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Need help... Dielectric Grease used in contacts

Corundum67

Jul 21, 2017
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Jul 21, 2017
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I work with equipment that has electrical connections Lemo, microdot and UHF, in a environment where the cables/connectors get wet. The cables are in motion with some stress on the connectors. Also the equipment is quite sensitive, and the developers of the equipment strongly recommended dielectric grease put directly on the connection points. These people have long retired and I can not get hold of them. I understand the reason why dielectric grease is used. To seal, protect, prevent arcing/shorting, prevent electrical noise, and to prevent current from going from one pin to its neighboring pin. What I need help with is finding a website/article the definitively defends the use of dielectric grease in such a case. I have only electronic/electrical knowledge specific to troubleshooting this equipment but only self taught. The people questioning the use of the dielectric grease are certified electricians, but not electronic engineers etc. I feel like David vs Goliath, any and all links/articles supporting the use would greatly be appreciated. Thank you!
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
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One source of dielectric grease is Automotive parts suppliers, where the primary recommended use is spark plug shields to prevent ingress of moisture so it should serve the purpose in this case.
M.
 

davenn

Moderator
Sep 5, 2009
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One source of dielectric grease is Automotive parts suppliers, where the primary recommended use is spark plug shields to prevent ingress of moisture so it should serve the purpose in this case.
M.

He knows and understands that ;)

He is after factual www sites / papers that back the good reasons to use it
 

hevans1944

Hop - AC8NS
Jun 21, 2012
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Please contact this company in Ontario, Canada, for information on their patented Stabilant and Stabilant 22 product. Or explore this website link. Their product becomes conductive under the influence of an electrical field between contacts but is otherwise non-conductive.

Dielectric lubricants have a long history of use as contact protectors, dating back to the use of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) as a coating applied to incandescent light bulb threads and contact surfaces and to automobile and marine battery terminals to prevent corrosion and seizing. Silicone lubricants are late comers to the scene, but are also quite popular and used for the same purpose. All dielectric lubricants depend on metal-to-metal contact under mechanical pressure displacing the dielectric thin-film to allow conduction while the bulk of the dielectric lubricant is preventing the surrounding atmosphere from reaching the conductive joint to cause oxidation and corrosion.

Conductive lubricants with anti-oxidation properties also exist and are widely used, but IMO somewhat pricey.

You need to examine contact surfaces, preferably in cross-section, at the microscopic level to see what is really going on. But don't turn that wheel again: extensive research was done in the 20th Century at Wright Laboratories in Dayton, Ohio, for the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. If it involved materials used in aircraft, somebody has already looked into it. They are still looking into it to this day. Google is your friend, David, in going up against the Luddites and Goliath Neanderthals. Tell 'em to go pound sand.
 
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