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Conductive grease - any recommendations?

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Mr Calendar



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 09:57 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Conductive grease - any recommendations? Reply with quote
Need to sort of my earth connection after finding cable disintegrated a little while back.

Like to make a good job and for it to last so want to get some conductive grease on connection to protect it from the elements. So what to get. What is the best value for money?

I expect a little goes a long way and it may last me years Very Happy
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MarJay
But it's British!



Joined: 15 Sep 2003
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PostPosted: 10:00 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Copper grease. Also works on brakes.
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Mr Calendar



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 11:04 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
MarJay wrote:
Copper grease. Also works on brakes.

I was thinking something with a little more weather/corrosion protection. May just use copper grease under the bolt with a dab of Vaseline over the bold head then.
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GREENI3
World Chat Champion



Joined: 26 Nov 2010
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PostPosted: 11:22 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
A tub of multi-purpose lithium grease will do the job.

Certainly give better protection to electrical components than copper grease.
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 11:35 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
I always use Vaseline for stuff like that.
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Mr Calendar



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 12:01 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
I always use Vaseline for stuff like that.

I'm told it also has other uses outside the garage Shifty
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neil.
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PostPosted: 12:32 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
map wrote:
chris-red wrote:
I always use Vaseline for stuff like that.

I'm told it also has other uses outside the garage Shifty


Careful, it dissolves latex...
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Mr Calendar



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 12:42 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
neil. wrote:
map wrote:
I'm told it also has other uses outside the garage Shifty
Careful, it dissolves latex...

There speaks the voice of experience Very Happy
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Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger? Very Happy
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neil.
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PostPosted: 12:50 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Indeed, have since switched to nitrile gloves for servicing the bike...and the wife.
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Bezzer
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Joined: 14 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: 15:22 - 14 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Silicone grease is about the best for water protection for that and sealing other connectors lot less messy than copper/other greases. Cheap enough if you get the small tubs from DIY places where it's used as plastic/rubber pipework connector lubricant Marley brand usually but there are others.
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Johnser
Renault 5 Driver



Joined: 19 May 2011
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PostPosted: 15:53 - 15 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
map wrote:
MarJay wrote:
Copper grease. Also works on brakes.

I was thinking something with a little more weather/corrosion protection. May just use copper grease under the bolt with a dab of Vaseline over the bold head then.


This is the way, copper grease under, something else to protect on the top. other greases are fairly electrically insulating. make sure your contact surfaces are bright shiny metal before assembling (might need to do a bit of wet and drying)

Why not use something designed for the job on the outside? like paint. or waxoyl. or maybe use a stainless fastner.

A lot of electrical connections fail not on the connection to the bike/other connector but in the connector itself. The best method I've found is to use brass connectors, solder the wire into the connector and heatshrink over the connection. you can even put a large heatshrink piece over the whole connection for even better protection.

Crimp connectors should be banned
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WannaBeDude
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Joined: 05 Jul 2011
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PostPosted: 16:21 - 15 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wurths tube of terminal grease i have for that ... Thumbs Up
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Mr Calendar



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 16:39 - 15 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Johnser wrote:
... I've found is to use brass connectors, solder the wire into the connector and heatshrink over the connection....
Crimp connectors should be banned

There is the opposite school of thought that a soldered connection is brittle and more likely to degrade and break.
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Bezzer
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PostPosted: 16:47 - 15 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
map wrote:
Johnser wrote:
... I've found is to use brass connectors, solder the wire into the connector and heatshrink over the connection....
Crimp connectors should be banned

There is the opposite school of thought that a soldered connection is brittle and more likely to degrade and break.


.... crimped connectors are fine if you use the proper ones not
the cheapo pre insulated multi coloured ones.

....then there's scotchloks Laughing
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keggyhander
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Joined: 30 Nov 2008
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PostPosted: 17:02 - 15 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bezzer wrote:
not the cheapo pre insulated multi coloured ones.

....then there's scotchloks Laughing


Nowt wrong with the coloured crimps.

Scotchloks....Jeez, whoever thought of that wants shooting.
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Johnser
Renault 5 Driver



Joined: 19 May 2011
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PostPosted: 10:42 - 17 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
map wrote:

There is the opposite school of thought that a soldered connection is brittle and more likely to degrade and break.


I can see what you're saying but if you get the right terminals they have a set of tabs you can fold over and solder in place with a second set of tabs further up the wire that fold over and clamp the sheath of the cable. If you heat shrink as well, (overkill perhaps) it'll further re-enforce the joint. any flexing will be done on clean un-tampered with wire that still has its sheath in place. The same cant be said for cheap coloured crimp connectors which encourage flexing at the very point you've just crimped.

Bezzer wrote:


.... crimped connectors are fine if you use the proper ones not
the cheapo pre insulated multi coloured ones.

....then there's scotchloks Laughing



Ah yes, I know the ones you mean. Many OEMs use them. they have the cable holding tabs as well... in fact these terminals work great for the solder method too if you dont want to buy a proper crimper.

keggyhander wrote:


Nowt wrong with the coloured crimps.



Erm, sorry, but they are terrible. at best a "get you home" solution
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Robby
Dirty Old Man



Joined: 16 May 2002
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PostPosted: 16:09 - 17 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
The type of grease used isn't that important - it will be squeezed down to such a thin layer that conductivity won't be affected.

The important thing is just to have something in there so that corrosion doesn't happen, or happens much more slowly.

I used whatever is nearest, either vaseline or copper grease. Copper grease should be more conductive, but vaseline tends to last longer and is cleaner.
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reckless_b
Trackday Trickster



Joined: 22 Feb 2009
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PostPosted: 10:26 - 19 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
contact grease from an electrical supply stockist does what it says on the tin (tube)
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Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 13 years, 218 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
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