Silicone based electrical goo. WAS: Eurolight conversion adaptations

[Ned Ritchie]

Guys n Gals,

Be aware of a downside to silicone based goo, paste, sealers, cleaners
and the like.

Sometimes a poor connection is actually caused by a well meaning person
trying to help the problem by using cleaning sprays that contain
silicones to make the connections water-repellent!

How is this harmful?  This is because silicone when certain conditions
exist, can combine with metal ions to form high resistive films such as
sodium silicate.

Also Silicone contamination poses particular problems which can also be
overcome by contact lubricants Stabilant 22 or ProGold. 

Silicones are found in lubricants, sealants. When silicones are present
between moving or contacts under vibration, they react under arcing
conditions to form silicon carbide. These crystals abrade the contact
surface and cause electrical breakdown. 

Silicone contamination is very difficult to remove, particularly after
the formation of silicon carbide. It cannot be removed by solvents.
There are certain contact lubricants that can prevent the damage caused
by silicones and can even restore damaged contacts. 

One such treatment from Electrolube reacts with the silicon carbide to
form volatile silicon tetrafluoride gas, thus slowly breaking down the
hard particles. 

If a contact lubricant Stabilant 22 or ProGold is used on the switch
prior to the introduction of silicones these problems are avoided.

Ned 




-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com]
On Behalf Of Doyt W. Echelberger
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 3:44 PM
To: audi at humanspeakers.com
Cc: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Re: Eurolight conversion adaptations

Your long arm came directly out of cyberspace and pulled me from the
Radio 
Shack display. For this I am grateful. And the Radio Shack guys are
upset.

Tomorrow I will fight the crowds and risk my life on congested highways
in 
my search for Permatex #22058. And it will be put on every electrical 
connection in my vehicle, exactly two molecules thick. This will become
a 
mission, yea...a quest.

And my connectors will discover what modern chemistry can do to promote 
togetherness.

Two years of underhood cyclones and salt spray will end. I swear it.

Assuming your permission, I'm gonna post this exchange on the list
because 
everybody deserves to know about this stuff, if they don't already.

Doyt

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At 04:52 PM 12/22/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>No, that's teflon (PTFE), and a lube.  Not a silicon dielectric 
>sealant.  keep looking ;)
>
>try this:
>
>http://permatex.com/products/prodidx.asp?automotive=yes&f_call=get_item
&item_no=81150
>
>permatex #22058
>
>I got a tube at pep boys.
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>Doyt W. Echelberger wrote:
>
>>I googled and got Radio Shack Lube Gel......seals water out of
electrical 
>>connections.  their part # 64-2326.
>>Maybe I answered my own question.
>>Doyt
>>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>>I find that liberal use of silicone goo (not glue, the electrical 
>>>contact sealer stuff) helps a huge amount     H
>>
>
>--
>Huw Powell
>
>http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi
>
>http://www.humanthoughts.org/

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