains the existing air gap. It's the gap between wires or conductors that is maintained by varnish, rubber, plastic or grease that prevents electrical leaks and shorts.

That grease, and common old vaseline, are both non-conductive and will prevent water ingress. They both prevent corrosion.

It's important to understand though that there is a difference between non-conducting, and insulation. All non conducting grease can become a insulator if it prevents components from contacting.

Both vaseline and silicon based greases are non conductive, they are both dielectric, and so if we apply them to poorly fitting or contacting contacts, such as non-sliding switch contacts, we do run the risk of causing a non-conduction situation.

It works best to fill electrical plugs with the grease to keep dirt and water out, but switches and rubber boots really only need a smear. Vaselene, or silicon grease, will both prevent water getting into rubber boots by virtue of the water surface tension, we don't need to fill the boots on spark plug caps, just a bit rubbed over the outside of the boot right to where it contacts the porcelain works fine.

Regular automotive greases would do the same job but some of them have additives that are in there to support heavy loads and provide a gap so the grease doesn't get squeezed out. Those additives can easily hold  contacts apart and prevent conduction. Other automotive greases have compounds in them that can conduct electricity, so while they might waterproof, they can cause shorts. Don't use regular auto lubricating greases.

The chief advantage of the silicon based greases is that they can stand higher temperatures before becoming inflammable.

The silicon grease is a good lubricant in extreme temperature situations, but, we don't really get any temperatures so high as to need it any place we want to lube in the automotive world. It's high temperature benefits aren't needed for most waterproofing situations either.

I fill already plugged in connectors with petroleum jelly/grease. I smear a little on switches for lubrication mainly and to water-proof them. I rub it on rubber boots and leads to prevent moisture getting in. Apart from keeping dirt out of the plug connectors, I'm depending on the water's surface tension to prevent water creeping in in most applications.

Vaseline/petrolium grease is just as good as silicon grease, and more handy to have around.

 

 

[prdicon]

5 minutes ago, Mech said:

Permatex has a good name here in N.Z.

Grease, whether that stuff or a petroleum grease, keep water out and off components and so maintains the existing air gap. It's the gap between wires or conductors that is maintained by varnish, rubber, plastic or grease that prevents electrical leaks and shorts.

That grease, and common old vaseline, are both non-conductive and will prevent water ingress. They both prevent corrosion.

It's important to understand though that there is a difference between non-conducting, and insulation. All non conducting grease can become a insulator if it prevents components from contacting.

Both vaseline and silicon based greases are non conductive, they are both dielectric, and so if we apply them to poorly fitting or contacting contacts, such as non-sliding switch contacts, we do run the risk of causing a non-conduction situation.

It works best to fill electrical plugs with the grease to keep dirt and water out, but switches and rubber boots really only need a smear. Vaselene, or silicon grease, will both prevent water getting into rubber boots by virtue of the water surface tension, we don't need to fill the boots on spark plug caps, just a bit rubbed over the outside of the boot right to where it contacts the porcelain works fine.

Regular automotive greases would do the same job but some of them have additives that are in there to support heavy loads and provide a gap so the grease doesn't get squeezed out. Those additives can easily hold  contacts apart and prevent conduction. Other automotive greases have compounds in them that can conduct electricity, so while they might waterproof, they can cause shorts. Don't use regular auto lubricating greases.

The chief advantage of the silicon based greases is that they can stand higher temperatures before becoming inflammable.

The silicon grease is a good lubricant in extreme temperature situations, but, we don't really get any temperatures so high as to need it any place we want to lube in the automotive world. It's high temperature benefits aren't needed for most waterproofing situations either.

I fill already plugged in connectors with petroleum jelly/grease. I smear a little on switches for lubrication mainly and to water-proof them. I rub it on rubber boots and leads to prevent moisture getting in. Apart from keeping dirt out of the plug connectors, I'm depending on the water's surface tension to prevent water creeping in in most applications.

Vaseline/petrolium grease is just as good as silicon grease, and more handy to have around.

 

 

 

I couldn't ask for more detailed professional answer. 

So if I understand right, I should NOT disconnect and apply the grease in between the two connectors,. What I should do only to apply/rub the grease around them for isolation. 

 

[MarkinAR]

Nah, you will want a bit inside the connectors so take them apart, apply a dab, and put them back together.  What @Mechis alluding to is the common practice of filling every connector and boot completely full and then reconnecting.  That's a bad idea.

Living in the southern US, we treat our Hondas like boats.  I ran my Honda 300 in neck deep water with only the snorkel sticking out more than once.  Yet, I never filled the plugs full of grease, I just applied a little to keep water out so it wouldn't corrode when dry.

[Mech]

Wiring connectors/plugs I fill up with grease so dirt/mud doesn't get into them. As long as they are good terminals, of the sliding contact type, we can separate them and smear the metal bits and then push them together and fill them from behind with more grease. It's a good idea to do the electrical connectors down by the stator engine connection like that. Other connectors that are exposed should be filled the same way.

Switches, if it's something like a brake light switch and we can stop the dirt and water getting in by blocking the holes, then fine do that. Some switch contacts though will be held apart by a thin layer of grease and not make good contact. Sliding contact switches are less prone to the problem, but contacts that press together, such as a starter switch, they can easily be prevented from contacting if there is too much grease, or grease with a bit of dust in it. Switches I mainly just use the grease for lube, and only a smear on the contacts. If I do fill them up to prevent corrosion I wipe the contacts off afterwards.

Ignition components have insulators that make sure things don't get close enough to short so all we have to do is make sure the water can't creep in. A thin smear of grease will do that..  You might have seen the ad for vaseline on tv where they vaseline their hands and then pick up water that doesn't creep between their fingers.

I've been waterproofing bikes for the last fifty years with vaseline and like Mark.. my bikes run under water.   Ya gotta have fun!!

[WillrogersII]

Guy on you tube did a video on the resistance change of the connections using this dielectric grease. Very minimum resistance added, almost un noticeable for normal connections,  so you could just glob it on there, but a I recommend putting a little dab on the female pin hole side and smear it around then put some around the outside male connector or inside of the female connector so when you make the connection it creates like like a barrier. 

[frugalsob]

 +1  @WillrogersII 

That's pretty much how I make my connections.  Haven't had any issues yet.  However, I don't completely submerge my Grizzly very often.