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Electric Switch Grease ???

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dklawson

dklawson

Yoda
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I posted this at NASS and had 90% of the respondents say to use dielectric grease when re-assembling an electrical switch that you've cleaned and serviced. Then... I got one post from a man who said "do NOT use dielectric grease because it will burn on the contacts".

I'm still leaning towards the (Permatex) dielectric grease used on spark plug boots but I welcome any additional comments and suggestions from everyone here.

Thanks,
Doug L.
 
Dielectric grease does NOT conduct electricity. It's used to keep out moisture etc. from electrical connections. It should be applied after a connector is together. If it's not possible to do so afterwards, you then rely on the connector being tight enough to push the grease out of the way, which generally works OK. However, IMHO, a switch will not wipe the grease off the contacts reliably enough to warrant it's use.

In other words, I wouldn't use it inside a switch.
 
I use it all the time on my Volvo. Before I used it I would get messages that my bulbs were out. After applying it to the bulb contacts I never get the messages.
 
martx-5 said:
In other words, I wouldn't use it inside a switch.
Click to expand...
:iagree:
In the past, I've used ordinary "tuner cleaner" from Radio Shack, which also leaves behind a lubricating film that helps protect the contacts. But I'm tempted to try Caig DeoxIT and DeoxIT Shield, next time the subject comes up.
https://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/.f
 
The switches were lubricated when they left the factory so what I was looking for was a recommendation for a functionally similar lubricant. Not content to let this rest I did some Googling and I talked with one of the Sparkies at work. It turns out our firm has a small supply of lubricant formulated specifically for switch contacts. I'm going to see what this is and borrow it for the turn signal switch I'm working on.

For those who may come upon this thread later for whatever reason, the following link may prove helpful:
https://machinedesign.com/article/lubricating-electrical-switches-1025

From that article...
<span style="color: #000099"><span style="font-style: italic">"Lubricants also minimize wear, especially on sliding electrical contacts which see repetitive cycling or arc damage, two common causes of failures. Though evidence suggests lubricants change or reduce arc patterns, the lubricant's real job on sliding contacts is to separate the surfaces during operation and keep debris out of the contact area. Otherwise, the microscopic wear particles oxidize quickly, turning into insulators. Buildup of this oxide grit also accelerates wear. In general, hydrocarbon lubricants work best at wear prevention because their molecular structure is more rigid than other base oils. Proper lubricants strike a balance between preventing wear and maintaining electrical continuity."</span></span>

Thanks for the input and the link for DeoxIt
 
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