Best 'spray' for caravan towing electrics?

[ChrisinSwansea]

Can anyone recommend a good spray lube / contact spray to keep my towing electrical socket in good working order? I understand that some are better than others as they can degrade the plastic?

Many thanks

Chris

 

[JimC1]

I've always used petroleum jelly or vaseline and spread it liberally inside all sockets, works a treat.
Jim

 

[Damian]

Any petroleum based item will degrade the plastic, make it swell, and is not a good idea.
Best is a good clean with Electrical Contact Cleaner and then a spray with silicone grease/lubricant.

 

[xtrailman]

I always used to use silicon grease for the back contacts, now i use Vaseline, i haven't noticed any swelling, but just try and keep it on the metal bits.
Then i spray silicon oil onto the contacts.
i once sprayed all the open contacts on a crane with contact cleaner, after that we had no end of poor contacts, i wasn't very popular, and have never used it since.

 

[mauron]

Hi Chris,
As I recall some years ago John Wickersham recommended Tri-Flow in one of his caravan books. I've used it ever since on my towing electical sockets. It's good stuff!.
Regards,
Ron.

 

[Philspadders]

Any petroleum based item will degrade the plastic, make it swell, and is not a good idea.

I must check the plastic fuel tank and fuel hose connections on my wifes car.

Depends on the type of plastic, grade etc. PEEK for instance will not swell , neither will Delrins or most acetals including PU's. Some plastics may suffer from embrittlement.

 

[xtrailman]

Also silicon will attack some rubbers.
I found this out when the toilet sealing gasket swelled and distorted, due to the silicon grease i had used.

 

[terry.birchntlworld.com]

I always use Contralube 770 as that is what it is solely made for

 

[ChrisinSwansea]

I always use Contralube 770 as that is what it is solely made for

Perfect! Thank you Terry.

 

[Dustydog]

Also silicon will attack some rubbers.
I found this out when the toilet sealing gasket swelled and distorted, due to the silicon grease i had used.

Ray
Is Silicon grease similar to Silicon spray?
I use Thetford own Silicon spray on the toilet rubbers and branded silicon spray from my dealer on the locker box rubbers and awning rails.
Am I causing damage??

 

[Damian]

I have never known silicon spray to cause damage to seals, but I also would never use grease on them either.

 

[xtrailman]

Also silicon will attack some rubbers.
I found this out when the toilet sealing gasket swelled and distorted, due to the silicon grease i had used.

Ray
Is Silicon grease similar to Silicon spray?
I use Thetford own Silicon spray on the toilet rubbers and branded silicon spray from my dealer on the locker box rubbers and awning rails.
Am I causing damage??

We used silicon grease to pack electrical junction boxes to make them water tight, it has a very high electrical resistance.

http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/silicone.htm

But it was the only thing i used on the toilet seal, so i know that was the problem.

I also used the silicon grease to pack the towing sockets, and covered the road light metal bits with it to rust proof mainly.
The type i used was in a tube, like toothpaste.

I have never had any problem with silicon spray, that i know of.

 

[Daveg1]

I've always used WD40 but see no mention of it in the replies. Is it suitable for the towing sockets?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Daveg1]

Sorry I've edited out my duplicated response.
Dave

 

[Damian]

WD 40 is probably one of the worst things to use on electrics.
It is a water dispersant but is NOT a lubricant and after a very short time has evaporated, but it rots cable cores and attacks the kind of plastic used on caravans.
WD40 is , in reality, paraffin with a posh smell, nothing more

 

[mauron]

Couldn't agree more with you Damian, it's awful stuff for towing sockets........not bad for getting sticker residue off windows though!
Ron.

 

[Daveg1]

OK OK OK I will not use WD40 again on my towbar electrics!
Dave