Peco Electrolube

[Scale7JB]

Hi all..

 

Just a quick one.

 

Does anyone know how well the Peco Electrolube (I think it is called something else now) conducts electricity. If it's not so great, maybe there is a different conductive grease that you might be able to recommend ??

 

Thanks for any information.

 

JB.

[RhBBob]

Hi all..

 

Just a quick one.

 

Does anyone know how well the Peco Electrolube (I think it is called something else now) conducts electricity. If it's not so great, maybe there is a different conductive grease that you might be able to recommend ??

 

Thanks for any information.

 

JB.

 

Hi JB

 

On Amazon.co.uk - of all places - it is described as "PL64 Electrolube - pick-up and other electrical problems solved with Peco powerlube, lubricant/cleaner. Can be used with most plastics, ideal for lubricating motors and bearings. Supplied with fine tube for easy application."

 

Got to be electrically conductive, surely !!

 

Regards

Bob

[Scale7JB]

Thanks Bob,

 

But I'm wondering just how conductive it is... Would it be anywhere near as conductive as a piece of metal on it's own say, or does it merely aid conductivity between two touching pieces of metal?

 

JB.

[Scale7JB]

Hi all again... I think I might have found a much better substitute... I'll let you know my findings.

 

Thankyou.

 

JB.

[Colin_McLeod]

Electrolube is the name of a company that produces various products, one of which is supplied to Peco.

 

The full details can be found on their web site: Electrolube site

 

Navigate through "Products" to "Contact lubricants"

 

An extract from the site reads as follows:

 

Contact lubricants are specially formulated greases and oils that reduce friction and enhance the electrical performance of current carrying metal interfaces in switches and connectors. Electrolube products are electrically insulative in thick films, preventing tracking. In ultra thin films, i.e. between closed metal contacts, they allow the current flow, owing to the ‘Quantum Tunnelling Effect’. They also exhibit a neutral pH thereby avoiding surface corrosion.

 

The effectiveness of even perfectly designed switches can be improved by contact lubricants and, when considered at design stage, significant production cost savings can be achieved by the use of less expensive plastics and contact metals.

 

Tests have shown that contact lubrication can extend the lifetime of switches by more than 300%, producing excellent performance under all circumstances and preventing the need for expensive maintenance.

[Guest stuartp]

‘Quantum Tunnelling Effect’

 

Sad git that I am, I googled that. I think I have to go lie down now.

[RhBBob]

Sad git that I am, I googled that. I think I have to go lie down now.

 

I couldn't resist looking.......

 

I'll add that to woodwork, metalwork, soldering and electrical skills, for railway modelling, then !

 

Bob

Finite Probability Student (3rd class)

[melmerby]

Thanks Bob,

 

But I'm wondering just how conductive it is... Would it be anywhere near as conductive as a piece of metal on it's own say, or does it merely aid conductivity between two touching pieces of metal?

 

JB.

 

The straight answer is - not very conductive. It only works on contacts and such like. If it was conductive it would short out switches etc.

 

We used to use a lot where I worked for cleaning/lubricating moving contact surfaces, it reduces friction and therefore wear and improves conductivity surface to surface.

 

Keith

[Dr.Glum]

Hello Scale7JB,

 

Have to dissagree with the previous poster: I had a practical demonstration of how conductive it can be. I was having trouble with conduction at the axles of two Bachmann split chassis locos (A4 and Ivatt Tank) so I cleaned out all the old gungy grease and very sparingly (I thought) lubricated with Electrolube. At first the running qualities / pickup performance were much improved. However, after a couple of weeks the oil had migrated via capilliary action and created a dead short across the two halves of the chassis. Bah!

 

Of course I seaparated the two halves and attempted to clean up, to no avail. I left the locos in the cupboard for a year, but the film did not dry up enough to cure the short. One day I'll get back to them, but at the moment I've stopped modelling.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[melmerby]

Hello Scale7JB,

 

Have to dissagree with the previous poster: I had a practical demonstration of how conductive it can be. I was having trouble with conduction at the axles of two Bachmann split chassis locos (A4 and Ivatt Tank) so I cleaned out all the old gungy grease and very sparingly (I thought) lubricated with Electrolube. At first the running qualities / pickup performance were much improved. However, after a couple of weeks the oil had migrated via capilliary action and created a dead short across the two halves of the chassis. Bah!

 

Of course I seaparated the two halves and attempted to clean up, to no avail. I left the locos in the cupboard for a year, but the film did not dry up enough to cure the short. One day I'll get back to them, but at the moment I've stopped modelling.

 

Cheers,

Tony

 

If that's the case it would be pretty useless for the job it was designed for!

 

Keith

[melmerby]

I find that quite scary, as in my experience one of the plastics it is not compatible with is the ABS plastic used in some driving wheels. Well, the formulations may have been changed since my negative experience with Electrolube and (earlier) Alan Gibson wheels, but essentially the interference fit between wheel and axle was lost, on the prime piece of motive power at an exhibition. Luckily, 5 minutes before the end and the emergency back up came into play.

I threw the Electrolube away and have had no problems since.

 

I would agree about not using it on some of the plastics used in moulding model parts. I found it can (or used to if the formulation has now changed!) affect the surface although it doesn't dissolve them in the same way as some "switch cleaner" type solvents can. It's fine on the hard plastics used for moulding switches and suchlike.

 

Keith

[Pete Harvey]

I can recommend Hot Sause Reel Grease both the grease and the oil are very good and have no ill effects at all with any plastics.

 

Pete