Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly?

I have checked a few threads and quite a number of forumers recommend using silicon grease to lubricate the o-rings. There was 1 post by another person suggesting petroleum jelly.

Is it safe / good to use petroleum jelly? I have read M*gl*ite's instructions to use petroleum jelly to lub the o-rings on its torches.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers !!

I've been doing it, and I've seen no harm come. I've lubed the threads with the same, and I can't tell any difference in brightness. I'm interested to see what others say.

Petroleum based lubes may erode the rubber o-rings and harden them, causing cracks.

I like silicone goop...

--dan

Yes i've been wondering the same.
I couldn't find silicone grease so i bought silicone spray.. but not sure if it works right.

Working as a watchmaker in a big watch Company (years ago)
I found that many rubber gasket that were treated with petroleum Jelly, melted.
The proper lube for gaskets and o rings is silicone grease.

Juan C.

Silicone grease is prefered, as petrolium based lubes can and will degrade rubber over time. It can also cause the rubber to swell, and in dive lights this can make the light dern near impossible to open.

Silione spray is often not recommended because the propellant can also degrade o-rings. If you spray the silicone on to a lint free cloth and then wipe it on to the o-ring it should be okay (it allows the propellant to evaporate before application).

Aloha, iG

Thanks illumiGeek, didn't know that, will try it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I recommend Radio Shack's General Purpose Lube. It's actually re-badged "Super-Lube", and it includes Teflon. I've also used petroleum jelly in the base, and the RS lube is a lot better. No, the light doesn't get brighter, but the action is a lot smoother.

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

Here's a couple of threads that are on-topic and worth checking out:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=518112&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=485301&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Basically, they say you'll want to stick with silicone lube. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

I use Permatex Dielectric tune-up grease, part nember 67VR. It is a little tube and should last a long time. I got mine from Autozone for a couple of bucks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

natural rubber o rings will crack and break if u use a petrolium based lube. also with silicone o rings (red/orangy color) dont use silicone lube

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

It actually depends on the material that the o-ring is made from. Buna-Nitrile O rings are not affected by petroleum products, from what I understand. EPDM O-rings will swell and have problems with petroleum. Im not sure what the most common o-ring material is, but I know that longbow uses Buna, and also I think that Arc does.

I went to four Ace Hardware stores and finally found one which stocks silicone grease. Any store which sells scuba equipment should have it.

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

I went to my local Radio Shack and bought their lube too, but mine was labeled "Lube Gel". I hope it's the same stuff, but it seems to work well enough, taking the "scraaaaaping squeeeeek" out of some old maglites. It doesn't have the "vaseline" type smell, so I'm pretty sure it's not petroleum based. Quite a big tube, should last you a long time.

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

I ran into the same delimna long time ago about lubes and O-rings and I found out that if you go to any pool supply store like Pinch-a-Penny they'll have a big tube or tub of silicone or teflon grease @7.00 for a 5oz size.The dive shops charge to much for the same product.

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

NOT hard to find at all.

All Lowe's/Home Depot's have the silicone grease in the plumbing section. It's cheap also.

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

Coupla things I've found...

1) in auto parts stores silicon grease can be just two dollars or so. The exact same tube packaged as silicon brake grease is usually about four dollars. Be alert.

2) the online MSDS (material safety data sheet) listing for the Radio Shack lube includes petroleum products as ingrediants even though they are not listed on the package.

Just an FYI

Happy 4th!

- Craig

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

[ QUOTE ]
Aloft said:
I went to my local Radio Shack and bought their lube too, but mine was labeled "Lube Gel". I hope it's the same stuff, but it seems to work well enough, taking the "scraaaaaping squeeeeek" out of some old maglites. It doesn't have the "vaseline" type smell, so I'm pretty sure it's not petroleum based. Quite a big tube, should last you a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup that's the one! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly

chmsam. . . thanks for the MSDS info. Should have thought of that as well, but some folks had recommended the stuff here on CPF. Hopefully (as I've already used it to lube some of my older Maglites) there is not too much petroleum based stuff in there. Again, I hope the smell would give it away if there were. I think I'll try Home Depot or an auto parts store for the "pure" stuff. If I remember correctly though, my early maglite's instructions said petroleum jelly was OK for lubing. They may have changed their tune by now though.

Petroleum jelly will only deterioate RUBBER o-rings. I doubt very seriously that you will find any modern flashlights using RUBBER o-rings. I use vaseline on my arcs and surfires with no problems whatsoever. By the way, I work on airplanes for a living and we use petroleum based lubricants on almost all of our o-rings. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif