Bulkhead connections.....Dielectric grease..YESorNO?

[Billccm]

DeOxIt is the best contact cleaner. I'm sort of on the fence about dielectric grease. Grease is great for shutting out moisture, but the definition of dielectric is that is does not conduct.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Condensers/capacitors are dielectric filled/made components. low capacity conductors

 

[Billccm]

From wikipedia:
A dielectric (or dielectric material) is an electrical insulator that can be polarized by an applied electric field. When a dielectric is placed in an electric field, electric charges do not flow through the material as they do in an electrical conductor.

 

[themechanic]

I did find one annoying drawback to using DG. It leaves a sticky mess to deal with and gets everywhere when working on electrical stuff.

 

[Billccm]

I did find one annoying drawback to using DG. It leaves a sticky mess to deal with and gets everywhere when working on electrical stuff.

Any grease will attract dirt, also.

In the mining industry, vacuum grease is used EXTERNALLY around the connector's plastic and rubber seals and housings, but the only item allowed to contacts and connectors for electrical is silicone spray contact cleaner.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dow-Corn...34359&wl11=online&wl12=31188582&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[MOPARENT]

Changed out my dash harness, engine harness etc and everything got the spooge. Probably a pointless measure as the car lives in a climate controlled environment. But ya never know when and where moisture could form caused by road trips, car shows, exploding radiators, spilled beers, heavy breathing and fogged up windows.......cheap insurance.

 

[Glenwood]

Definitely pack the bulkheads with dielectric grease but less so on the connector surfaces. If the connections are good and tight, the mating surfaces will cut through the grease but the grease will be a barrier if they are loose or already corroding.

 

[khryslerkid]

I remember the factory useing dielectric grease on the distributor cap post, inside the cap, when electronic systems first came out. After a period of time it would crystallize and end up acting as an insulator, effecting the required spark. Cleaned it off or replaced the cap and everything was fine. After a couple of years they stopped useing it.

I has its uses. I use it to seal the contacts from moisture. Can work on bulb sockets, bulkhead connectors ect. but just to seal from moisture.