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Dielectric Grease for connections?

C

Chrisssssssss

Active Member
Hey all,

I was always thinking about the possible uses of dielectric conductive grease (like the stuff that is generally used for spark plugs and the like for cars) on connections like RCA's and speaker wire. This grease has conductive properties and usually helps repel water for connections in the automotive world.

What do you think of using this stuff on the connections in the Audio world? Do you think that this stuff would help both protect connections from oxidizing and improve contact between surfaces to improve overall sound quality? I might try this and see if it produces any noticeable improvements.

Any thoughts or experiences?
 
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I think I'd worry about airborne dust eventually turning the grease into grinding compound if it were used on moving parts like pots or sliders; for non-moving connections it might work as an anti-oxidant, but that would keep the connection good longer, not make it better to begin with.

But by all means try it, it'd be interesting to know how it worked out.
 
The stuff makes a great dust collector in the domestic enviornment.It is used in damp/wet enviornment as a moisture barrier.Would just be a messy dust collector in the home enviornment.:yes:

Dave
 
Ok, I could see the dust issues, but my main thought was to use it on the connecting (inside) portions of things like the center pin of RCA's and on the bare speaker wire and banana plugs on the speakers connections. This usually does not move much (unless you are a obsessive compulsive reconnector type...no offence) so I think that dust in this situation may not necessarily be an issue. I think that I may give this a whirl and will post findings.

Also another place I may try is the connection of my TT headshell to tonearm and headshell to cart connection. Who knows. It could be the next "magic eraser" finding!

Should have a chance tonight...
 
Also another thought,

Tube connections on the pins to the socket?

This though may have different side effects due to the heat, however if this grease is meant to protect sparkplugs, I think that heat would not be an issue.

One concern I would have here is the effect of the grease on the glass of tubes...kinda like the effect of touching and handling a bare halogen type bulb.

Thoughts?
 
At work, we use EJC (electrical joint compound) on high-current connects.
You should use only a VERY thin coating. Some guys at work though put it on like toothpaste, THEN it makes one hell of a mess. Works great though when used properly.

Steve
 
In the theater silicon dielectric compound is used on the contacts of high wattage lamps for stage fixtures and it holds up to heat very well. I personally would not use it for audio because I don't think it needs it. Deoxit and Faderlube works for most of our applications plus the SDC that I have seen, that is worth buying, is pretty damn expensive.
 
"Conductive" and "Grease" worry me.

If the stuff IS conductive and is a grease-like nature, the following scenario may take place-

You put a little too much on an RCA plug center pin, and without noticing, you plug in to a jack, the grease gets pushed inside the plug back wall, shorting out the center pin to the outer ground shell.

I also would not use it on tube sockets; here is what happened to a fender amp. I repaired at work because moisture\dirt\dust caused an arc between the plate and heater pins of a 6L6GT tube.

Mark T.
 

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it is not conductive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric

Yes, what it does is eliminate moisture and other contaminants. Keeps hi voltage spark plug circuits from forming shorts along plug body to ground by excluding conducting contaminants.

If it conducted, cars would not run and your equipment would fry on turn-on.

It is just multiweight petroleum jelly. Multi-weight so it comes out of tube in cold weather and is easier to work with.

I keep it in my garage. It is messy. I would not want it anywhere near a clean environment, fingerprints etc.
 
I wouldn't recommend it for audio, I'd use Pro-Gold. There is a grease-like compound used for electrical connections with dissimilar metals, typically aluminum wire, that I use on things like outdoor light bulbs. Without it the base of the bulb gets stuck in the socket and makes a huge mess when you try to replace it. A traffic signal tech turned me on to it, and it works well and lasts for years. Available at Graybar and the like. A little goes a long way.
 
I got roasted pretty good when I first joined AK and proposed the same idea. They let me know real fast that dielectric means NON-CONDUCTIVE despite what the tube says about smearing it on battery terminals.
 
works wonders on motorcycles

I always open up every plug on a new old motorcycle, the whole harness, and in goes the automotive dielectric grease. Bikes are susceptible to wet connectors, this stuff is great for that.

(Hope nobody thought I was flaming anybody)
 
Is that the stuff that looks like silver liquid and has an extreme metallic smell (as in, really extreme) and is very, very slippery? If so, I had to deal with some of it on the contacts of some old car speakers. Rather nasty to get off. Not fun stuff.
 
jrsh92 said:
Is that the stuff that looks like silver liquid and has an extreme metallic smell (as in, really extreme) and is very, very slippery? If so, I had to deal with some of it on the contacts of some old car speakers. Rather nasty to get off. Not fun stuff.
Click to expand...

No that's Anti-Seize used to prevent corrosion between two different metals--such as iron sparkplug threads in aluminum heads.
 
markn2wae said:
If the stuff IS conductive and is a grease-like nature, the following scenario may take place-

You put a little too much on an RCA plug center pin, and without noticing, you plug in to a jack, the grease gets pushed inside the plug back wall, shorting out the center pin to the outer ground shell.

I also would not use it on tube sockets; here is what happened to a fender amp. I repaired at work because moisture\dirt\dust caused an arc between the plate and heater pins of a 6L6GT tube.

Mark T.
Click to expand...

It isn't conductive. It's designed to seal between two surfaces so there isn't an air-path which would encourage arc-over. It's definitely an insulator.

I would be more worried that, since RCA connectors aren't designed to use silicone grease, the materials they are made of may not stand up to it. It could very well degrade the plastics used.

Silicone is also extremely hard to remove once it's on something. Getting it on any conductive metal parts may well permanently reduce their ability to provide a good connection. (Not too likely, but something to think about.)

I really don't see any good reason for using it in audio equipment.
 
Thread revival in praise of good ol 100% silicone dielectric grease. I picked up a trends audio pa-10 with a GE tube. When I was listening to it at the store the left channel would develop a nasty hiss I ended up walking out with it for 80 bucks assuming it would need a new tube or repairs. 1/3rd retail at a high end retail store. Woot. Got it home. Tried cleaning it multiple times to no avail. I had resolved myself to troubleshooting it ... Right after the 2 receivers and sub I picked up out of the bins at gw. Last night I decided to give it another go. I just put an upgraded rectifier and bypassed the harness on my bike so dielectric grease was fresh in my mind. Put a little on the pins and wholla... No hiss.
 
Dielectric Grease?? really!?
That crud was found on the light bulb ends of mid 80's GM products.
We all know how GM products rate for engineering excellence :-) .
MY motos.. both Brand New and Old ones have not a spec of that Pig Grease in evidence .. Never... had an issue since '71.
Yours a 'Hardly' perchance?.
 
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