Dielectric Grease, or Conductive grease?

[Squddle]

Hey, I thought that dielectric grease was supposed to conduct electricity so you could use it all over your trailer connections and it would keep moisture out and also keep a good contact, but found out that it is not conductive? I did, however find conductive grease, but was wondering what makes dielectric grease special since it doesn"t conduct electricity? Couldn"t someone just use any kind of grease to keep out moisture?

 

[Arlie Brazil IN]

Dielectric grease is a non-conductive, silicone grease designed to seal out moisture and, therefore, prevent corrosion on electrical connectors. Being non-conductive, it does not enhance the flow of electrical current. This property makes it an ideal lubricant and sealant for the rubber portions of electrical connectors.

 

[Arlie Brazil IN]

Forgot yo answer the last question. Yes you can use greese to seal out moisture as long as the greese contains silicone

 

[Dell (WA)]

Squddle.......conductive grease is usually used on the house wireing for electric stoves to ensure good power.

Silicon dielectric grease is used to prevent corrosion on electrical connections. Where the power is thru mechanical contact. It is now commonally used on automobile tail-lites but NOT head-lites.

For the same reason, we use silicon dielectric grease to lube ignition points rubbing blocks. Does NOT short out the points because it does NOT conduct. ........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

 

[Jock (OR)]

Don't dismiss dielectric grease because it is non-conductive. I know that it is used in some very critical electrical connections where it is important that the connection carry full current. I have read an explaination that points out that the connection is NOT insulated by the grease. There is enough contact between the metal parts to carry the current. The grease protects the metal from moisture and atmospheric elements, but DOES NOT insulate the electrical connecton itself.

If you have multiple circuits in one plug, or the plug is not fully insulated beyond the area where you put the conductive grease, you stand a chance of short-circuiting the circuit(s).

I have used dielectric grease for 40 years and never had it keep a circuit from working properly.

 

[souNdguy]

the very name 'dielectric' should have told you it was a non conductor.

the idea behind the de grease as other stated is that you start with a good metal to metal connection, then seal it to prevent corosion.. thus leaving the good metal to metal contacts for conduction of electricity.

unsealed conenctions in adverse environments corode and then conduct poorly.

soundguy

 

[Anonymous-0]

I put dielectric greas on the gasket on spin on filters. they wont get stuck and you can almost unscrew them by hand

 

[Ken(Ark)]

I did, however find conductive grease

I had an old pickup that I would take the battery out of once a week or so to stick into another rig and start the motor ( I was poor and had one battery and a few junk trucks ). I had some old nasty tar like conductive grease with metal fillings in it . The cables were only hand snug but I never had a problem charging or starting with semi lose connections .

 

[John in Mich]

My two experiences with dielectric grease: 11 apartment buildings built with aluminum wiring. Outlets and switches were copper. We had a lot of problems as they aged. Pulled fixtures, attached copper jumpers to the fictures, joined copper to aluminum coated with dieletric grease and a wire nut. Problems reduced; 88 Chevy pu windshield wipers would have ghost function after going through a carwash. This was really frusrating on a bright sunny day, driving down a street and have wipers going. A service bulletin was written to disconnect harness, clean and coat with dielectric grease and re-connect. Problem gone.

 

[Hobo,NC]

A connector has to have good fiscal contact to function properly,,, no matter what you dob on it... Dielectric compound does not conduct lectricity if it did you would have a path for the current to flow/leak to other circuits are to ground.. So why would you want to add something that would offer a path to the other circuits in the connector...

The first dielectric compound I brought was $35 a oz,,, it cheap now ,,, I find a new use for it every day,,, its the best rubber/o-ring lube out their.


http://www.allsealsinc.com/pdf/PolySi Technologies.pdf

http://www.polysi.com/PolySiElectricalApplications.html

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[Plane Bart]

Dia electric grease is used to seal out moisture and reduce an Airgap so a loose connection will not arch and basicly act like a welder also used to prevent oxidation.
De-Ox compound is used on aluminium connections to prevent aluminium oxide which is a perfect insulator. oxidized AL wiring causes heat build up and voltage loss due to poor connection.
Copper oxide is a good conductor but to ensure a good connection on copper in a damp corrosive enviroment I use a product called copper kote
de-ox compound is not very compatable on copper wiring.

 

[36 Coupe]

conductive grease conducts heat.First use for me was on 57 Ford radios that had a transistor audio.Power to the collector was thru a wire.Its used in built in alternator regulators and most power transistors .It insures better heat flow between the transistor body and the heat sink surface.It has to resist heat.