Dielectric grease--everywhere?

[guy48065]

Seems to be used all over the electricals in cars & trucks but I'm not seeing mention of its use on boats.
The 2000 bowrider I bought this month has been plagued by some electrical gremlins which I've traced back to corrosion on the fuses and push-on connections to the fuse block.
Today I replaced that block with a new unit, new fuses, new SCREW terminals for every circuit.

I dabbed dielectric grease on the stripped wires before crimping. Dabbed it on each fuse. Dabbed it on each screw terminal.
On testing everything works perfect. Radio problems gone. Tach is accurate & doesn't wander.

Did I do the right thing?

I believe there are some unsealed butt & bullet connectors back in the engine compartment that might need this treatment. AND some heat shrink cuz it's even nastier in there compared to behind the dash.

 

[kd4pbs]

It is like Frank’s red hot sauce. I use that s**t on everything.
Big green tube of 3M dielectric grease one of our tower crewmen gave me 15 years ago and it is barely half gone.

 

[guy48065]

It is like Frank’s red hot sauce. I use that s**t on everything.
Big green tube of 3M dielectric grease one of our tower crewmen gave me 15 years ago and it is barely half gone.

I actually considered using that quote in my subject line but I was afraid most wouldn't 'get it'. Lol

 

[StewartL]

Absolutely, you did the right thing. Dielectric grease is excellent for marine electrical connections. It prevents corrosion by sealing out moisture and oxygen.

Your plan to address the engine compartment connections with grease and heat shrink is spot on. That combination is the best defense against marine electrical gremlins. Keep it up.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would not have put dielectric grease between the crimp terminals and the wire. crimp them dry, then use epoxy lined heat shrink.

I use both dielectric grease and marine electrical varnish.

 

[cyclops222]

Reason all your electrical connections are corroded is because the boat was filled with salt water some time.
Recycling flooded boats is a profitable industry.

 

[redneck joe]

Reason all your electrical connections are corroded is because the boat was filled with salt water some time.
Recycling flooded boats is a profitable industry.

What is the basis of your conclusion?

 

[guy48065]

Reason all your electrical connections are corroded is because the boat was filled with salt water some time.
Recycling flooded boats is a profitable industry.

You sure about this? Michigan pretty far from salt. Freshwater boats don't corrode in 25 years?
I'm very skeptical about this leap. I've had vintage cars with the same light corrosion in the same locations and I know they haven't been submerged in salt water.

 

[cyclops222]

Are you aware of all the flooding by saltwater ? By fresh water. Every year. those good looking boats need a owner.
ALMOST everything that is flooded. Can be washed, dried and resold somehow. It is another world.
Or the boat company is using the cheapest quality of electrical parts.

 

[Scott Danforth]

many boat builders still are not using tinned copper wires for the boat, solely relying on the sealing of the connectors. this often leads to corrosion issues well after the warranty period

light corrosion on contacts is common, as evidenced by the flashlights in the house and RV, and even the remote batteries that need to be rotated a bit to clean the contacts a bit.

this is a case, where @cyclops222 is wrong

 

[Scott Danforth]

Are you aware of all the flooding by saltwater ? By fresh water. Every year. those good looking boats need a owner.
ALMOST everything that is flooded. Can be washed, dried and resold somehow. It is another world.
Or the boat company is using the cheapest quality of electrical parts.

doubtful.

 

[dingbat]

Corrosion on enviromntally "exposed" electrical system is normal and expected.

Saltwater isn't the cause of corrison, it's an excellerant

The humidity in the air we breath alone is enough for copper and tin based alloys to "rust" over time. Throw in some disimlar metals and "acid rain" comtamination, and you have the perfect storm for corrion. Saltwater is

The best deference is to prevent the "environment" from coming in contact with the materials in the first place. Nickel or tin plated terminals and epoxy lined shrink tubing are your friends.

Have a love hate relationship with dielectric grease.

One one hand, it does a pretty good job of keeping moisture out of a connection. On the other hand, dielectric grease is a dirt, dust and moisture magnet. Spent two hours the other night cleaning (contact cleaner) all the connectors after minimally "greasing" all the contact points on my zero turn as PM.

Use very sparingly in unexposed locations or the connection can/will turn into greasy, muddy and grimy mess with time.

 

[Jeff J]

I would not have used dielectric grease on a zero turn (or any mower) just for the reasons stated above. Well, maybe on the spark plug boots. An environment can’t get much dirtier.

I do use the stuff quite a bit but I am careful about only getting it where I want it and clean up any excess. Dielectric grease also works well as an oil filter seal lube. Better than motor oil.

 

[legalfee]

I tin the wires with solder and use dielectic grease on the connectors.

 

[guy48065]

...
Or the boat company is using the cheapest quality of electrical parts.

This.

The oem fuse block was a Bussman plastic fantastic of the type you would find at radio shack back in the day.
The replacement isn't much better but for sure i won't be keeping it 25 years.