Flashlight O-Ring grease?

[Stromberg]

I have small tube of "Unick Silicone heat transfer compound" that is normally used between electronic components and heatsinks. Can anyone recommend using that for o-rings?

 

[Gladius01]

As alot of people in this tread mentions about Vaseline, I used Vaseline and it works fine for me and I don't have any problem at all and it is cheap and you can get this almost every where. Also I used motorbike chain lube.

 

[Stromberg]

Does anyone know what kind of o-rings Fenix use? Is it safe to use vaseline, e.g. I have "Klover vaseline" lip balm that is made of petrolatum(petroleum?)?

http://www.unilever.com/pioti/DA/p4.asp?selectCountry=DK&language=DA&productid=1629199

 

[Curious_character]

I have small tube of "Unick Silicone heat transfer compound" that is normally used between electronic components and heatsinks. Can anyone recommend using that for o-rings?

Although it might be ok, you can surely do better. The primary function of a thermal compound isn't to lubricate but to aid in transferring heat. The primary reason for greasing an o-ring is to lubricate it.

c_c

 

[Torque1st]

I have small tube of "Unick Silicone heat transfer compound" that is normally used between electronic components and heatsinks. Can anyone recommend using that for o-rings?

I would not use the thermal compound. It is not a good lubricant. The silicone carrier migrates away leaving a thick white paste that would act more like glue than a lubricant.

Most O-rings are made from Buna-N material, safe with petroleum products. There are other types of materials but they are only used for special applications where some exotic chemical is involved. When in doubt, think Buna-N first.

 

[Khaytsus]

I suggest you try one o-ring with a lubricant first, and make sure you can replace it first.

I tried a random lubricant on a Fenix o-ring and it doubled in size in a few minutes. I have yet to find a replacement for it at a hardware store, but the 47's at the Fenix Store helped me out.

Next time I order from there I'll get the lubricant he's selling.. Doesn't insulate electricity and a good lubricant. I don't have dozens of lights to lube so it should last me quite a while.

 

[jzmtl]

I've been a SCUBA diver for 40 years and have used silicone grease from the dive shop for camera and flashlight o-rings. I recently found the exact same stuff in the same little tub at Home Depot for a fraction of the price. It is translucent white and is a little sticky. It's good to clean the groove with a soft toothbrush and roll the o-rings between your thumb and forefinger to get a light coating of silicone on the rings.

This is what I use too, its called dielectrical grease/tune up grease/spark plug grease at automotive section and only a few bucks for a tube size of toothpaste.

 

[Torque1st]

Careful of "random" lubricants. Many have solvents in them meant to aid penetration etc that will swell O-rings and other seals.

 

[Bort]

I use Teflon grease that I puchased at a swimming pool supply house. It is designed specifically for o-rings, and is very reasonably priced. It makes the threads unscrew very smoothly for aluminum to aluminum threads compared to silicone dielectric grease. I also use this stuff for all of the o rings on an engine powered by Methanol, and it works well. Methanol is extremely corrosive ,and is brutal on rubber, and synthetic rubber products.

 

[Stromberg]

Thanks Curious_character and Torque1st. I'll get some silicone grease so I can be sure that I don't ruin the o-rings.

 

[ikelo]

http://www.gunk.com/product_images/LG_GR2V.JPG i find this works well. i get it at lowes.

 

[afterglow]

A stupid question just came into my mind: Would jig-a-loo be a good lubricant for flashlights?

 

[Spence]

I use something no one has mentioned yet, WHITE LITHIUM GREASE. I use a Q-tip to apply it, carefully, to the threads and to the O-rings. Because it's white, it's easy to see and clean up. It turns rough metalic threads to turn smoothly, and I like smooth. Nobody on CPF has criticized it yet.

 

[Torque1st]

I use something no one has mentioned yet, WHITE LITHIUM GREASE. I use a Q-tip to apply it, carefully, to the threads and to the O-rings. Because it's white, it's easy to see and clean up. It turns rough metalic threads to turn smoothly, and I like smooth. Nobody on CPF has criticized it yet.

White lithium, like any light petroleum based grease, would work well. It is cheap and readily available, just not as common in regular households as Vaseline.


Jig-a-loo is one of those "random" lubricants with an exceptionally large solvent composition. Personally I would not use it.
From the MSDS:
Hazardous Ingredients____%
-------------------------------------
METHYLENE CHLORIDE____30-60
PERCHLOROETHYLENE____10-30
ISOBUTANE_____________7-13
PROPANE_______________5-10

 

[Bror Jace]

Yes, a bazillion threads here about greases and lubricants. Search feature brings them up easily using either word.

I've used white lithium grease on o-rings for paintball cylinders, both compressed air and CO2 ... had some of them last for years while other people I played with would replace their o-rings after just a couple of fills because they used gun oil on theirs. :shakehead

The lastest and greatest lubricant for o-rings is DuPont Krytox. It came out of one of the space programs. 100% Krytox is frighteningly expensive but many different lubes are formulated with some portion of this amazingly stable grease.

I use Leslies Pool & Spa o-ring grease with Krytox:

http://www.lesliespool.com/shopping...DUCT&iMainCat=629&iSubCat=643&iProductID=8728

 

[Albinoni]

Is it ok to put a very small amount of grease/lube around the thread of the cap where you unscrew to put the batteries in, thing is one of my torches works fine but when I unscrew the battery cap I get a very slight sqeaking sound, nothing bad or serious.

 

[DM51]

This is a totally absurd thread, containing some of the stupidest and most fatuous suggestions yet on this already grossly over-worked subject.

Divers, and anyone else who wants to keep their light waterproof and free from O-ring failure, should always use silicone grease. Period.

Thread closed.