Vaseline as corrosion protection

ringer · Feb 21, 2011

Am doing a job tomorrow repairing as best I can tubular heaters that have corrosion evident on some of their terminals. After cleaning up the corrosion off the terminals and reconnecting the flex, I was wondering whether to apply a coat of vaseline to the terminals to help prevent further corrosion. Firstly, is it ok to do this, and secondly is it worth while? Terminals are brass and, connecting cables and links in heater stacks are copper.

SirKit Breaker · Feb 21, 2011

It works OK on batteries, i used to use it on traction batteries in my forklift truck engineer life, so i dont see why not. I am fairly sure technology has come on a bit, and you can get a purpose made stuff for this sort of thing.

somersetsparks · Feb 21, 2011

It is the reccommended lubricant for car battery terminals, and thats what garages would put on.

Silicone grease if not, but vaseline will be fine me thinks.

ringer · Feb 21, 2011

Both replies so far mention battery terminals, and it was with that in mind that I originally came up with my plan. But batteries are DC and we are talking 230VAC here at these terminals, and although tubular heaters don't get really hot, they get pretty damn warm. Is the vaseline going to cause problems with the AC and the heat?

somersetsparks · Feb 21, 2011

Well put it this way mate, you can put it in the end of your HT leads to stop moisture and corrosion and they get pretty hot at the plugs and take extremely high voltage sparks, battery terminals get warm when your cranking the engine too.

BTW its common for batteries in Land rovers to be 700 odd cranking amps!

I would definately use it but if your at all worried get a little tube of silicone grease, thats the proper lubricant for terminals, iv'e spent many an hour inspecting, wire wooling and greasing fuses in LV panels, pretty tedious job!