Dielectric Grease for Shore Power?

[DCMAC214]

Anyone recommend (or not recommend) this?

Thinking of putting a teeny-tiny coat of dielectric grease on the blades of my shore power cable, to (hopefully) make the unplugging easier. But with decades of experience having oil and grease do little more than attract and hold dirt, etc, I'm trolling for others' experienced opinions before trying it myself.

Note: This isn't a problem at the "power island" or whatever you want to call it. It's a maybe-peculiar-to-me problem because I keep my hard-wired shore cable and EMS locked in the belly bay and run a 30' extension cord to the island. It's the unplugging of these two cables from each other that's a real bear for me. It is not an option keeping the shore power cable and extension cable connected because there's barely enough room in the bay to hold the power cable and EMS.

[twinboat]

Dielecric grease does not conduct electricity, so spreading on your contacts may make for a poor connection.

I suppose the heat from a poor connection will loosen up your connectors but that's not a fix.

Maybe attach a strap or something, on one connector, that you can step on, while you pull the other end apart.

[wjohnson913]

I’ve had good results with this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[HopsBrewster]

Dielectric grease is intended for corrosion protection on permanent or semi-permanent connections. It's not intended as a lubricant. Your shore power connections are supposed to be tight for proper conductivity!
Keep your connectors clean and straight. You shouldn't experience any problems.

[Sweetbriar]

I would do as HopsBrewster suggested. Clean and polish the conductors with some fine, (400+ grit) paper and ensure the conductors are straight and parallel to each other.

I have a cord end power taster (best way I've found to describe it) that rarely comes off the cord. When I do pull it it doesn't like to come off. I've checked the prongs of the cord end and keep every clean and shinny. Just the nature of the beast particularly since it doesn't get nearly as much usage as a camp site power plug.

[RKins]

I agree with the cleaning comments. Conductive grease is what you want if you really need it.

[Fiesta48]

I use dielectric grease on 12v low amp outside connections mostly. 120v high amp connectors get hot rather quickly if the connection is poor. I don't use dielectric there. Keep the contacts clean.

[99dart]

As a kid I used an "Ink Pen" eraser on my HO scale race car track. I still go that route today when polishing electrical contacts. Triple 0 steel wool is also good. Then, wipe clean with alcohol.

[Don Juane]

No, go ahead and paint the plug contacts so they don't rust. LOL But seriously, why would anyone want to insulate the metal on metal electrical coupling? Where did this crazy fad with "dielectric grease" come from anyway?

BRITANNICA: Dielectric, insulating material or a very poor conductor of electric current. When dielectrics are placed in an electric field, practically no current flows in them because, unlike metals, they have no loosely bound, or free, electrons that may drift through the material.

Here are some common dielectric materials we know: glass, rubber, dry wood, and basically any kind of grease from oil to silicone based. It's as if the advertising industry discovers a new word from the 19th century "old experimenter" wiki page every year and creates a new product to sell under that name. Today regular old grease can be sold at a premium as "dielectric grease". It goes on from that. Take for example the new drive to solar power is having the same heyday. By simply replacing the word "battery monitor" with the new recycled term "coulomb counter" we can double or quadruple the price.

Did you ever buy "monster cables" for your old hifi? These snow-job sales pitches have been going on for the better part of the century.

Still if you just can't get that last marketer's spiel for "dielectric grease" off your mind - Try this, place two sets of electrical plugs on a table next to a dusty campsite where you are parked. Coat one with dielectric grease. Now after a week parked in the same spot, which one gets more coated in dirt and debris - the greased-up one or the dry one?

[FL420]

I fought with the same problem for several years. I tried the nylon webbing on the plug, bought a new yellow Camco plug with the hand grip, etc.
What I have settled on that works for me is the new plug with the prongs coated with the grease-like Ox Gard which plugs into my Progressive Surge Protector which plugs into the power pedestal.
The first time I dragged the plug across the ground I learned to cap the plug with a 50 amp female/30 amp male adapter so I wouldn't have to clean and re-lubricate the plug every time it hit the ground.
[emoji40]

[Ted Lambert]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

No, go ahead and paint the plug contacts so they don't rust. LOL But seriously, why would anyone want to insulate the metal on metal electrical coupling? Where did this crazy fad with "dielectric grease" come from anyway?

BRITANNICA: Dielectric, insulating material or a very poor conductor of electric current. When dielectrics are placed in an electric field, practically no current flows in them because, unlike metals, they have no loosely bound, or free, electrons that may drift through the material.

Here are some common dielectric materials we know: glass, rubber, dry wood, and basically any kind of grease from oil to silicone based. It's as if the advertising industry discovers a new word from the 19th century "old experimenter" wiki page every year and creates a new product to sell under that name. Today regular old grease can be sold at a premium as "dielectric grease". It goes on from that. Take for example the new drive to solar power is having the same heyday. By simply replacing the word "battery monitor" with the new recycled term "coulomb counter" we can double or quadruple the price.

Did you ever buy "monster cables" for your old hifi? These snow-job sales pitches have been going on for the better part of the century.

Still if you just can't get that last marketer's spiel for "dielectric grease" off your mind - Try this, place two sets of electrical plugs on a table next to a dusty campsite where you are parked. Coat one with dielectric grease. Now after a week parked in the same spot, which one gets more coated in dirt and debris - the greased-up one or the dry one?

As PAUL HARVEY would say! The rest of the story.
The fad came from people living and travelling on salted highways.works great and I have never had an issue with trailer connectors. Live on the east coast of Canada and you will see.
Do not use any old grease as stated. But go ahead if you want the rubber wire casing to deteriorate because they probably aren't neoprene.

[RoadEyePie]

Originally Posted by FL420

I fought with the same problem for several years. I tried the nylon webbing on the plug, bought a new yellow Camco plug with the hand grip, etc.
What I have settled on that works for me is the new plug with the prongs coated with the grease-like Ox Gard which plugs into my Progressive Surge Protector which plugs into the power pedestal.
The first time I dragged the plug across the ground I learned to cap the plug with a 50 amp female/30 amp male adapter so I wouldn't have to clean and re-lubricate the plug every time it hit the ground.
[emoji40]Attachment 315468Attachment 315469Attachment 315470

So is the Ox-Gard the same thing as dielectric grease that is being talked about or is it something different?

[Argosy]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

Where did this crazy fad with "dielectric grease" come from anyway?

It inhibits corrosion and in a proper electrical connection it provides no resistance because there is metal to metal contact. And it doesn't conduct power to any residue left on the plug.

Think about the consequences of using a conductive grease on the plugs and the charged residue that could zap the user.

[SimRacer]

Originally Posted by wjohnson913

I’ve had good results with this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A second vote for DE OXIT,, cleans oxidation and lubes prongs,,, much easier to disconnect plug,,, emory cloth or fine sandpaper first if heavy oxidation. Use also for toad wiring plug.