EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Repair => Topic started by: Shock on January 13, 2016, 01:20:57 am
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Anyone have recommendations on a general cleaning and lubricating of multimeter and BNC sockets? I've got a few to do, not after home remedies and obviously it needs to be high voltage safe.
What do Fluke, HP/Agilent/Keysight, Tektronix use in those situations?
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I'm not sure if you want lubricant in the connectors as lubricant will collect dirt and dust which is flying around.
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Everywhere I've worked,they have used CRC Contact Cleaner,or IPA to clean such connectors.
No form of lubrication was used.
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Anyone have recommendations on a general cleaning and lubricating of multimeter and BNC sockets? I've got a few to do, not after home remedies and obviously it needs to be high voltage safe.
What do Fluke, HP/Agilent/Keysight, Tektronix use in those situations?
I was using a tube I bought from GE many years ago (green and white tube). I have also tried MSD's PN 8804 and Permatex 81150. Dow has their 4 & 5 that you could look at as well.
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Anyone have recommendations on a general cleaning and lubricating of multimeter and BNC sockets? I've got a few to do, not after home remedies and obviously it needs to be high voltage safe.
What do Fluke, HP/Agilent/Keysight, Tektronix use in those situations?
I was using a tube I bought from GE many years ago (green and white tube). I have also tried MSD's PN 8804 and Permatex 81150. Dow has their 4 & 5 that you could look at as well.
Can you find what GE product it was, was it in this list?
http://www.dcproducts.com.au/Silicone_Greases_and_Compounds/Greases_and_Compound.pdf (http://www.dcproducts.com.au/Silicone_Greases_and_Compounds/Greases_and_Compound.pdf)
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I just use IPA for cleaning the multimeter sockets. The highest voltage that I measure is 400V DC (PFC on power supply).
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+1 on the IPA. Applied with a swab stick twirled around until it comes out clean. I would also be concerned about lubricant trapping dust and dirt. I recall robrenz having a neat method of cleaning BNC jacks, I'll try to find it...
BNC cleaning by robrenz (picture-heavy thread):
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-7603-scope-w-7a18-amp-7b53a-timebase-restoration/msg172523/#msg172523 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-7603-scope-w-7a18-amp-7b53a-timebase-restoration/msg172523/#msg172523)
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Hi
The best way to prevent problems with high voltage is to keep things clean. If you are in a sealed enclosure, lube may be ok. On something that is in an airflow .... not a real good idea. You will attract dust and dirt. Eventually it will get humid and arc.
Bob
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@Shock
Find one of the AVO meter service PDFs online, they had a detailed list of products required for service/repair/adjustment that finished with a 7kV flashover test so any product they were happy with should be good enough for anybody.
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Anyone have recommendations on a general cleaning and lubricating of multimeter and BNC sockets? I've got a few to do, not after home remedies and obviously it needs to be high voltage safe.
What do Fluke, HP/Agilent/Keysight, Tektronix use in those situations?
I was using a tube I bought from GE many years ago (green and white tube). I have also tried MSD's PN 8804 and Permatex 81150. Dow has their 4 & 5 that you could look at as well.
Can you find what GE product it was, was it in this list?
http://www.dcproducts.com.au/Silicone_Greases_and_Compounds/Greases_and_Compound.pdf (http://www.dcproducts.com.au/Silicone_Greases_and_Compounds/Greases_and_Compound.pdf)
I looked for that tube and had no luck finding it. Looking at the PDF, my guess is it was the TSK550.
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The
GE high voltage grease is the best but hard to get in small quantities.
You can also look for Novagard G687 it also works extremely well under high voltage condition
Let me see, if I find my container and I will post a picture
Edit:
Mistake, not GE but Dow Corning,
See below...
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Thanks joeqsmith/highvoltage, I can't be sure but I have a feeling the ex military Fluke 27 FM's I have have been lubricated or cleaned at some point. They just feel smooth for their age and are in very good condition.
I'll check out the service manuals as Tautech suggested as well and see if I can find mention of anything. I wonder if there is an IPC standard for this type of work or something like a Fluke service centre procedure.
Just to clarify for others, I'm not intending to apply a lubricant like greasing a bearing, more just a residual surface coat similar to what a metal polish would leave after you wipe it clean.
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Here is a picture of the two different high voltage grease types I am using, the G5008 and the NovaGard
The G5008 is made by Dow Corning and is an amazing high voltage grease
Datasheet enclosed
Dielectric Strength, 6 weeks at 204°C (400°F), 42 kV peak or 30 kV rms
I have been using this on any kind of high voltage connections and insulators.
You only need a little tiny amount to just cover the surface.
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Definitely don't bother with lubricant on bnc sockets, good ones are teflon, mid grade ones will be acetal/delrin, cheap ones will be polyethylene. None of which will need lubricant(all 3 are quite slippery), just cleaning.
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The AVO manual recommends this grease:
http://www.intek-uk.com/dow_corning_dc4-xg250-ms4_grease.html (http://www.intek-uk.com/dow_corning_dc4-xg250-ms4_grease.html)
But I can't see where it's used on the multimeter:
http://frank.pocnet.net/instruments/AVO/HR/AvoMeters/Avometer8MkV.pdf (http://frank.pocnet.net/instruments/AVO/HR/AvoMeters/Avometer8MkV.pdf)
Just to confirm Highvoltage, you're using that G5008 dielectric grease on the metal to metal contacts?
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I think the techniques robrenz used was to shape a hard felt buff with a drill and lathe and use simchrome polish and a small hand drill. This was to clean the inside of the bnc socket.
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Hunting around for some parts and found my tube of GE high voltage dielectric grease. This tube appears to be a lifetime supply at the rate I use it.