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Dan, I'd stay a bit on the conservative side with the connector lube/protection... as in use it on light bulbs but not VIP $$$$ modules pins/connectors.
Personally I lubed the rubber contacts (dielectric clean silicone) in :
Driver door main window switches
steering wheel paddles + buttons
but none of the many module connector pins I visited - I could always be wrong
I think the difference here is you are talking a dielectric silicone grease and I am talking about a grease that is NON silicone and can both protect the connection and even improve the connection if used properly (sparingly). Take a peak at this video and jump to around the 15 minute mark if you want to get around all the details of what a milliohm meter does - I plan to use this on all connections for my pigtail connectors, so like you say: Test real world! (and I'll let you know...)
Thanks Dan, that's an interesting topic we keep revisiting.
I like the conclusions of YT video.
battery lug tests
FP Connector tests
A good case is made between different products in different applications. Results are measured
Liquid protection has a better conduction
Grease protection has a longer lasting film
One of the issue our chassis is facing is liquid migrating at leaky junctions.
The engine CPS leak hot oil
The washer pump leak water
The F/R bumper connectors leak water
Do you know how to stop hot-oil capillarity through wiring harness ??
Grease can't help but melt...
Thanks Dan, that's an interesting topic we keep revisiting.
I like the conclusions of YT video.
battery lug tests
FP Connector tests
A good case is made between different products in different applications. Results are measured
Liquid protection has a better conduction
Grease protection has a longer lasting film
One of the issue our chassis is facing is liquid migrating at leaky junctions.
The engine CPS leak hot oil
The washer pump leak water
The F/R bumper connectors leak water
Do you know how to stop hot-oil capillarity through wiring harness ??
Grease can't help but melt...
Somehow I missed your reply? IMO, a more viscous grease would at least slow a hot 40W oil doing its capillary action thing down a wire, perhaps even stopping it from migrating all that far once the wire is in a cool enough spot? You raise valid points, and I'm willing to test this out - if I use the grease and oil is discovered on one end of the pigtail but not the other (downstream end), then I'll call the grease a potential aid. Pigtails are cheap, so no big deal to try this out... Keep the good stuff coming!
I only use dielectric silicone on elect connectors, and plug boots, fyi. I can't speak for other brands because I wouldn't bother trying them.
I hope you guys know that the data in that video is not valid. Each time you connect the terminals the # will be different. He would need to do it a hundred times with each grease to get a # anyone would consider accurate. Plus, on low voltage or sensitive systems you want dielectric, not something conductive. On a battery terminal you can use bearing grease if you want, and back in the day many auto mfgs did use lithium grease on many elect connectors. It would dry out, but better than nothing. Modern cars where things are more sensitive, it's dielectric and for a reason. Can you get away with not using dielectric? Probably, in most cases, but why risk it with some product that isn't any better anyway? Silicone is dirt cheap and I'm still feeding off my tube that was expired military stuff from the 80's.
I only use dielectric silicone on elect connectors, and plug boots, fyi. I can't speak for other brands because I wouldn't bother trying them.
I hope you guys know that the data in that video is not valid. Each time you connect the terminals the # will be different. He would need to do it a hundred times with each grease to get a # anyone would consider accurate. Plus, on low voltage or sensitive systems you want dielectric, not something conductive. On a battery terminal you can use bearing grease if you want, and back in the day many auto mfgs did use lithium grease on many elect connectors. It would dry out, but better than nothing. Modern cars where things are more sensitive, it's dielectric and for a reason. Can you get away with not using dielectric? Probably, in most cases, but why risk it with some product that isn't any better anyway? Silicone is dirt cheap and I'm still feeding off my tube that was expired military stuff from the 80's.
Well, we all believe what we believe... I use DIELECTRIC SILICONE in sparkplug boots and on electrical items I want to seal out moisture and maybe make it easier to pull apart, the next time you are in there. What you may have fast forwarded through in the YT video, is each and every connection he makes, he wiggles the connector until the reading settles - a hundred times at milliohm levels??! You don't know what you are talking about... I think he did a fine (enough) job for me... And this is what Ford uses on a whole ton of sensitive electronic connections, not that they know much about this stuff...
Dan, we like Deoxit as an acclaimed product to enhance conduction. liquid magic
The only reason I personally don't use it around my engine bay is evaporation - Once the light oily film evaporates then the sticky redidue hurts more than it helped. High maintenance to keep reapplying with ghostly calls. Can't have that on critical applications
Instead there are residue-free deoxidizing agent to prevent inviting extra ghosts. Granted no "protection film" but in high heat application the protection film better be military temp rated.
I am sure there is a superior aviation product out there sold by the tub for pennies but consumers are supposed to struggle so there we are wandering
Gold plating works real well in high-tech equipment - Our IC Cluster and COMAND Display use gold plating but go figure why not the ECU/CGW
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Oct 1, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
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