On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:03:25 -0700, "Sal M. Onella"
wrote:



I just got a used Butternut HF6V in great shape for a great price.
What
type of anti-sieze do I need to put between the sections of aluminum
tubing ???
Is automotive anti-sieze OK ??? I don't think that it is electrically
conductive. Do I need something like electricians use when they connect
the
aluminum service entrance cable to the breaker box ??? I think that
stuff is
called Penetrox. Is something like that available at Home Depot ???

Piggy-backing off this thread, please: When I was an EMI technician some
years ago, we used conductive anti-seize on (most) hardware that was in a
conductive path, such as grounding straps. I was surprised to discover that
some/most anti-seize is non-conductive; you can daub some kinds on the
benchtop and stick ohmmeter probes in it -- nothing happens. I figured with
its metal content, surely it would all be conductive, but not so.

I have no idea what implications this has for the OP's Butternut and would
welcome comments.


You raise the difference between improve conductivity of a connection
and anti-seize compounds.

What the other person probably needs is not (as he asked) anti-seize,
but conduction enhancing / protective paste, which is usually
something link zinc or aluminium dust in a silicon grease carrier (for
aluminium). The particles help to create a current path between the
parts under pressure, and the silicon grease helps to prevent water
getting in forming an electrolytic action and consequent corrosion.

I don't think your ohmmeter test is a good one (ie sticking probes in
a puddle of stuff). The particles work by being crushed into the
adjacent surfaces under the pressure of the mechanical connection.

In the absence of stuff made for the specific metals, I find that
marine grade grease (withstands elements better than chassis grease)
or silicon grease (expensive) applied to cleaned parts (most
important) is often adequate, and usually better than nothing.

A stainless steel brush is handy for cleaning joint parts, some
scotchbrite pads are useful, but they embed in soft materials, and
ordinary steel wool is the worst for embedding.

Owen
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