# Dielectric Grease -vs- Silicon Grease



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Hey sport, where are you? You might want to update your profile with basic geographic location. 

Dielectric grease usually has silicon, along with other things that are actually conductive, as its primary water-protective component but I guess it would not have to be this way. I usually used it to for electrical connections in restoring cars that still had spark plugs, for example or even on garden equipment and battery connection in wet climates. 

What scares me is you say there is a big difference in what you are pricing? Are you sure you are not comparing dielectric grease to silicon sealant? This would be total apples to oranges. 

Silicone sealant will work fine if all you want to do is seal nicely wrapped and nutted or otherwise connected wires. It hardens into a flexible glob. You will have to cut its connector off, or dig it out of whatever, if ever needing to repair. And if the surfaces around it are not clean, moisture could seep in around the formed glob. 

It should be cheaper than a dielectric grease. What does your packaging hint? And how old is what you have? Nothing much worse than silicon rubber or grease that will not cure because it is past its expiration or has been stored wrong.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> Dielectric grease usually has silicon, along with other things that are actually conductive,


Dielectric means insulating properties. Non-dielectric is conductive.


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## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

Oso954 said:


> Dielectric means insulating properties. Non-dielectric is conductive.


 I looked it up. Dielectric means non-conduction, but not affecting electric field. Classic use is a capacitor, where you want no current, but strong electric field.

I have no idea why dielectic grease is better than plain grease, but the wouldn't make it unless it was.


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