For those of you unfamiliar with the product, Contralube is a synthetic gel designed for the protection of high and low voltage electrical/electronic connections and contact areas/surfaces.
The product is available in two forms:
1) 880 – a green coloured gel intended for high voltage/arcing applications including contacts, circuit breakers and disconnects
2) 770 – a clear gel for use with low voltage electrical/electronic connections and contact surfaces
The manufacturer’s claims for this product include:
– Prevention of water ingress
– Prevention of oxidation
– Halt vibration corrosion
– Prohibit contact wear
Since water ingress and oxidation/corrosion of contacts can play a significant role in faults with security products in external applications, specifically CCTV connections, our evaluation concentrated on these areas.
Corrosion
A simple test was completed using two steel nails immersed in water. One was coated with the 770 gel and the other not. These were then monitored over a period of five days to view the progress of corrosion. Discolouration of the water was noticed within a 24-hour period and the untreated nail began to show signs of corrosion by the end of day three. No evidence of corrosion could be seen on the treated nail throughout the test period.
Water ingress
Connections to both ends of a 10kΩ resistive load were made using wires simply twisted together. Each twisted connection was then dipped in the Contralube gel before being submerged (uninsulated) in a beaker of water. The circuit resistance was checked regularly over a period of several days to determine whether an electrical short or significant change in circuit resistance would result. Circuit resistance remained constant throughout the five-day test period.
In summary
Based on our observations during testing, Contralube 770 can certainly contribute to the prevention of water ingress to electrical connections and reduce the likelihood of faults occurring due to corrosion or oxidation in harsh environmental applications. The product is available in 8 gram sachets or a 25 gram tube.
9 out of 10
