Switch Lube? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: dave356
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 12:57:05 am
content: Hi guys,I'm looking for a good switch/contact lube (grease) to use in rotary and sliding switcheslike in multimeters.I'm working on a couple of multimeters and I wiped the grease off of therotary contacts because I was getting the stuff all over the place.Would like to re-lube them before closing up.The only thing I can think of might be NYOGEL.The stuff I wiped off felt/looks just like silicone grease.Ant other good switch/contact grease out there?

author: Kosmic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:12:02 am
content: Try deoxit. It's not cheap but work really well.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:13:54 am
content: Thats not a grease though...

author: Kosmic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:15:56 am
content: Yes my bad. Its a cleaner mostly. But you probably don't want grease on metal to metal contact.

author: dave356
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:22:29 am
content: I have several varieties of deoxit.I even have some deoxid. (yes, with a D at the end)I need some kind of grease for the rotary contacts in multimeters.Almost all of the multimeters I've opened up have a thin filmof grease on the contacts.

author: drussell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:28:51 am
content: You're probably looking for something called "dielectric grease".They're usually silicone-based and despite their name beingdielectricit is not intended as some kind of insulating grease, it just isn't conductive. It is low-viscosity and will slide out from under metal-to-metal contact, allowing conduction while helping to prevent oxidation, corrosion, etc. from forming on things like switches and connectors.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:42:13 am
content: For example:https://www.permatex.com/products/lubricants/specialty-lubricants/permatex-dielectric-tune-up-grease-2/(Although the majority of rotary contacts in multimeters are dry and do not have any kind of grease on them.)

author: dave356
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 01:57:06 am
content: Hey guys,Thanks for all the input,but after doing some searching I think I found whatI was looking for. DEOXIT L260NP switch grease.Looks like just what the Dr. ordered.Have to get me some!Thanks guys.

author: FlyingHacker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 12:15:00 am
content: A very light application of CRC-26 (with a swab or toothpick, etc.) would do fine as well, and it is terribly inexpensive and available at most home improvement stores.

author: cellularmitosis
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 01:28:52 am
content: Quote from: drussell on June 26, 2018, 01:28:51 amIt seems difficult to find a simple answer to the question of what lube to use on switch contacts. I've been meaning to scan through the various threads on this -- now's as good a time as any:Dielectric grease can be a problem if the contact pressure is low.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg144079/#msg144079On the other hand, for precision circuits, you want zero leakage, which implied completely non-conductive grease is ideal.Silicone will break down in the presence of arcing into silicon carbide, which is bad for the contacts.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg144205/#msg144205There seems to be criticism of WD-40:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/On the other hand, I can remember that in one of Dave's videos (perhaps on the MV-106? Maybe the GenRad decade resistor?), the manual specifically said WD-40 was fine.But texaspyro specifically says he's seen a GenRad ruined by it:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/cleaning-wd-40-of-contacts/msg1328174/#msg1328174Maybe Electrolube SBG?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143818/#msg143818Maybe Caig Deoxit Gold?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143822/#msg143822Fluke recommends W. F. Nye Gel Lubricant, #813S (Fluke PN926084)https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143846/#msg143846Fluke recommends Nye FLUOROCARBON GEL 813S-1https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143899/#msg143899Maybe Krytox GPL series oil or grease?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1247522/#msg1247522Maybe PAO synthetic oil?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246797/#msg1246797Maybe Electrolube EML?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246883/#msg1246883Maybe Servisol "Super 10"?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246824/#msg1246824Maybe Shell Cassida?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246982/#msg1246982Maybe polyphenylether based lubricant from MG Chemicals and Techspray?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1252068/#msg1252068Maybe poly phenyl ether lubricant?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/cleaning-wd-40-of-contacts/msg1329544/#msg1329544Maybe Sanchem "NO-OX-ID A-Special" grease?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-777-keithley-177-microvolt-dmm-repair/msg727548/#msg727548In the end, I think I'll try robrenz's approach:Quote from: robrenz on February 19, 2013, 07:21:22 pmhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/contact-cleaner-and-switch-lubricant/msg194482/#msg194482

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 07:16:23 am
content: Impressive research work, cellular.

author: Zucca
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 01:33:24 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on June 27, 2018, 07:16:23 amit must be elevated to sticky.

author: Smith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2018, 06:53:40 am
content: I normally clean the contacts with Kontakt 60, and after that rinse them off with plenty of IPA. This is because it will become corrosive if left on the contacts. After that I treat the contacts with Kontakt 61, this lubricates and protects the contacts. Worked for me for years. Works on potentiometers too.