grease on fuse terminals?

[donm]

I'm finding conflicting advice on this subject: Should dialectric grease or something like Kopr Coat be applied to fuses before installing or not?

[azruss]

dielectric grease is not a conductor, so does no more than "protect" the contact from the elements. For a fuse box that already has a cover, i wouldnt use it.

[spider2081]

There is at least one manufacturer of European style fuses with brass contacts. I think Bussman is one of them. At any rate I believe brass fuses used in Fiats with brass fuse holder contacts reduces corrosion. There are electrical contact chemicals that reduce corrosion on the market. One that is used often in the Aviation industry is Deoxit . Here is the link

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f

Hope this helps

[v6spider]

Nothing wrong with using dielectric grease on all contacts. It'll keep them from corroding. It makes more sense to use it then to not. The cover is not water proof and the European style fuse boxes are the most exposed I've ever seen..

Cheers!
Rob

[GeorgeT]

Nothing wrong with using dielectric grease on all contacts. It'll keep them from corroding. It makes more sense to use it then to not. The cover is not water proof and the European style fuse boxes are the most exposed I've ever seen..

Cheers!
Rob

THIS!!!

[majicwrench]

The cover need not be waterproof, it is not often it is submerged. At least mine isn't, yours might be a different story.

Like was said, dielectric grease is non-conductive. I would not use it in a fusebox. clean your contacts, they will work as designed with nothing on them.

[v6spider]

The cover need not be waterproof, it is not often it is submerged. At least mine isn't, yours might be a different story.

Like was said, dielectric grease is non-conductive. I would not use it in a fusebox. clean your contacts, they will work as designed with nothing on them.

Why not? This comment does not make sense to me.. in Washington water is the air. My previous spider's fuse box was horribly corroded. The fix was to clean it up and use dielectric grease on it.. I eventually replaced it with an ATC marine fuse box..

Cheers!
Rob

[majicwrench]

"The fix was to clean it up and use dielectric grease on it"

Soooo, if grease works so good on fuses why did you end up changing your fusebox?? Did the grease not "fix" it??

Dielectric grease can turn a poor connection into no connection. It's non-conductive. It will help keep the corrosion at bay, but at the cost of connection.

[courtenay]

Interesting point, Magic. I understand the best way to use dialectric grease is to make the connection then coat with the grease to prevent corrosion.

[v6spider]

"The fix was to clean it up and use dielectric grease on it"

Soooo, if grease works so good on fuses why did you end up changing your fusebox?? Did the grease not "fix" it??

Dielectric grease can turn a poor connection into no connection. It's non-conductive. It will help keep the corrosion at bay, but at the cost of connection.

I had to replace it because it was a piece of garbage - pitted and corroded. The cleaning and greasing got it working temporarily until I replaced it. It was too far gone to keep and the ATC unit I used was of much better quality. As long as you are using the right grease it will not hinder connectivity at all. The key is cleaning the connection first. The grease stops the corrosion and it doesn't matter if you smear it on there first and then make the connection as long as it is solid it will last. The connections and fusebox in the FIAT spider are poorly designed to begin with as compared to today's standards. Newer cars use waterproof connectors with dielectric grease on all the connections.

Cheers!
Rob

[majicwrench]

That's not correct. Modern cars do not use dielectric grease on the connectors. I'm messing with their connectors every day. They certainly do not use it in the fusebox.

Do agree, however, any modern fusebox WAY BETTER than the old fiat stuff, which is prone to poor connections. When you have a connection that is not tight (like old fiat) , and stick grease in there, you basicly just put a piece of wax paper tween the two contacts.

[v6spider]

That's not correct. Modern cars do not use dielectric grease on the connectors. I'm messing with their connectors every day. They certainly do not use it in the fusebox.

Do agree, however, any modern fusebox WAY BETTER than the old fiat stuff, which is prone to poor connections. When you have a connection that is not tight (like old fiat) , and stick grease in there, you basicly just put a piece of wax paper tween the two contacts.

Ok I should clarify..LOL. Every American made vehicle that is newer than 1990 That I have personally worked on has had dielectric grease on the connections and most likely bulb grease in the bulb sockets. I do agree that the grease will cause problems with a loose connection. But that is a connection problem not a grease problem and usually a loose connection is cause by corrosion that has weakened the metal which is easily prevented by using dielectric grease in the first place. To me a loose connection with grease is better to have than one without grease. Loose connections without grease can arc which with moisture can cause corrosion. The only reason I suggested the grease on the Spider fuse box is because it is just exposed to the elements and modern ones are not so exposed. And yes in order to work properly connections need to be tight which is true with or without grease.. BTW there is electrical contact grease out there that is conductive. It is more expensive but it should satisfy any concerns about insulating a poor connection. I also have used wd40 many times successfully on a corroded, rusty, poor connection to get it working again. BTW I do enjoy these debates... it all boils down to personal preference in the end ultimately.

Cheers!
Rob

[majicwrench]

I see grease all the time in bulb sockets, but not often in connectors. Modern connectors are usually weather tight on their own. I'll look closer at the next US vehicle that comes in, but bet they are not greased. A Nissan and a Subaru in shop this morn.
They do make a product, not a grease, one name ( not sure what brand) is Stabilant 22A. It improves connections, without letting current bleed to other terminals. Is really expensive, a little bitty bottle is $30. I use it on a few challenged connections, circuit boards etc.
I do debate with myself "to grease or not to grease" on somethings. Not in a fusebox tho.

[v6spider]

Here's a link to a great article about this very topic..

http://www.w8ji.com/dielectric_grease_v ... grease.htm

I found it interesting take about the different types.. And which is best. Where and when to use..

Cheers!
Rob

[majicwrench]

Yup, interesting article. Everybody has their ideas and opinions, and the gentleman who did the article is obviously qualified.

But no car maker, none, puts dielectric grease in the fusebox.
I've got a 2011 NIssan PU in shop this morn, just popped a few connectors apart, no grease. Pulled some relays from the underhood relay box, no grease. Pulled some fuses from the underhood box. No grease.
Gonna start watching for it in connectors, see if it is in any.

And his tests, certainly well done, are of nice, shiny metal, new parts. Like I stated earlier, grease, in a poor connection, can make it worse.

Well the Original Poster certainly got that cleared up didn't he?? Ha.