Hi Guys!!
Yup, agree completely. Used this stuff for years. If you're not
sure what you have, just smell the fresh sealant. IF it smells like
vinegar, guess what....... Dow-Corning made silicone that was alcohol
based. I've not seen any in years, but it's got to be around. It's
what they use to build aquariums. That's a much better choice for
sealing connectors. Or you can do what I've done for years. I use
silicone grease, as it stays in gel form and I use shrink tube over the
connectors. You can buy the stuff with sealant inside the tube, but
that gets pricey if you've got a bunch to do.
On 3/18/2013 5:36 PM, Charlie Cunningham wrote:
I agree completely!! RTV will outgas acetic acid for a VERY LONG TIME - almost forever! You
should try it in a high-vacuum chamber! Especially one that includes an "ion pump"
to achieve very high vacuums! RTV will "belch acetic acid in copious quantities virtually
forever.
Definitely need one of the newer gasless curing compounds that won't outgas
corrosive gases! GOOD POINT!
Charlie, K4OTV
-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
wa3mej@comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2013 12:40 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Using GE silicone as antenna sealant.
Gents.. be very sure that if you pick GE silicone sealant.. (RTV or whatever
you call it) DO NOT use the kind that has acetic acid in it.. Back in the early
days of NASA rocket launches off Wallops Island NASA lost a rocket they
launched. It failed because they had used RTV that had acetic acid and it had
corroded the connections.. litterally.
A friend of mine W3AUN was one of the people responsible for this launch..
Long Live Seal Team VI
http://www.qsl.net/wa3mej/index.htm
----- Original Message -----
Well, those GE silicone sealants are designed to have pretty high
resistivity and are designed to be insulators as well as for protection.
Main thing, I expect is that the highest temperature that you reach is the
curing temperature of the silicone compound. No heat guns! :)
I wouldn't hesitate to apply it over the termination resistors on my
receiving loops, but I haven't bothered
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Topband Reflector
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Topband Reflector
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Kim Herron W8ZV
1-616-677-3706
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Topband Reflector
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