A lot of times they call for thread sealer on marine engines with stainless into aluminum. Blue loctite works for that.
Anti-seize for stainless bolts into aluminum threads
- Thread starter oil pan 4
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Im definitely buying some of this.
Does is come in Pditty size?
My time table is to get it is like today or tomorrow cause 10 panels, 3kw worth of racking is going back up.
But I have another 10 panels to move and I need to add at least 10 more.
On all the boat stuff I do, I just use teflon pipe dope on the threads. Seems to work very well.
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- Sep 25, 2020
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Wouldn't a product like noalox be used here?
Maybe where the ground wire attaches to the racking. Otherwise I'd rather not.
Take a look at Tef Gel. Stuff is excellent. No metal in it.
I'm going to take a real close look at it, i ordered a tub of it.
Where the ground wire connections touch the aluminum showed me that.
I use it on bicycles that I ride in the snow and on the beach. The bottom bracket threads, where the pedals thread into the crank arms...
Anywhere you might use anti sieze. I use it more and more across the board. Stuff is pricey but so far I really like it.
I think both stainless and aluminum are bad conductors.
Or, more accurately, they conduct very well, but they quickly develop a layer of oxide that acts as an insulator.
So, while the internal resistance is low, and the measured resistance on a clean fastener, or a clean piece of stock, is low, in actual use, they quickly cause problems.
We built high voltage substations using TONS of aluminum buss and aluminum and copper conductors . EVERY connection had a dollop of an EJC . There are a bunch of different brands out there but it's an industry standard that it be used .
Interesting, I recall there being problems when aluminum wiring was used in home construction in the 70s, due to a copper shortage, and the had problems with the connections at outlets and switches, sometimes causing a fire. What they wound up doing was to pig tail a copper end on the alu wire with a special tool. I think it was differential expansion rates between the alu and the outlet/switch but it could have been alu oxidation as well. Passed on buying a house with alu wiring because of this.
Grounding wire holders are supposed to be listed or connected to a structure with its own hardware.
I could connect the ground wire directly to the racking which is aluminum or directly to the panels which are also aluminum.
Or buy listed stainless steel ground connectors.
If I was really that worried about it I'd switch to aluminum ground wire or nolox the copper ground wire at each junction point.
Slopping nolox on the connections would mean I don't have to buy anything so that's what I'll likely do.
Most if not all the nation's electricity goes over aluminum lines.
And they take care to prevent the oxidation at every terminal, or it wouldn’t work.
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- Dec 30, 2024
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Bel-Ray sells a caulking gun size tube that you keep in a cheap caulking gun. If you have a need for extreme pressure grease like a CV joint then you can add 10% to 50% Bel-Ray anti-seize to your lucus green grease and use it when you want more protection. CV’s in desert cars use it like that with Lucus Green grease. I use about 15% Bel Ray. I never would buy copper again. The Bel-ray does it all and since you get a big tube you actually tend to use it on everything.
https://www.belray.com/product/molylube-anti-seize-compound-2/
https://www.belray.com/product/molylube-anti-seize-compound-2/
Used polysulfide coating on stainless bolts in aluminum casting for high shock mounts, on the "wind birds" for air capable navy ships. The older legacy wind system (not sure what they are doing on new Mariah wind system, as I now work helicopter landing systems).
About 99% of residential and commercial service drops are aluminum wire to copper wire with an aluminum swage installed dry with a quick wrap of electrical tape over it all.
It's really not.
