View Single Post
  #6   Report Post  
Old March 14th 06, 07:14 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Roy Lewallen
 
Posts: n/a
Default RTV Silicone And Coax Outer Jacket: Safe ?

The advice to avoid acetic-acid smelling RTV because of corrosion is
passed along from person to person like an urban legend, but like an
urban legend it's just about impossible to find anyone who's actually
seen any corrosion result from its use. (A number of queries I've made
over the years has produced just one, using a very early version of RTV.)

I've used the acetic-acid smelling stuff for decades on a variety of
metals including tinned and untinned wire, aluminum, nickel, and copper
circuit boards, and never seen a hint of corrosion. But formulations
vary widely, and my experience certainly isn't exhaustive. I'm not
entirely convinced, though, that among the many formulations there
aren't others, which don't have that smell, which might be corrosive to
some materials.

People who worry about this should buy an industrial product and stay
with it, since there's a much better chance the formulation won't change
in the future without notice.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL