Turn signal switch maintenance

[Tfrank59]

Well per the posts about this, I took my switch apart again this year because it was getting stiffer and cleaned it up with electrionic cleaner, then re-greased it with dielectric grease.  Last year doing all that worked really well – stayed nice and free right up until around a couple weeks ago.  This time though doing that maintenance didn't make it much better at all. I wonder if the guts are just getting worn out now?

[sandy]

I'm 67 and my guts are getting worn out. Tums are my new candy. But seriously: Maybe you used too much grease. Try recleaning it and check the operation without any grease.

[Brian]

Maybe it did not go back together right. I had this sluggish trouble in cold weather and cleaned all the old crap out and used the dielectric grease. At the start of each riding season I shoot a little CRC or WD-40 in there. Whether it works or not all is well so far and I do a lot of local city riding.

[John Schmidt]

Also, keep in mind that the term "dielectric" type grease means it's not for conducting electricity. So don't put it on the contacts, just use it as a lube on the moving parts so they don't conduct(short out). That's why it was used on the old distributors....a lube on the cam for the points, and it won't conduct and thereby short out the ignition.

[Bighead]

Also, keep in mind that the term "dielectric" type grease means it's not for conducting electricity. So don't put it on the contacts, just use it as a lube on the moving parts so they don't conduct(short out). That's why it was used on the old distributors....a lube on the cam for the points, and it won't conduct and thereby short out the ignition.

Yeah I never understood why so many say when they clean a switch they put dielectric grease on there

[dreamchaser]

I have some stuff called  NO-OX-ID A-Special  lubricant and anti corrosive grease that has been used by the military and in marine applications for many years.  It is NOT dielectric grease.  It is a special conductive grease just for electrical connections and switches.  It all but eliminates the need for disassembly and cleaning of switches.  You can find 2 oz. jars on ebay pretty cheap and it lasts a long time.......the little jar that is .  I use it on my boat / home  and on my Valk .  The mfr. claims there are still  electrical connections on towers in the Philippines from WWII that are corrosion free after all these years.  Worth a try?

[Tfrank59]

Okay, based on all this (as well as stuff I re-read in other posts) I will take it apart again and clean it completely.  No dielectric grease.  I'll let you know how it goes...

[Brian]

I stand corrected on the term die-electric grease. What I used is "Sure Connect Bulb Grease". The auto parts store here has these small packages at the check out counter. A small pack for a buck lasts a long time and has not given me any problems. I use a small amount on the plug each time I have the rear fender section removed for rear end maintenance too.

[BobB]

Boy, this topic has gone around soooo many times.  Dielectric grease, used in electrical connections, is nonconducting for a reason.  It is used in multi terminal connectors to insure there is no current draw or voltage loss within the connector itself.  Metal to metal contact should always be used to insure electrical connection.  Grease is only used to keep out moisture...

[Tfrank59]

Well I kind of knew dielectric grease was to keep out moisture, but I also thought it was to lube up any moving parts, say in electrical switches.  And actually the first time I used it, last summer, it worked pretty well to lube my turn signal switch.  And I never had any problems about electrical contact – the turn signals worked fine--it's just that recently, within the last couple of weeks, canceling the turn signal got stiffer and stiffer.  That's why I thought it would go back in there and repeat the process I did last summer.  So the moral of the story is I learned dielectric grease does not work well to lube a switch

[WintrSol]

In my experience, whether dielectric grease interferes with good contact depends a lot on the switch. Sliding contacts will usually be OK, as the contacts push the grease aside, as long as they are not pitted or scored. Pressure contacts vary, depending on how that pressure is derived; if from a snap type toggle switch, usually not an issue, unless there's so much grease it inhibits the mechanism. Spring-loaded direct pressure switches seem to have more issues with grease getting in the way. I just cleaned out my starter button switch, because the headlamp didn't light all the time, and it is a slide switch. I haven't gotten to the turn switch yet, but I would guess it is also a slide switch; they are more reliable in the environment than pressure contacts.

[97valk]

I just shot a little WD40 and she's good to go.

[WintrSol]

You are aware that WD40 evaporates, right?

[Gryphon Rider]

I stand corrected on the term die-electric grease. What I used is "Sure Connect Bulb Grease". The auto parts store here has these small packages at the check out counter. A small pack for a buck lasts a long time and has not given me any problems. I use a small amount on the plug each time I have the rear fender section removed for rear end maintenance too.

Is that the yellow stuff that GM (and presumably other manufacturers) puts in their bulb-to-socket connections?