USB Rusting What to do?

[neilpride]

Sandblasting and epoxy primer can do the trick!!!

[Delancey]

ha ha ha, not sure which is a more offensive hand gesture, sheep grease or gun grease!

[poiu]

You can also use 'superlube' standard grease. Non silicon and also is a good dielectric grease. A very good lubricant too. I use it a lot.

An alternative as a gun preserver type oil is Boeshield T9

[Paul Elliott]

You can use most any grease on an electrical connection. Very few of the greases are electrically conductive (the silver-filled ones are the major exception). The contact is made where the metal contacts touch each other through the greasy film. The grease is there to keep air and moisture away from these points of contact.

On a connector with small "wiping" (sliding) contacts, such as the signal connections in a USB connector, I would be cautious about using a heavy grease such as anhydrous lanolin. It takes a lot of force to penetrate the lanolin and I'm afraid that the contacts wouldn't punch through. If you do use Lanolin on these, make sure you use the thinnest possible layer. The USB shell/shield probably has enough wiping force to get through a reasonable lanolin film.

Lanolin is just fine for heavier contacts, such as 12V power lugs, etc -- anything where you can apply force and pressure.

I use spray silicone on my contacts.

Another caveat is that the grease should not react with the surrounding connector materials (usually plastic). Lanolin and silicone seem pretty inert.

[AnchorageGuy]

The interior of your boat might be an overly damp environment and you might want to consider a treatment for that also. We do coat electrical connections, but never a USB cable and in about 15 years, I have never had one rust. They get stored on shelves, in cabinets and just left out in the open. We have some on board right now that are 5 or 6 years old with no sign of rust or corrosion. We cruise in salt water, fresh water and have made many open ocean passages. Chuck

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

You can use most any grease on an electrical connection. Very few of the greases are electrically conductive (the silver-filled ones are the major exception). The contact is made where the metal contacts touch each other through the greasy film. The grease is there to keep air and moisture away from these points of contact.

On a connector with small "wiping" (sliding) contacts, such as the signal connections in a USB connector, I would be cautious about using a heavy grease such as anhydrous lanolin. It takes a lot of force to penetrate the lanolin and I'm afraid that the contacts wouldn't punch through. If you do use Lanolin on these, make sure you use the thinnest possible layer. The USB shell/shield probably has enough wiping force to get through a reasonable lanolin film.

Lanolin is just fine for heavier contacts, such as 12V power lugs, etc -- anything where you can apply force and pressure.

I use spray silicone on my contacts.

Another caveat is that the grease should not react with the surrounding connector materials (usually plastic). Lanolin and silicone seem pretty inert.

Agreed, as stated previously the two brands I mentioned are available as an aerosol spray which is quite thin, one is also available in the thicker grease form. The grease form I use on battery terminals and dissimilar metal fasteners. The spray can for electronics.

[colemj]

No-OX-ID is electrically conductive and made for this type of connector.

Mark

[vRUN]

Pete,

(While I still have to see a quality mainboard to rust at any connector
and your description of the usb cable is correct look here)
I'd just dump any cable that shows corrosion

If you fear spray water getting into any connector openings,
Sony and other mobile phones have silicone plugs already in their micro-usb openings.

You might want to search ebay for something like:
"USB Ports Dust Plug Cap Cover"
...the chinese make them in all sizes for all of us.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by colemj

No-OX-ID is electrically conductive and made for this type of connector.

Mark

Actually, even though the manufacturer says N0-Ox-Id is a "conductive" grease, it's not really conductive. It's a grease/wax/solvent, and apparently has great anti-corrosion properties, but if you measure the conductivity of a blob of this stuff with an ohmmeter it will read as an open circuit. It contains no conductive material.

But this isn't a problem. The grease surface is penetrated by the metal of the connectors and a good electrical contact is made. The grease protects the metal from corrosion. From the reports I've read No-Ox-Id works really well. I just wish they wouldn't call it "conductive".

Actually, I wouldn't want to use truly conductive grease on closely-spaced connectors. I've used silver-filled grease before, and it would probably short out (for example) a USB connector.

EDIT: I could be wrong about No-Ox-Id. While there are some truly conductive greases, or greases with suspended metal or graphite particles, I don't think that No-Ox-Id is one of these. But as I google deeper into it, I'm finding lots of confusion and not much technical detail. Anyway, it should do the job. I also agree with just replacing the corroded USB cables. Replacing the computer / modem USB connector is tougher though, so some corrosion protection wouldn't hurt.