Should I use dielectric grease on ALL electrical connections.
02-08-2004, 08:34 PM
#1
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Should I use dielectric grease on ALL electrical connections.
I am installing an new OPTI and have to pull apart a lot of connectors. I was wondering it I should put dielectric grease on the terminals before putting them back together. I know it is appropriate to use on plug wires but they have huge voltages so I did not know if the same principles apply to other wire connections.
Thanks, Joel
Thanks, Joel
02-08-2004, 08:45 PM
#3
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Would it HURT anything to use it? In addition to my 95 Z I also have 68 GTO. It does not have the weather sealed terminals. I thought using it might provides some degree of additional water/corrosion resiatance.
02-08-2004, 08:52 PM
#5
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Dielectric grease should never be used on the terminals; it is not a conductor. It should be used on the boots or seals and care should be taken not to get it on the contacts.
And yes, you should use it on all the connections on the Opti. I take the silicone gasket off the plug, wash it in some dishwashing liquid, dry it, then give it a nice, even, thin coating of dielectric grease (including the inside) and slide it back over the connector, then snap it in place with its mating connection. Dirt and gunk on the gasket will prevent it from making a good seal and will allow moisture to get into the connection.
On plug wires, I use a cotton swab to apply dielectric on the inside of the boot. A little bit goes a long way.
And yes, you should use it on all the connections on the Opti. I take the silicone gasket off the plug, wash it in some dishwashing liquid, dry it, then give it a nice, even, thin coating of dielectric grease (including the inside) and slide it back over the connector, then snap it in place with its mating connection. Dirt and gunk on the gasket will prevent it from making a good seal and will allow moisture to get into the connection.
On plug wires, I use a cotton swab to apply dielectric on the inside of the boot. A little bit goes a long way.
02-08-2004, 09:05 PM
#6
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Originally posted by Curt (pres AAMC & ZAA)
Dielectric grease should never be used on the terminals; it is not a conductor. It should be used on the boots or seals and care should be taken not to get it on the contacts.
And yes, you should use it on all the connections on the Opti. I take the silicone gasket off the plug, wash it in some dishwashing liquid, dry it, then give it a nice, even, thin coating of dielectric grease (including the inside) and slide it back over the connector, then snap it in place with its mating connection. Dirt and gunk on the gasket will prevent it from making a good seal and will allow moisture to get into the connection.
On plug wires, I use a cotton swab to apply dielectric on the inside of the boot. A little bit goes a long way.
Dielectric grease should never be used on the terminals; it is not a conductor. It should be used on the boots or seals and care should be taken not to get it on the contacts.
And yes, you should use it on all the connections on the Opti. I take the silicone gasket off the plug, wash it in some dishwashing liquid, dry it, then give it a nice, even, thin coating of dielectric grease (including the inside) and slide it back over the connector, then snap it in place with its mating connection. Dirt and gunk on the gasket will prevent it from making a good seal and will allow moisture to get into the connection.
On plug wires, I use a cotton swab to apply dielectric on the inside of the boot. A little bit goes a long way.
also, why is dielectric grease supplied with a set of points?? there are no rubber boots involved in changing points...
im confused
02-08-2004, 10:58 PM
#9
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they don't conduct electricity, but I see no harm in putting it on connectors. Especially opti related connectors.... Don't get over abundant, but any connector that you are messing with should have a direct metal to metal connection with the next.
02-09-2004, 09:31 AM
#10
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Dielectric grease should never be used on the terminals; it is not a conductor. It should be used on the boots or seals and care should be taken not to get it on the contacts.
As near as I can tell, practice has proven that this theory is correct, I do it all the time.
02-09-2004, 11:06 AM
#11
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The grease is applied to the inside surface fo the boot of plugs and does not improve conductivity if its on the surface between two points of contact.
It creates a "seal" around the plug preventing the contact point from developing a path out of the boot which leads to arcing. Over time moisture and dirt cant collect under a boot without grease sealing it off which may over time lead to the plugs shorting out.
The above post isnt neccesarily right. Oxidation IS bad and putting grease on a metal surface WILL stop it. But it will also impeded the conductivity of its surface with another surface. If you apply the grease to the BOOT around the plugs, it will also prevent oxidation.... since it is acting as a "seal" from the outside, preventing oxiygen to oxidize on the surface of the metal. It doesnt make sense to use something of poor conductivity (Dielectric grease) on the surface of something else (metal contacts) to prevent something else of poor conductivity (oxidation).
It creates a "seal" around the plug preventing the contact point from developing a path out of the boot which leads to arcing. Over time moisture and dirt cant collect under a boot without grease sealing it off which may over time lead to the plugs shorting out.
The above post isnt neccesarily right. Oxidation IS bad and putting grease on a metal surface WILL stop it. But it will also impeded the conductivity of its surface with another surface. If you apply the grease to the BOOT around the plugs, it will also prevent oxidation.... since it is acting as a "seal" from the outside, preventing oxiygen to oxidize on the surface of the metal. It doesnt make sense to use something of poor conductivity (Dielectric grease) on the surface of something else (metal contacts) to prevent something else of poor conductivity (oxidation).
02-09-2004, 01:31 PM
#13
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also, why is dielectric grease supplied with a set of points?? there are no rubber boots involved in changing points...
im confused [/B]
im confused
[/B]
I used to think that but I talked to an engineer that explained to me how an insulating substance like dilectric grease actually improves connections. Metal surfaces that are clean oxidize and that oxide is a insulator wich impedes connection. When you coat a clean metal surface with grease-actually pretty much any kind of grease including oil, silicone and lithium greases-the metal does not oxidize because it is protected from the air. Even smooth appearing metal is actually very rough at the microscopic level and when surfaces touch, projections in the metal push through the lubricant and make a contact. This is how conduction is acutally improved and why a coat of lubricant over clean metal actually improves conduction. As near as I can tell, practice has proven that this theory is correct, I do it all the time.
02-09-2004, 06:11 PM
#14
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I agree that the level of resistance is minuscule in terms of spark plug voltage and I cannot imagine it causing an ill effect if it is used on the spark plug terminals.
My question is requarding the wiring that involves 12 volts or less. Would the dielectric grease have a significant impact on the current flow of low voltage connections.
My question is requarding the wiring that involves 12 volts or less. Would the dielectric grease have a significant impact on the current flow of low voltage connections.
02-09-2004, 07:10 PM
#15
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What we are trying to say that if you apply dieelectric grease to any contact your doing that contact no- good. If you apply it to the boot/socket of your electrical connection say a 12V plug like the one to your MAF "maybe" it will help it seal it better from the elements and prevent oxiation and/or contamination, but because the connections are not meant to be greased up (unlike a sparekplug boot) it may not really be all that worthwhile.
Answer to your question: It "could" help if applied to the boots, but they're not designed for it - It won't harm it but may not do anything in the end. It will not help if applied to the contact points on a weak connection as it is dielectric and hampers current flow.
Also, the resisistance may not be all that miniscule if applied wrong. You're basically needlessly increasing the chance of arcing. Arcing DOES happen on bad connections over time where grease is not used a lot faster than if it were on a connection with dielectric grease IS used properly. Likewise arcing will happen faster on a connection with improperly applied dielectric grease (on the contact point) as opposed to a connection where the grease is properly applied to the boot and not the contact point.
Read: No reason to apply it wrong where it's meant to be used.
Answer to your question: It "could" help if applied to the boots, but they're not designed for it - It won't harm it but may not do anything in the end. It will not help if applied to the contact points on a weak connection as it is dielectric and hampers current flow.
Also, the resisistance may not be all that miniscule if applied wrong. You're basically needlessly increasing the chance of arcing. Arcing DOES happen on bad connections over time where grease is not used a lot faster than if it were on a connection with dielectric grease IS used properly. Likewise arcing will happen faster on a connection with improperly applied dielectric grease (on the contact point) as opposed to a connection where the grease is properly applied to the boot and not the contact point.
Read: No reason to apply it wrong where it's meant to be used.