What corrosion preventative to use on running lights?

[John Nantz]

Here’s one for all you boat maintenance techies!

It’s long overdue. Whether it needed it or not (sound like a boat owner?), I’m in the process of replacing my running lights with new. It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that this was done last but how the time does fly.

Anyway, the partial project is to coat the copper or brass components with some kind of corrosion inhibiting stuff. And by stuff, I’m currently thinking of using my old Sta-Lube grease. I think it was white lithium but since the can has seen it’s better days I can’t tell any more. It’s been a long time since I used this and it was purchased for a valve job on my ’63 Falcon and this was probably around 1967. Geez …. that’s almost how many years ago? Used it a few times since then but we won’t go into that now.

Back to the project. The reason for the white-lithium is that’s what I think was used on my pickup (1985 F150) taillight bulbs as a corrosion preventative. It looks like the same stuff.

I’ve also got a a couple spray cans of fogging oil (marine, of course), a can of Boeshield (can’t find it right now), and a bunch of other spray cans some of which I forgot I had.

Looking for any other ideas but preferably something not too complicated. This project is moving ahead …..

The new lights will have tea, er, Aquasignal, cozies to cover them when not in use. These will keep the UV and other weather elements at bay. For the install, I’m thinking of putting a dab of sealant or perhaps butyl tape where the wires go into the back of the fixture.

See pictures attached:
The last picture shows the old and the new backing plate. Note that the wire set screw thingies broke off when I tried to remove the conductors.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Try CRC, or other, Marine Di-electric grease.

 

[centerline]

Silicone grease...
It is what di-electric grease is, but the specific labeling makes it more expensive...
Silicone grease is waterproof, and almost all other greases are not... water resistant for a short while, but they will absorb water and hold the moisture against the thing you.are trying to protect...
Silicone grease wont let it in, and that is why they use it in fiber optic splices.. even if the outer membrane get punctured, the grease will keep the water from doing damage.

In an automobile that does not spend its life in such a harshly damp enviroment, the lithium grease is ok, and much better than nothing...

napa part number is SIL -GLIDE 761-1351 for their silicone grease..

the ONLY difference between the marine stuff and the regular stuff is whats printed on the label... there is no difference in the stuff inside the tube...

 

[HukilauMike]

Tef-Gel. You can get it lots of places, even Amazon. Here is the West Marine link:

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/tef-gel--corrosion-eliminator-and-anti-sieze-lubricant--P012222212

 

[kentobin]

Silicone grease...

napa part number is SIL -GLIDE 761-1351 for their silicone grease..

centerline,

That part number doesn't exist on the NAPA Auto Parts website. They do have several others listed. Any chance you can cross reference your part number.

Thanks.

Ken

 

[centerline]

centerline,

That part number doesn't exist on the NAPA Auto Parts website. They do have several others listed. Any chance you can cross reference your part number.

Thanks.

Ken

Then you might try the correct part number of 765-1351...

 

[Kings Gambit]

This might be it. One 4-oz tube would be a lifetime's supply for us.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...-Metal-Wood-Plastic/_/R-BK_7651351_0361072072

 

[John Nantz]

Mike - The Tef-Gel seems like interesting stuff. The description sounds like it is more for mechanical connections; however, there could be a place where it might work here. The copper items that hold the bulb are rivited to the plastic backing plate and thre is no way to put anything on the back side of the metal. Puting some of the Tef-Gel over the top exposed meal might seal the backside off. The bulb contacts obviously could not be coated.

Centerline - The dielectric grease option is one I hadn’t thought of. Surprisingly, I’ve used it almost everywhere else in the electrical system but didn’t think of it for this application. I’ve got a tube of it on the boat but I don’t know if it is silicon-based or not. For the path of least resistance, this’ll probably be the route I’ll go.

kentobin - re the part number: I was looking it up too and kept getting the 761 number. Called our local NAPA store and that’s what they had. Went back to this thread and two more posts! Centerline’s and King’s Gambit.

Thanks for the info guys. Sooo much stuff to work on. Gotta keep moving!

Edit: Nobody commented on my tea cosy running light cover!

I put some thought into this, sewed it up using my wife’s Viking Husqvarna sewing machine with Technara (sp?) thread. It actually wasn’t too bad. The bow port and starboard running light covers were more of a challenge. The steaming and anchor lights were replaced three years ago so they’re good to go for awhile.

Pictures were taken with an iPhone. Handy to always have picture capability available.

 

[centerline]

This might be it. One 4-oz tube would be a lifetime's supply for us.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Lubricant-Multi-Purpose-Sil-Glyde-Lubricates-Prevents-Sticking-On-Rubber-Metal-Wood-Plastic/_/R-BK_7651351_0361072072

The stuff is good to use on crimped wire terminals also... stick the end of the wire in the silicone befoe crimping... it displaces all the air and doesnt allow moisture in.. and then heat shrink the connector as usual...
Or anywhere a light lubricant is needed...

 

[capta]

I've been using a product called 'Corrosion Block' ever since I saw them at the Miami Boat Show with a coated TV operating in a fish tank.Yep, under water!
However, with those Aqua Signal lights it was a losing battle; one always failed when needed, especially after a long passage, when near shore. So I bought a set of sealed LED running lights and have never again had a problem.

 

[All U Get]

Edit: Nobody commented on my tea cosy running light cover!

I put some thought into this, sewed it up using my wife’s Viking Husqvarna sewing machine with Technara (sp?) thread. It actually wasn’t too bad. The bow port and starboard running light covers were more of a challenge. The steaming and anchor lights were replaced three years ago so they’re good to go for awhile.

Pictures were taken with an iPhone. Handy to always have picture capability available.

Nice touch, is that naugahyde? My wife made covers for the winches with it but used Velcro for the fastener.

All U Get

 

[John Nantz]

Nice touch, is that naugahyde? My wife made covers for the winches with it but used Velcro for the fastener.

I think it is effectively naugahyde but probably tweaked for better UV resistance. At least I hope so. Got it at Jo-Ann’s. It’s a bit easier to sew with because it’s so flexible compared to the Sunbrella-type fabric.

One could have easily used velcro, and it’d be less expensive, but I went the mechanical route. My velcro experience has been mixed because sometimes it works really well and others it seems like the stuff doesn’t want to really stick and I don’t know how to tell the types apart, or maybe it’s the manufacturers. The metal will look shiny when it’s new and will get “patina” (that’s a nicer way of saying corrosion) as the years go by.

As for winch covers, I’ve been looking at a couple of my winch covers as the Sunbrella (or what ever they were made with) fabric seems to have shrunk over the years and the cover doesn’t really want to go down over the bottom part of the drum so they are on my “fix-it list” (the memory one), but not very high.

I like Centerline’s saying "A Boat, like a Woman, likes to look good and be noticed.. give it lots of kind attention and adorn her with some jewelry so she sparkles a bit, and she will make you proud to be seen with her!”.

That’s so true. The covers on the running lights along with the same type on the dingy and even the dodger make her look pampered and cared for. And I’ve got a few more covers in mind such as one for the outboard (with selective padding to prevent dings) and including, maybe even, a boat cover for the off season. Already did one for the outboard fuel tank.

 

[John Nantz]

That’s impressive!

I've been using a product called 'Corrosion Block' ever since I saw them at the Miami Boat Show with a coated TV operating in a fish tank.Yep, under water!

Made a note about it and I’m currious how it works.

With the running lights, aside from the issue of a bulb burning out or somehing causing them not to work, it’s the lens clarity that I’m really concerned about.

Several years ago I witnessed the aftermath of a saiboat theat was t-boned by a high speed aluminum charter sport fishing boat. The powerboat ran right over the sailboat amidship and landed on top of the coachroof. This was in the dark early morning hours in Dixon Entrance, Alaska, outisde of Prince Rupert. The wife was below deck and was seriously injured but the husband was at the helm and excaped major injuries.

This was an older sailboat and the running lights were the teardrop type commonly used back then and may not have been up to current ColRegs standards. However, the plastic lenses sere seriously flawed - the red and green colors faded to almost white and the plastic crazed similiar to the picture of my stern light. If a lawyer wanted to get out of a liability suit, grasping at straws, they might pick on the fact that the lights weren’t what they should be.

Our local area is very urbanized with lights everywhere so keeping them looking fresh is, for me, not only a safety issue but for our own liability insurance. If I do everything else right they aren’t going to escape being held liable.

Thanks again for the Corrosion Block suggestion.

 

[Kings Gambit]

One common suggestion is to carry a set of portable running lights in case the installed ones go out. Remember-- they can go dark for more than one cause--bulb burnout, connection broken locally, entire 12-volt system goes down for some reason, etc. As to "visibility", I'm not sure what that means. I don't necessarily think it means "bright" beyond the minimum intensity required for visibility at a range of 2 n.mi; i.e., a relatively dim light might still be "visible." In any event, a tourist driving(?) a chartered(?) powerboat running on a plane at night would present a potential hazard regardless, IMHO! :cry: For all we know, if the guy sees "green" he might think it means GO [never mind sail versus power rules of the road]!

That gets me started on identification of running lights at night. I used to own a powerboat, a 20-ft Grady White, and when honking along on a plane at 25 to 30 kt you CANNOT let go the wheel to look through a pair of binoculars to see what is ahead at night; at least I couldn't. Even if one could hold them long enough and focus using one hand only, he'd still be off course in less than a second, heading in a circle etc. So, the powerboater would have to STOP and grab binoculars to see what kind of vessel is displaying those lights ahead if he could not read them properly. But, you'd think he'd stop anyway if there was a another boat dead ahead, etc.

 

[John Nantz]

Carrying spares is certainly a good idea but I’ve got so much “stuff” on board, everything from spare engine items to assorted hardware, lines, tools, etc., you know the drill, that I’m trying to pare down the shear quantity of stuff. I do have a hanging anchor light that I put out to shine on the coachroof at night and maybe it could be jerry-rigged should one of the running lights quit. It comes with a very long chord and uses the cigarette lighter plug so the ships power would have to be out for it to not work. Heck, maybe an LED flashlight taped on could work in a pinch.

As for visibility, I meant both brightness and color. The plastic red and green lenses have a definite color and if they’re faded and the lens crazed the visibility will be reduced. For our area, I’d really prefer the larger lights for boats 40-feet and up as opposed to the 39-feet and shorter size lights. Ours are the “25” and the larger ones are the “40”.

For the young’uns here, I remember my dad’s first boat and it had kerosene lamps and no battery or electrical anything, along the lines of the Pardey’s. That’s the way things were done back then, and there weren’t nearly the number of vessels out on the water. Compass for direction and lead ball for sounder. Heck, my first 16-footer didn’t have anything either. Used the swing-up centerboard for a sounder. For a powerboat, one watched the wake and when it started coming up toward right angles you knew it was shallow.

The sport fishing powerboat was a charted one, the type with a small “cabin” and twin high-power outboards (didn’t actually see the powerboat but that’s what most of them have) and a trolling motor, with captain. In the summer months this is a busy season for them and there are a lot of them that head out early before daylight with customers. With a quick turnaround they can book some more customers.

A flashlight can be shown on the sail and there have been a few times when I’ve done that.

The sport fishing charter boats pretty much all have radar because summer months get foggy so making sure the boat is a good radar target is a plus. I don’t remember if the sailboat had a reflector or not. Being trailerable it’s possible they might not have had one.

The moral of the story is “To be seen is to err on the side of the Angels,” and I’d add that’s both visually with light and with radar.