How much anti-oxide to use?

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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Well I'm glad to hear I'm not nuts for thinking the inspector was. :)

I do want to arrive at a concensus on the amount of goo to use though... I think I'm ok on the conductor side... but the terminal I usually just put a thin film on ... do y'all put more of a creamy layer on? (I think we agree no need for pudding!)

Also, I read on one of the threads to use a steel brush... as I said I used brass... I was thinking brass would not scratch/etch the conductor... but maybe that is the point of it? Am I ok w/ brass or should I redo w/ steel and/or use steel going forward?

I'm new to the forum and already you guys are proving invaluable.

Thanks!

OK, here is what I do.

First I put it on with my finger. Then I work it in with the brush. Once I have all the surfaces 'treated' I take the gobs off, using the brush. The gobs don't do anything and we don't want to wipe them off with a rag.
 

iwire

Moderator
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Location
Massachusetts
It doesn't matter who made them. I have seen both in pretty much the same environment and those that weren't protected were always in worse shape than those that were.

So in other words you you don't know, you are assuming.:grin:

Just because one may look better than the other where you can see it says absolutely nothing about the areas that are actually making contact with the terminals.

Obviously your mind is made up, mine remains open.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
So in other words you you don't know, you are assuming.:grin:

Just because one may look better than the other where you can see it says absolutely nothing about the areas that are actually making contact with the terminals.

Obviously your mind is made up, mine remains open.

My job, as a maintenance tech was to fix things. Every once in a while I would get a wild hair and decide to actually take something apart.

(Shakes head and wonders.....)

;)

ON EDIT:

It's just common sense that protection from the elements vs. none will yield better results, especially over time. Combine that with actual experience. If you come upon a fix that looks like it has been underwater for a good year or two and the screws or bolts come out easily and the protectant is still visible on the mating surfaces, that is pretty much proof. It also makes me thank some electrician or tech that was thinking of me, perhaps many years in the past.
 
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K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
The last time I bought a one pound can it was about $65 and that was over a year ago.

I think a pound of Never Seize costs about 6 bucks.

NoAlOx (that I use) comes in little tiny tubes. I would have to see how much is in there and do math. I like the small tubes, though. They are easy to carry and make the applications of small amounts easy and clean.

Oxygard is another brand I use. I wonder what the green liquid in Oxygard is???
 

PetrosA

Senior Member
How much to apply can't be exact in this case due to the consistency of the product. I say a light coat on new AL is good, a brushed coat on old AL is fine. As long as it forms a barrier coating on the metal it's going to do its job of preventing oxygen and moisture from getting at the aluminum.

My personal favorite is the Ilsco brand stuff which is a mineral oil based clear vaseline-like product. It doesn't stain clothes or transfer dark grease onto tools and works as a back up grease for non critical parts (sawzall shaft, old door mechanisms etc. :) ).
 
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