Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Excal Battery Pod & Silicone Grease

T

Tony in FL

Full Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
249
Location
Gulf Coast Florida
I was wondering what other users feel the best course of action is for maintenance of the Excal battery pod. The Minelab manual states the following:

As part of the manufacturing process, Minelab applies a silicone grease to
the battery cable connector pins. This prevents a build-up of residual
water and reduces the level of electrolysis between the two pins, which
in turn prolongs the serviceability of your unit. This grease should be
reapplied as part of your routine care and maintenance.

So it sounds like they are suggesting to periodically put silicone grease on the two connectors that get inserted into the positive / negative slots in the battery. In searching various forums I have also read user recommendations that silicone grease should be used on both sides of the rubber gasket and the screw threads. Furthermore I have heard some recommend not putting silicone grease on the connectors which seems to contradict what Minelab recommends. Any thoughts?
 
Castrol is excellent and cheap ....
 

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You can get the waterproof grease in the plumbing aisle at lowes/home depot.Doesn't take much.Wish someone would post where to get replacement gaskets.The scary thing is when the battery pod cracks like Stavr's did.Wish they'd made the end out of Lexan.Wish my dad was still alive.Could get him to make some ends since he was a machinist.
 
itsaring! said:
You can get the waterproof grease in the plumbing aisle at lowes/home depot.Doesn't take much.Wish someone would post where to get replacement gaskets.The scary thing is when the battery pod cracks like Stavr's did.Wish they'd made the end out of Lexan.Wish my dad was still alive.Could get him to make some ends since he was a machinist.
Click to expand...

this crack box batt more than 3 years
 
Silicone grease is good to use. You can also put a bit on the inside of your legs to stop the squeaking when you walk. :laughing: Sorry, I was just watched Pink on TV and thought about thighs for some reason. ;)
 
I use plumbers silicone as well..... but dangggg Stavr thats a friggen mess. I dont think thats what ML quite had in mind. Id have sugar sand all over that and nothing would work. By the way.... someone just pointed it out to me Stavr its possible yours cracked because i dont see that rubber gasket on yours.

Dew
 
Thanks for the response everyone. Since the gasket is the critical link that ultimately forms the seal, even though Minelab does not recommend it, I can see that adding a light coat on both sides of the gasket may be beneficial - perhaps helping to form a better seal and giving the gasket a longer life.

I can also see following Minelab's guideline of putting some on the connectors to prevent corrosion. Although perhaps a very light coating may be optimal as I wonder if too think a coating could interfere with the electrical connectivity.

As for the plastic threads I am not sure I see any benefit to include grease there as the threads are not where the seal occurs and it seems that grease on the threads would likely be a sand magnet.

:?:
 
I've always used dielectric grease on contacts and silicone grease on o-rings.
 
I have been doing what the manual recommends for 10 years with this Excalibur and everything is still perfect at the battery connection end.
 
Hmmmm I never grease that area. I only use grease on the ends of the excal pod when I remove the ends for maintenance :roll:
 
After every hunt, I wash off machine and then, unplug battery and use a product called T9 and spray it on a paper towel and wipe those areas,,,,,it is a product designed for marine electronics that I use on my boats,,,had not had any issues there,,,,HOWEVER, the black caps on the ends of the control unit and battery have worked their way loose and wondering on reattaching them,,,,:?:
 
Dielectric grease is a non-conductive silicone grease. Used to prevent corrosion on electrical conductors, I've been useing it on all of my gear since day one!

HH
 
I use siliconee on my connection. it's easy to get in small tubs from local dive shops. we use it on "O" rings and such.
 
I use a touch of silicone every now and then

but i replace the gasket every summer........cost is about 2.30 from ikelike and remember, you have a spare one on the charger plug this is not needed for the charging system.

ruslan - u have a lot of castrol on yours :)
 
Can Slaw i know they gave me that book for something..... never thought about reading it.

Dew
 
Max-VaBeach-Va said:
but i replace the gasket every summer........cost is about 2.30 from ikelike and remember, you have a spare one on the charger plug this is not needed for the charging system.

ruslan - u have a lot of castrol on yours :)
Click to expand...
My Excal did not have an extra gasket on the charging plug. Guess they stopped doing that when they increased the price. :D About the Castrol Ruslan posted, it is a motor oil here in the US. You could get the same results or better from axle grease is my guess. Grease is thicker and does not damage plastic. It would keep the water out and the corrosion from salt water. If Ruslan does not have a gasket it should not matter. The amount of grease he has will do the trick. Salt water can't get in to that mess. Diver silicone is preferred with a gasket but we can buy it easy here in the US. In some countries they have to improvise due to limitations on products or money and even buying a cheap gasket may be costly. They pay over $5 a gallon for gasoline and that is the norm. Any petrol product costs them more in the Ukraine.
 
dewcon said:
I use plumbers silicone as well..... but dangggg Stavr thats a friggen mess. I dont think thats what ML quite had in mind. Id have sugar sand all over that and nothing would work. By the way.... someone just pointed it out to me Stavr its possible yours cracked because i dont see that rubber gasket on yours.

Dew
Click to expand...
there is no need in this gasket .
is not water resistant!
 
imalookin2 said:
My Excal did not have an extra gasket on the charging plug. Guess they stopped doing that when they increased the price. :D About the Castrol Ruslan posted, it is a motor oil here in the US. You could get the same results or better from axle grease is my guess. Grease is thicker and does not damage plastic. It would keep the water out and the corrosion from salt water. If Ruslan does not have a gasket it should not matter. The amount of grease he has will do the trick. Salt water can't get in to that mess. Diver silicone is preferred with a gasket but we can buy it easy here in the US. In some countries they have to improvise due to limitations on products or money and even buying a cheap gasket may be costly. They pay over $5 a gallon for gasoline and that is the norm. Any petrol product costs them more in the Ukraine.
Click to expand...
Castrol better lubricants silicone (IMHO)
the resistance is more at times!
thus it has an additive metals from corrosion.

I have a very good Italian expensive silicone grease, but it is not the case .... :)

ps: A95 liter of gasoline costs $ 1.3 in Ukraine
 
Stavr.... still looks messy taking that thing on and off to recharge. I was in Germany 6 years with the military they gave us gas rations the gas was so high even back then. Is it possible on some of those stress cracks the prongs are to close and it causes an electrolysis affect causing constant heating and cooling? Ive also heard the threaded piece may be to long on some... it seems to serve no purpose but to ensure you get the prongs in the correct hole.

Dew
 
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