solution for arcing
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NoAlOx is designed to inhibit the corrosion that occurs when aluminum contacts other metals. Aluminum doesn't play well with others, and in an electrical connection the corrosion hinders conductivity.
NoAlOx also has graphite, which is in most brands of dielectric grease, to assist with conductivity.
Don't think that arcing is anything I want to be around.
I think I'd take the device back to the store and make sure it is working properly.
Use dielectric grease on steel, copper, and brass. Use NoAlOX on aluminum. As I recall noalox has graphite and zinc in it to prevent oxidization and corrosion to aluminum. That being said, don't use noalox or any other gritty dielectric on the threading of your mod if you want it to last.
Graphite is a lubricant.
NoAlOx doesn't have any "grit".
That would be counterproductive to it's intended purpose.
Aluminum is extremely soft.
Rob recommends Naolox on the contacts of Reos, and the contacts aren't aluminum so I figure its fine for all mechs.
I'm pretty sure all mechs can arc to some extent. Anyone agree or disagree?
I'm pretty sure all mechs can arc to some extent. Anyone agree or disagree?
I've used Noalox and ordinary grease on switch to battery contact surfaces in a few mech mods. Both allow contact to be made, neither performs in any way better than the other that I can tell.
Sparking will occur any time you close a mechanical switch with voltage in the circuit. The more power drawn, the bigger the spark will be. The bigger the sparks, the more of a mark will be created. I didn't find that grease helped me so I went back to running my mech mods dry. I also tried grease on tube threads to see if that would keep them cleaner for longer but it didn't give me any advantage either. I don't know if grease on the arcing contacts would stop the arcing because I didn't use it long enough to find out, but I doubt a thin layer of grease would help any. I did find I had to clean my mods more often when using grease.
I tried Noalox on my Reo Grand and didn't find it helped.
Yup. Take off the door on a Reo and hit the button. If the light is low enough you can see the spark. If you're running a 0.25 ohm build on it you won't need the low light
Dielectric grease is mainly used to protect the contact points from exposure to moisture. It has to have some conductive properties in order to function. I use it all the time on my spark plug boots in my vehicles. That said, it may help prevent arcing when the contacts are brought together, but that will depend on the amount of current being applied and any bare spots on the contacts.
I had an issue with a SS VW tube mod that was getting hot around the button end of the tube. Noalox fixed the issue as I believe it was due to micro-arcing across the threads.
I used it for a bit on some mechs, but found it only gunked the threads and that it's much better just to just keep them spotlessly clean.
I used it for a bit on some mechs, but found it only gunked the threads and that it's much better just to just keep them spotlessly clean.
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any part that conducts electricity and is allowed to make/break contact will arc when current is flowing thru that part... you may not see it happen, but it does... I know a bit about arcing
all one can do is supress it, you cant eliminate it.
all one can do is supress it, you cant eliminate it.
If a grease is described as "dielectric" then it is intentionally formulated to have low conductivity and wouldn't have graphite added to it.
If a grease is described as "dielectric" then it is intentionally formulated to have low conductivity and wouldn't have graphite added to it.
I read something about that once and didn't really understand it at the time.
It think it said that dielectric was designed so it would keep the metal clean and dry, producing good conductivity where the metal surfaces were touching, but acting as an insulator where the metal surfaces weren't touching. Which I guess follows from what you said. And presumably that would cut down on arcing.
The arch legnth will depend on voltage, the arch intensity will depend on current. If you are seeing scorching the material the button is made of is the wrong material to handle the current you are passing through it. Noalox or dialectric grease will do nothing to prevent this.
Sorry
Noalox is designed for aluminum in fixed installations. It has zinc particles in it to cut through the aluminum oxide layer so a better connection is made.
It is not a thread lubricant.
I would use pencil graphite to lubricate threads.
For contact points I would use a conductive contact grease like NO-OX-ID or a silver bearing silicone.
There is no substance you can apply to a voltage contact point to make it better. The only thing possible is to keep it clean and oxidation-free. Polishing of the moving parts will help eliminate scoring due to burrs in the machining. Adding other substances will only help INSULATE the connection. Metallic substances suspended in some type of grease are never better than bare metal connections.
Noalox and other oxidation preventive greases are simply there to keep threads and connections from undergoing oxidation, something aluminum is prone to. It will attract and hold dirt and other substances and should be used in areas such as aluminum threading, but not in the switch itself.
Noalox and other oxidation preventive greases are simply there to keep threads and connections from undergoing oxidation, something aluminum is prone to. It will attract and hold dirt and other substances and should be used in areas such as aluminum threading, but not in the switch itself.
"burrs in the machining"... You lost me there.
All metals except platinum and gold have an oxide layer. Polishing then covering in a conductive grease is better than bare metal over time.
Bare copper may be better for a few moments after polishing but quickly reforms the oxide layer which builds up quickly with use. Conductive grease keeps the layer thin and maintains conductivity much much longer.
Noalox should not be used as a thread lubricant. It is an abrasive designed for installations.
Raw machining may leave sharp edges (burrs). In a switch this may cause the plunger to exhibit scoring as it is depressed. Polishing may help remove the sharp edges, which may cause switch stickiness.
When conductive grease becomes better than the oxide layer, conductivity-wise, then I would say it's time to clean the oxidation. Resistance is resistance, whatever the cause. The use of metals that form an insulating, oxidation layer simply increases the need for cleaning. Grease may slow the oxidation, but it never increases the conductivity compared to unoxidized metal.
The intent of Noalox is not to be a lubricant, but to prevent oxidation. In my work I regularly use some sort of anti-seize compound applied to threads. Not to lubricate, since I don't really want to remove the bolt. But if I do, I don't want to find it oxidized (rusted).
When conductive grease becomes better than the oxide layer, conductivity-wise, then I would say it's time to clean the oxidation. Resistance is resistance, whatever the cause. The use of metals that form an insulating, oxidation layer simply increases the need for cleaning. Grease may slow the oxidation, but it never increases the conductivity compared to unoxidized metal.
The intent of Noalox is not to be a lubricant, but to prevent oxidation. In my work I regularly use some sort of anti-seize compound applied to threads. Not to lubricate, since I don't really want to remove the bolt. But if I do, I don't want to find it oxidized (rusted).
You don't have to dumb it down. I am a ME, MET and a machinist.
I wouldn't use non conductive anti-seize on threads used to transfer electricity. I prefer to use graphite in that situation.
I do use anti-seize on mechanical threads all the time.
For contact switches silver bearing grease applied correctly (very very thin) can work quite well for low voltage applications to maintan high conductivity.
Of course we are really splitting hairs here in the relm of 0.002 vs 0.0017ohms.
I could see how a burr if acting as a arc bridge could burn. I don't think that is the OP's problem.
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