Hi,

I was wondering whether I can use any silicone grease to lubricate the contacts on the reg/rec connector. Do I have to use a specific silicon grease? The multi-purpose silicon grease I have got at my garage does not mention anything about electric contacts ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/..._ya_os_product).

I read that the reg/rec connector was an issue in 2008 XT660Z models. Although mine is a 2009, I want to have a look to the connector and clean it.

I was wondering, do you guys carry a spare reg/rec on long trips? If it breakdowns it could be a show stopper, but not sure how often it fails on practice.

Thanks!

DO NOT BUY THAT CARLUBE STUFF!!!

I bought some and threw it away as it is garbage.

I also bought these (after throwing the Craplube stuff). Good quality silicon grease that I have used on military aircraft for years.

The MS494 will do a very good job on the contacts.

Could try Servisol as well.

I also use Contralube 770 but it is getting harder to find and is very expensive.

Sandman.

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2011 XT660Z, in BLACK of course!
Mods done:
Lost the will to keep track!

All I�d add is be wary of using multi-purpose silicone grease, it is NOT the same as dielectric grease and has completely different chemical and electrical properties. It�s good in certain applications and a hindrance in others.

Silicone grease is excellent for using on the connector seals, rubber boots, lubricating O-rings, spark plug caps, on the outside of HT leads etc. It is not advised to apply silicone grease directly to electrical contacts, especially small pins with low contact pressure, and never on switches or anywhere where arcing may occur as it breaks down to silicon carbide resulting in premature connector failure through corrosion.

A proper dielectric grease is the best/only option on contacts themselves. Contact surfaces aren�t flat, there are microscopic ridges and troughs all over their surfaces. Current flows across the ridges and corrosion builds up in the troughs over time. Dielectric grease forms a molecular layer filling the troughs, but allowing the current to pass between ridges. MP silicone grease forms thick layers which force the contact surfaces apart increasing resistance and reducing current flow. Silcone grease is particularly problematic on connectors that are already pitted through corrosion or have weakened through age and don�t fit tightly (like those in a used Tenere reg/rec would be).

Some dielectric greases are silicon based, but all have additives to inhibit the silicon carbide producing reaction (unlike MP silicone grease). A lot of the better dielectric greases are based on Phenyl ether polymers, rather than silicone, to completely eliminate the problem.


+1 It's the mutts nuts.

Don't mess about buying the 8g sachets, or 25g tubes, you pay the Earth for them. Get a 75g tube. It will last you a lifetime and will save you time, money and breakdowns in the long run.

http://www.boatlamps.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d330_Page_337.html

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Thanks all for your replies. Very useful.

Do you guys grease any other connectors on the Ten that could prompt to failure?
Would it makes sense to use dielectric grease also in the 12V socket fitted in my Ten? I can see that water can easily get it under the rain.

Cheers.

I've put in on/in every connector that I have had apart in the normal course of maintenance. There is also a thin smear inside my 12V sockets, and I have also applied a little to the base/contacts of all the bulbs that have been replaced on the bike too.

I wouldn't necessarily go mad and pull everything apart, just add some every time you break open a connector. Treat it the same way as you would copper grease on threads - whenever you take a bolt/screw out you put it back + copper grease.

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Great, thanks mate!