power distribution box

From lots of experience in this field, Karl, I'd be willing to bet it was the ground which had been lost, not power. Look for a broken wire inside the insulation or corroded ground connection.

Some people attempt to use the trailer hitch itself as the ground, and they're the ones who have intermittent problems. The rest of us have to troubleshoot their problems when we inherit the equipment.

-- You can either hold yourself up to the unrealistic standards of others, or ignore them and concentrate on being happy with yourself as you are. -- Jeph Jacques

My only long-term experience with Ox-Gard has been on the TV antenna, where it keeps the signal strong and aluminum hardware clean for several years.

Usually I put dielectric grease or LPS-3 on car connectors, but the Ranger had corrosion I couldn't completely scrub out so I hoped the zinc particles would break through it. I'm retired and don't have to drive through salted slush any more.

LPS-3 is about as good as anything else I've tried on battery terminals.

When I bought the truck Ford sold a special hi-temp grease for disk brake caliper sliding surfaces. They later discontinued it and recommended silicone dielectric grease instead.

jsw

Ox-guard is supposed to be for aluminum wiring. If used on copper wiring I could certainly see it having issues.

I brushed a thin film of it onto the male pins with a pipe cleaner.

jsw

This reviewer/blogger(?) suggests Kopr-Shield for indoor copper and brass connectors:

jsw

...

Why? It's listed for Cu-Al as well as Al-Al; what would be any different w/ Cu-Cu wire connection w/ it in contact w/ that Cu vis-a-vis Cu-Al and it in contact w/ _that_ Cu?

I don't see it (Ox-Gard, that is) as likely being the real culprit here. One generally doesn't need an anti-oxidant (really just a protective water/air displacement from the surface) on Cu is the reason it's not recommended for the purpose, not that there's an issue using it.

On automotive and the like the biggest problem is the preponderance of tiny multiple connections and that it is conductive so that getting any in the wrong place is a definite no-no. You definitely don't want it in a taillight socket, say. That's why there's dielectric grease...

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Perhaps I haven't read the details enough since I've only used it on AL-AL connections, but I was under the impression it was more chemically active, kind of like a flux, to clean off the aluminum oxide.

The connector pins are plated with tin and maybe lead, so the contact isn't copper to copper.

A glob of Ox-Gard reads open on the 2 Megohm scale. I don't have a functioning Megger or insulation tester to measure its high voltage leakage or breakdown voltage. Maybe I will in two weeks:

My guess is that the dispersion of zinc dust in grease isn't conductive until compressed in a joint. Nevertheless I brushed on only a tiny amount, carefully, and wiped the connector faces. I had used silicone on the Mass Air Flow sensor until confirming that its output is an amplified low impedance voltage instead of the bridge wires.

jsw

Interesting; I've not used it but a different anti-ox product for Al wiring; was thinking of conventional wiring in the Cu-Cu even though the app was on automotive or similar-style connections so mixed metaphors there, so to speak.

It's interesting as G-B promote the metallic conductivity as a feature and the abrasive nature to work through the oxide layer as the design feature. But, there is no available technical data backing up the claims I could find on the web site at least in a very quick look-see.

I still kinda' doubt it's the problem w/ the other connections, though, even w/ Cu altho guess anything's possible given the right circumstances/materials for galvanic action or similar processes.

On 4/19/2012 10:45 AM, Pete C. wrote: ...

The claim I've seen is it's abrasive so mechanically scrubs through the oxide layer to expose (then protect from air to minimize re-oxidation) fresh metal and then the Zn particles are supposed to be aiding in conductivity, too.

But, there's little _real_ technical data that I could find, granted...

Golite batteries? That sounds like the laxative they use for a colonoscopy ;-)

Just had mine Friday. what fun .NOT.

Karl

>>

Go Lightly is the name on the laxative you take before colonoscopy. over a gallon of the stuff. You sh*t your guts out for hours. Real fun, you should try it.

Karl

I was scheduled for one a couple months ago, but the VA requires you to have someone with you, to drive you home, so I had to cancel. I had one about five years ago. The laxatives were rough, but they put me under for the procedure.

Like Karl said, it reminds you of the name of the laxative used to prep you. I have the dry powder in the gallon jug from when I had to cancel my last colonoscopy, if you'd like to try it. I can 'Guarantee' that you'll spend most of 24 hours squatting in the bathroom and that you'll never feel more empty in your life. Then comes the camera! ;-)

If you are over 70 with qualifying service (war Zone) then the DVA in Australia will provide a Taxi to and from a simple doctors appointment. I have one booked for 1:30 today. Oh and pay ALL your medical expenses.

Beat me to it...

But seriously, fuses can go intermittent, especially ATO and ATM - the thin element fractures where it meets the thicker end pin, and unless you look REAL close you won't see the little black line where it shorts across and then goes open across.

If nothing else, isolate the fuse on that circuit, and change it on General Principles with a known new American fuse (this is NOT the place to use that Harbor Freight fuse assortment) , and the gremlin should go away.

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I should not have written that. Taxi did not turn up, Online System said job completed, Transport phone line said Taxi co. did not have car and would despatch from different company, Drs Receptionist said TOO LATE rescheduled to Friday. Taxi arrived to be told TOO LATE. Job wasted. Hope tomorrow works better.

This online stuff is just too much for some secretaries and others. There has been a comedy of errors this week with various GOVT processes.

Good luck. Maybe they can give you a bus pass? ;-)

A woman I know ran a Veterans' service office in OZ, but they recently fired her & the staff and closed that office, even though they couldn't keep up with the workload of new applicants needing help. We had discused, at length the similarites & differences in the two systems. Like the US system having it's own doctors, clincs & hospitals, VS OZ using the same system as everyone else.