Contact Lubricants
16Pages

Switch to a superior performance

Contact Lubricants • Extends the operating life of switches • Controls switch ‘feel’ • Improves signal quality • Prevents contamination • Reduces operating temperature • Silicone free Electrolube have been the leading supplier of contact lubricants since their invention by the founder in the 1950s. They increase the reliability and lifetime of current carrying metal interfaces, including switches, connectors and busbars. Electrolube has earned an unsurpassed reputation for the manufacture and supply of specialist lubricants to the automotive, military, aerospace, industrial and domestic...

How Contact Lubricants Work Contact technology is constantly developing with new alloys, plastics and customer demands. However, it is still impossible to solve the main cause of switch malfunction i.e. the inability to produce a perfectly smooth metal contact surface. As no metal interfaces are entirely even and smooth, when applied to such surfaces in thin films contact lubricants fill in all surface imperfections, in turn improving contact and electrical performance as well as prolonging the contact life by reducing hot spots, frettage and arcing. By filling in the air gaps between the...

Automotive Applications Electrolube’s automotive lubricant product range helps engineers meet the huge demands they face on a daily basis. Design engineers are under pressure to keep costs down by the correct selection of materials for complex, innovative designs. The development of Electrolube’s lubricants, together with leading automotive manufacturers, has led to materials with enhanced performance across wide temperature ranges, improved resistance to the external environment and overall development of the electrical and mechanical properties of these materials. In addition, Electrolube...

Switches and Contacts High Current Arcing Switches or Contacts As un-lubricated contacts open and close, arcing (mini lightning strikes) can often occur. Ionisation of the air and the associated rise in temperature causes metal transfer between the contacts, resulting in the formation of new ‘peaks and troughs’ – a common problem found in high power contacts. The problem of arcing is also compounded in ‘make and break’ switches, where every time the circuit is opened, the contacts may bounce several times before finally mating. This exacerbates the problems discussed previously and subjects...

Sensors and Non-Electrical Sensors and Potentiometers Potentiometers have low contact forces and must stay in contact with the resistor; a high viscosity grease would not allow close contact with the resistor, therefore the most suitable materials are constructed from low viscosity base oils, coupled with an effective, non-carbonising thickener. As well as functioning at very high temperatures, fluorinated lubricants have exceptional plastics compatibility and solvent resistance and are therefore ideal for fuel level sensors, particularly in oil form where a thin, uniform application of a...

Product Selection Plastics Compatibility It is important to discuss the options available at the design stage to ensure correct product selection and application. Many factors must be considered when choosing a contact lubricant, among the areas to be considered are; voltage, current, operating temperature range, environmental conditions, contact metals, number of cycles and associated plastics. Plastic Grade Plastic test bars were coated in various Electrolube lubricants and placed on a test rig under strain. The samples were then conditioned for 7 days at 40ºC before inspection Key 1....

Electrical Testing Electrolube have a custom built switch rig for the lifetime testing of contact lubricants. Every product is subjected to this test, using a standard automotive switch for comparison purposes. The results provide a measurement of mV drop over the cycling period and show how the use of contact lubricants can dramatically increase switch performance and lifetime.

Cone Penetrations To establish the consistency and possible variations in performance at a range of temperatures, the cone penetration values were measured according to ASTM D217. The un-worked cone penetrations of various Electrolube contact lubricants were tested at -40ºC, 20ºC and 40ºC: UN-WORKED CONE PENETRATION

Mechanical Testing To establish the mechanical performance of the various contact lubricants, 4-ball wear testing was completed to ASTMD 2596/87. Included in this testing were some lubricants from the general maintenance range where the end application is more mechanical lubrication than electrical contact improvement. The test consists of loading the grease into equipment that has four balls under a defined rotation. A pressure load is introduced onto the balls and the load increased according to a logarithm function. The results are given as a pass value and a wearing value at the pass...

Protection in Humid / Corrosive Environments A test schedule was constructed in order to establish which products provide the highest level of protection in high humidity and corrosive environments. Steel and copper panels were coated in a variety of Electrolube contact and mechanical lubricant products and subjected to 90% humidity at 35ºC for 3 weeks, followed by 1 week in the salt spray chamber, utilising a 5% salt solution at 35ºC. The conditioned panels were visually inspected and the % corrosion/oxidation present was recorded. The results are comparisons, therefore 100% relates to the...

The Product Range CG60 – Contact Grease SGA – Special Contact Grease • Excellent high performance lubricant • Effective treatment for all types of contacts • Reduces electrical background noise • Reduces contact resistance and arcing of contacts from small relays to high capacity contactors • Excellent plastics compatibility • Contains a UV trace to allow easy inspection CG70 – Contact Grease • Exceptional performance at low temperatures • Very good plastics compatibility • Good electrical performance • version available (CO70) Oil CG71 – Contact Grease • Enhanced electrical properties,...