Radio replacement

raybo3

I will debate this with anyone. Dielectric grease was designed to be put on the ceramic of spark plugs so the boot would not get stuck. I have been an electrician for since the mid 80s and it is not a standard practice to use on connections. It should be applied to a connection after its been made. Most everyone on this forum knows I repair trains for a living that run near the ocean and in tunnels and our electrical engineers mandate not use it on connections. It's an insulator and its non-conductive period.   

johnny44

@rasbury if it helps, here is a link to a good set of crimpers:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0069TRKJ0?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

A link to some small connectors that are good for speaker wire (you can use the red crimper setting with these). These are not heat shrink but I am in agreement that you don’t need heat shrink for speaker wire 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XCZ9PT5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title


if you do want heat shrink, here is a link for the pink heat shrink for 16-22 gauge wire. Too much work for speaker wire in my opinion, but that’s just my 2 cents

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08LRB9P4V?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

PickleRick

raybo3 said:

I will debate this with anyone. Dielectric grease was designed to be put on the ceramic of spark plugs so the boot would not get stuck. I have been an electrician for since the mid 80s and it is not a standard practice to use on connections. It should be applied to a connection after its been made. Most everyone on this forum knows I repair trains for a living that run near the ocean and in tunnels and our electrical engineers mandate not use it on connections. It's an insulator and its non-conductive period.   

While I'm aware of what engineers recommend, Ive been working exclusively on 12v systems for over 20 years and know what works in the field and what doesn't.  I assure you I don't want a debate,  I've said multiple times there's more than one way to skin a cat. 

raybo3

@PickleRick I'm not debating either I'm just tweaking your onions.......lol but dielectric grease in non-conductive and a drop on a connection really won't hurt anything but people like to put tons on and it could absolutely create a high resistance. 

PickleRick

A dab will do you.  

If you ever get bored look up Tom Rauch, an electrical engineer and amateur radio enthusiast who spent some time researching and debunking some Internet and classroom taught myths on the insulation characteristics of dialectic grease.  

When you purchase a brake control box for xmark or Toro time cutter home owner z turn the electrical connection will come in the box with dielectric grease already on the plug. 

Same with any of the X series John Deere riding mower control modules.  

Years ago when these systems came out they did not.  

Granted these are 12v systems, much like what boats/vehicle use. I'm not familiar with what trains use.  






This is taken from an Xmark owners manual.   Although I find this a bit of a contradiction as the brake control modules I mentioned before are sealed o ring connectors and Xmark is shipping them in the box with the dielectric grease already applied.  Sealed meaning there's an o ring seal meant to keep moisture out.  Unfortunately these boxes usually fail due to corrosion getting so bad the pins on the box break off flush.