Switch Lube?

[dave356]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a good switch/contact lube (grease) to use in rotary and sliding switches
like in multimeters.

I'm working on a couple of multimeters and I wiped the grease off of the
rotary 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?

[Kosmic]

Try deoxit. It's not cheap but work really well.

[Dubbie]

Thats not a grease though...

[Kosmic]

Yes my bad. Its a cleaner mostly. But you probably don't want grease on metal to metal contact.

[dave356]

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 film
of grease on the contacts.

[drussell]

You're probably looking for something called "dielectric grease".

They're usually silicone-based and despite their name being dielectric it 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.

[IanB]

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.)

[dave356]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the input,
but after doing some searching I think I found what
I was looking for.  DEOXIT L260NP switch grease.

Looks like just what the Dr. ordered.
Have to get me some!

Thanks guys.

[FlyingHacker]

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.

[cellularmitosis]

You're probably looking for something called "dielectric grease".

They're usually silicone-based and despite their name being dielectric it 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.

It 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/#msg144079

On 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/#msg144205

There 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/#msg1328174

Maybe Electrolube SBG? https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143818/#msg143818

Maybe Caig Deoxit Gold? https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143822/#msg143822

Fluke recommends W. F. Nye Gel Lubricant, #813S (Fluke PN
926084) https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143846/#msg143846

Fluke recommends Nye FLUOROCARBON GEL 813S-1 https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/question-dmm-grease/msg143899/#msg143899

Maybe Krytox GPL series oil or grease? https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1247522/#msg1247522

Maybe PAO synthetic oil?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246797/#msg1246797

Maybe Electrolube EML?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246883/#msg1246883

Maybe Servisol "Super 10"?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246824/#msg1246824

Maybe Shell Cassida?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1246982/#msg1246982

Maybe polyphenylether based lubricant from MG Chemicals and Techspray?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/lube-dmm-selector-switch/msg1252068/#msg1252068

Maybe poly phenyl ether lubricant?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/cleaning-wd-40-of-contacts/msg1329544/#msg1329544

Maybe Sanchem "NO-OX-ID A-Special" grease?  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-777-keithley-177-microvolt-dmm-repair/msg727548/#msg727548

In the end, I think I'll try robrenz's approach:

Caig Deoxit D100L for cleaning. Deoxit G100L for lubrication, except non wire wound pots where I use Deoxit Fader lube.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/contact-cleaner-and-switch-lubricant/msg194482/#msg194482

[bitseeker]

Impressive research work, cellular.

[Zucca]

Impressive research work, cellular.

it must be elevated to sticky.

[Smith]

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.