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steponit!

Tamiya Switch Lubricant

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Hi Good People !

For those who are still using the 'MSC' in their cool vintage "rides", do you people use the 'Tamiya Switch Lubricant' ? Is it necessarily needed? Are there any other brands available?

Any help/advise is highly appreciated !

Thank you, Good People !

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When I was a kid running only MSC, I did not apply switch grease as it collected more particles than helping smooth things out.

That said, if you are planning to use only a small amount and have a cover for it, it should be fine.  I would even recommend trying dielectric grease for terminals and automotive harness contacts.  

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I don't know if Tamiya Switch Lubricant is a dielectric grease, but I hope it is because the little tubes are very handy and I use them to keep my XT60 connectors easy to dis/connect.

Google tells me you *do* want dielectric grease on electrical contacts - it doesn't affect resistance as long as you have a good mechanical connection, and conductive grease is dangerous because of the risk of arcing and short circuits.

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Well, my 1:1 cars that I applied dielectric grease on exterior harnesses (and exterior auxiliary lights on the house) are still working so my uneducated guess is that it works?  :D  

I am dumb until proven otherwise, so..  lol

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I would like to extend an apology to the original poster as well as @Willy iine and @droidy for speaking out of turn. I guess in my mind, I thought of dielectric grease as something used on stationary electrical connections/plugs while something like slip ring grease for moving contacts. I think I over-thought the question, as I am apt to do, and answered without proper authority on the subject thus muddying the waters further. Worse, I potentially put out unintentioned misinformation which could lead future readers astray. I should not have answered or contested/debated Willy's answer without a completely firm grasp on the topic. Worse yet, as droidy suggested, my suggestion might be considered dangerous. I will delete the misinformation in both threads to avoid any further confusion. Again, I apologize. 

3 hours ago, Willy iine said:

I am dumb until proven otherwise, so..  lol

Please do not feel you are dumb in any way. It was I who was ignorant and I hope that ignorance has not had a negative affect on our interactions or your enjoyment of the forum. 

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6 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

I would like to extend an apology to the original poster as well as @Willy iine and @droidy for speaking out of turn. I guess in my mind, I thought of dielectric grease as something used on stationary electrical connections/plugs while something like slip ring grease for moving contacts. I think I over-thought the question, as I am apt to do, and answered without proper authority on the subject thus muddying the waters further. Worse, I potentially put out unintentioned misinformation which could lead future readers astray. I should not have answered or contested/debated Willy's answer without a completely firm grasp on the topic. Worse yet, as droidy suggested, my suggestion might be considered dangerous. I will delete the misinformation in both threads to avoid any further confusion. Again, I apologize. 

Please do not feel you are dumb in any way. It was I who was ignorant and I hope that ignorance has not had a negative affect on our interactions or your enjoyment of the forum. 

No need to apologize and thanks for clearing up the subject.  B)

As far as being dumb, I made it through life this far.. I think it's actually working in my favor!  lol  :lol:  You're good, man.  

 

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2 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

As far as being dumb, I made it through life this far.. I think it's actually working in my favor!  lol  :lol:

Since I have no self-confidence or self-esteem to speak of, I would hate myself all the more if I were to make anyone else feel that way. Thank you for your kind reply.

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@steponit!, Tamiya switch Lubricant is cheap and convenient, and Tamiya say it's the best for your MSC so you can trust them:

https://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/87023/index.html

However I'm sure there are lots of other products that work well. My general advice is to do your research if you want to experiment. 1:1 car products are good because they often tell you exactly what the product is for, how to use them, and what the safety and suitability requirements are. E.g. one article I found about dielectric grease said it's (often? always?) - silicone-based, so if you get it on your silicone rubber o-rings it will break them down over time.

@Saito2 I went through a phase of screws falling out of servos and the like, got obsessed with putting thread lock everywhere, then damaged and destroyed 3-4 chassis :wacko: Of course I read about it, but now I really *know* how thread lock and plastic don't mix. The amazing thing about this hobby is learning about all the tools, materials, lubricants, electrics, battery chemistry, mechanics, dynamics, tires, paint, artistry, sport and so on which means every one of us will find our own area of expertise.

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Thanks so much for the feedback, Gentlemen !! I really, really appreciate that !

Happy Racin', Good People !!  :)

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