Large Scale Central

Elect. Grease.

General Discussion
#1

Hi Greg E.

I know you have access more than I do for now on MSD’s. So need some information on Elect. Contact Grease if you would.

I read this on another post.

"Greg Elmassian said:

Real (electrically) conductive grease really has no place on our railroads. It will spread and short something out, like insulated wheels to axles. It has happened. The “conductive” comes from inhibiting oxidation, thus helping keep conductivity. Actually misleading.

There is no info, but I would be willing to bet a paycheck the USAT stuff is not electrically conductive, just like LGB conductive grease is not conductive.

One train manufacturer did make a conductive grease, which was mildly conductive, but it destroyed plastic! That company is long gone."

…

Noel saying…

I use to years ago have access to a paste for elect. connections that had Graphite in it that really worked great for any connections. Do you know of it’s name or something like it? I been using the USA Elect.Grease for years on our the rail joiners that work some what but, it goes away in time and not really a Elect. contact I don’t think, least not doing its job in time for me.

#2

There is this - MG Chemicals Carbon Conductive Grease

I’ve used it for automotive and electrical work on connections but not on motors in particular; never for model railroad items. It does state that it is “Safe on plastics” though not verified by me at least.

#3

Noel,

Maybe you are looking for something like this…

Conductive Grease

I don’t know where to get it though.

Here is a list of distributors of this product in northern CA…

Distributors

#4

Initially, I considered finding a real conductive grease for my rail joiners, but after researching people’s experiences, it seemed that people had just as good luck with a squirt of good quality moly wheel bearing grease, and continual and ongoing research and observations have convinced me that it’s:

  • keeping moisture out
  • keeping dirt and grit out
  • keeping surfaces covered so to retard oxidation (from the atmosphere)

That is important.

My scientific training and confirmation with other engineers and real experiences shows that the contact area that actually is needed to conduct is very small, that answers the ongoing question “if I put grease in a joint then it will insulate it, how does the electricity get through the grease”. Many of use who worked on cars also remember squirting dielectric grease in distributor cap sockets and spark plug boots did not stop electricity.

So the other uses of actual electrically conductive grease in our hobby all seem dangerous to me. Getting any in a wheel journal runs the risk of shorting the axle to the insulated wheel. Also these greases tend to go where you don’t want them.

So, in our hobby, I’m hard pressed to find a place for true conductive grease. The electrically conductive grease from Aristo caused shorting issues to many well-meaning people, and even one of our members found out that too much graphite lube, combined with a little moisture/oil shorted his insulated wheelsets.

Greg

#5

So no Elect. grease then… Guess back to old school and seal the Joint and rail so not water or air can get to the Joint. But what ever we use should be able to scrape it off anything that is used to seal with or if I need to remover the track. So only thing i can think of is a Latex clear spray that acts like rubber. Only have to scrape off the top and inside of rail for wheel contact.

As a retired Electrician we used A product Called Noalox ( A joint compound. ) but, using it for buss and beaker on wire contacts. It’s use a screw to scar the wire when tighten down and that removes the compound in that area.

After I was about to post this, Greg E. Called and we had a long talk on just about everything on trains and ended up on the world on lots of tech stuff coming and going…

Again… thanks for the Ph.call and had a great time on very interesting stuff and shooting the bull.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)

#6

I think stick to the grease and don’t try to waterproof, usually some moisture gets trapped and causes corrosion. It’s almost impossible to make anything perfectly hermetically sealed.

Greg

#7

Noel Wilson said:

Hi Greg E.

I know you have access more than I do for now on MSD’s. So need some information on Elect. Contact Grease if you would.

I read this on another post.

"Greg Elmassian said:

Real (electrically) conductive grease really has no place on our railroads. It will spread and short something out, like insulated wheels to axles. It has happened. The “conductive” comes from inhibiting oxidation, thus helping keep conductivity. Actually misleading.

There is no info, but I would be willing to bet a paycheck the USAT stuff is not electrically conductive, just like LGB conductive grease is not conductive.

One train manufacturer did make a conductive grease, which was mildly conductive, but it destroyed plastic! That company is long gone."

…

Noel saying…

I use to years ago have access to a paste for elect. connections that had Graphite in it that really worked great for any connections. Do you know of it’s name or something like it? I been using the USA Elect.Grease for years on our the rail joiners that work some what but, it goes away in time and not really a Elect. contact I don’t think, least not doing its job in time for me. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

Pap,

In my opinion you just keep doing what you are doing as YOU ARE AN ICON for outdoor large scale railroading! You have inspired many including myself and have no time for technical crap . Just keep doing what you are doing…I’ll shut up as the experts suggest !

#8

You always keep me Laf. Away having fun with Trains…“Outside or inside.”

By the way… What ever happen to the Rooter doll that use to got to all of the layouts? He had a great time here for a hole week on our turn…

We got him right after he ran thru some paint on one foot.

Here is one of the videos (Part 1)

…

Rooster…( Son)

I enjoy your work also and amassing Amtrak work. Keep it up… Noel ( Paps)

#9

#10

That’s awesome pap!

Never seen that before and if I did I must be getting old and forgot…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

Good fun and good spirit it what it’s all about !

Thanks !

#11

" Rooster " said:

That’s awesome pap!

Never seen that before and if I did I must be getting old and forgot…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

Good fun and good spirit it what it’s all about !

Thanks !

…

Thanks Son…

Theirs 7 part to the video.

It was fun making them a few years back.

Part 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFNzPPlle78

Part 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yoZer5b3ko

Part 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlvPm5XKB8o&t=2s

Part 3A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdwYQgvPOk0

Part 3B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NIZDzqBHcY

Part 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GZf4w2eXA4

Thanks, Noel (Pap)

#12

Noel Wilson said:

" Rooster " said:

That’s awesome pap!

Never seen that before and if I did I must be getting old and forgot…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

Good fun and good spirit it what it’s all about !

Thanks !

…

Thanks Son…

Theirs 7 part to the video.

It was fun make them.

Part 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFNzPPlle78

Part 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yoZer5b3ko

Part 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlvPm5XKB8o&t=2s

Part 3A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdwYQgvPOk0

Part 3B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NIZDzqBHcY

Part 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GZf4w2eXA4

Thanks, Noel (Pap)

#13

Thanks Joe Z.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)