Wiring Mystery

[Sandero]

Ospho claims to turn iron rust into iron phosphate which then "seals" the metal where the rust was.

I recently re wired the foot switches for my windlass which were quite corroded (living in the anchor locker) althought CRCed. The nuts were brass and lugs and ferrous metal I think.. the connectors obviously ferrous metal and corroded. It's been a good 15 years and I was thinking if a periodic spray would make sense and stopped the corrosion... or should I do a replace every few years with new clean connectors.

I don't believe you can prevent moisture from finding its way to these connections so you are relaying on the integrity of a seal like CRC which is dubious... one little pathway breach and it's like there is no barrier at all.

[GordMay]

Electrical Sealants:
Starbrite - Liquid Electrical Tape
3M - Scotchcote & #1602/1603

Electrical Anti-Oxidants:
Corrosion-X
Ideal - No-Alox
Burndy - Penetrox
GB - Ox-Guard

See also: “Ohm’s Law & Boats”
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ht=Ohm%27s+Law

[hellosailor]

Heron-
A lightning strike is more complex than you might think. It involves power gathering in a large area (both in the clouds and in the gorund) and then charges flowing both ways. When a charge builds up in the ground, it builds up in a large area--like a "pond" of ions in the ground. Similarly when it lands, it discharges "out" not just "down", spreading through an area.
And that's just the electrical half. Whenever you get large amounts of electricity flowing (I round it off to a kajillion volts or so) the moving electricity creates magnetic fields in any nearby metal object--and when those collapse, they create new electrical surges called "inductive surges".

So, bottom line, is that anything near a powerful strike can suffer damage from inductive surges even if the lightning doesn't hit it directly. While this is not "common"...neither is lightning zapping you at all.<G> I don't say it did happen to your boat--only that a strike within 100 yards *might* create that kind of damage. Either indirectly, or from a surge in a power cord that might have been plugged into the boat's systems, etc.

Lightning is funny stuff--no pun intended.

WRT protecting metals? Simplest way is a little grease. Best grease for this purpose is silicon grease, aka "silicon dieletric grease" (meaning, it doesn't conduct at all, unlike Vaseline which conducts a little) aka "silicon brake grease" (essentially the same thing, sold for use in auto brake parts because it is stable at high temperatures) and even called "light bulb grease" because you can grease light bulb sockets so they won't gall and stick.

Cheapest source is the auto parts store, about $5 for the BIG 4-8oz.tube, instead of $3 for the 1-oz. tube in the marine store.<G> Big advantages over other products?

Inexpensive. Easy to clean up or wipe off. Non-migrating, non-staining, very stable. And if you need to get down to the bare metal or open up a connection--just wipe it off, no scraping needed.

Great stuff, don't tell anyone.<G>

[Lancerbye]

As to cleaning and maintaining electrical connections I find a nylon armature brush sold in electrical wholesalers very effective followed by a coating of Copper Coat to stop future corrosion or oxidization. Be careful when you use it, don't be too generous it is very conductive.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Lancerbye

As to cleaning and maintaining electrical connections I find a nylon armature brush sold in electrical wholesalers very effective followed by a coating of Copper Coat to stop future corrosion or oxidization. Be careful when you use it, don't be too generous it is very conductive.

Thomas & Betts (T&B) “Kopper Kote”.

[Lancerbye]

Thanks for the spell check Gord. I don't leave home without it. The Armature brushes are fibre- glass strands in a round tubular package available in various sizes. But I have had them for years and I can't remember the company name that made them maybe Magnetite or something like that. CRS is a horrible desease.

[GordMay]

Slot Cleaning Brushes?
Martindale: http://www.martindaleco.com/pdfs/Ele...20Cleaning.pdf

[hellosailor]

Those fiberglass brushes--or something similar--are available from camera and watchmaker and modelmaker suppliers too.

Micro-Tools, Camera & Watch Repair Tools - Home is one source in the US.

Fiberglass, bronze, brass, steel, a variety of materials for working on different objects, in a holder very much like a mechanical pencil, some refillable others not.

Radio Shack stores used to sell a heavy fiberglass one but if you ask them for one now, the new answer is "Huh?"

[Lancerbye]

Wrong kind of brush. These things are like sticks of tightly wrapped fibre-glass ends that were used to clean and polish commutators on generators they will polish copper and brass very quickly used somewhat like an eraser. I have tried to locate them on the web with little success.

[GordMay]

Eraser Stick Brush?
http://www.eraser.com/browsecat.cgi?mode=open&id=113

[Maddog]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Eraser Stick Brush?
http://www.eraser.com/browsecat.cgi?mode=open&id=113

My God! Gord. Where the hell do you find this stuff? I am impressed.

Next, locate that blonde I almost impregnated back in high school. I got something I want to say.

[Lancerbye]

Gord
Those are a new improved vesion of the sticks I mention previously. Good to see that they are still around. I have had these older versions for some 25 years they don't wear out too fast. Wish I could say that about more things. These are the best things I have found for cleaning terminals, card connectors, brass and copper bus bars, etc.

[hellosailor]

FYI, guys, on the fiberglass eraser pens?

Be VERY careful about your eyes, resist the temptation to look close while using them. As they grind off crud, they turn into fiberglass dust, and it is very easy to get that in your eyes--and then need professional help to remove it from them, as it digs right in light a small invisible splinter.

A great tool but I only will use them at arm's length.

[Lancerbye]

I have to wear glasses or use them at extended arms length to see what I am doing anyway. LOL But you are right Safety first.