Vasoline

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have read many times that Vasoline (petroleum jelly) isn't good to use as a sealant/lubricant for flashlights because it deteriorates the rubber o rings.  Is that true, or is it just another myth?

I've done it with my Mag Lights when working over the years and have never had a problem with deteriorated o rings, but then just because it hasn't happened to me doesn't mean that it won't happen.

Def

[Dunc]

I have read many times that Vasoline (petroleum jelly) isn't good to use as a sealant/lubricant for flashlights because it deteriorates the rubber o rings.  Is that true, or is it just another myth?

I've done it with my Mag Lights when working over the years and have never had a problem with deteriorated o rings, but then just because it hasn't happened to me doesn't mean that it won't happen.

Def

Have a look here def http://www.maglite.com/pdf/CustServ/D_BEC_6_041112004509502.pdf
It says " MAINTENANCE - Place a small amount of petroleum jelly on all threads and O rings every 6 months "
But Surefire and other torch ( flashlight ) companys state that you must not use petroleum jelly and use sillicon grease instead . I have used Vasoline on my mags but when I had my Surefires I got a tube of Sillicon and now use that .

Dunc

[Grant Lamontagne]

I wonder if that means Mag is using different kinds of o rings?  Or maybe SureFire and other manufacturers want folks to use a more "tactical" ;ubricant to make their products seem more advanced?

As Kelly Bundy used to say, "The mind wobbles."



Def

[Spoonrobot]

If I remember correctly Surefire wants you to use a different lubricant because vasoline, 3-in-1, and so forth actually inhibit the conductivity of the light. Keep in mind that some Surefire lights are pulling more than 2 amps per their voltage and when you reach this high of current you need all the help you can get to ensure brightness and runtime are up to par.

 I use Nyogel from light hound and have no complaints with it. Prior to this I used motor oil and never really noticed a difference in brightness/runtime after the switch.

You may want to do a search on the ol' candlepowerforums to see if there are any better opinions than mine out there. 

[Spoonrobot]

Here's what I found so far:

I use NyoGel 759G because it is one of the lubes that SureFire use. I got a 1lb pot of it a couple years ago. I've still got about 1/3 left.

"This gel type grease is mildly thixotropic i.e. it becomes semi-fluid on agitation, improving lubrication of the seal surfaces, but it returns to the gelled state when agitation ceases. The grease has excellent stay-in-place characteristics so it steadily provides free motion & water resistance."
[I had this description on file without a source, sorry]

if your lubing surefire lights, Surefire doesnt recommend the use of any petroleum based lubricants as it causes the o-rings to swell

Hi, I struggled with this question about a year ago. Vaseline gums and sticks after a while and is said to degrade rubber seals. Liquid lubricants tend to collect dirt and migrate into flashlight internals.

The manual for my Princeton Tecs said "use silicone-based grease and no other." After a bit of digging on the Web, I discovered that polydimethylsiloxane is the stuff you need.

After poking around a bit, I discovered this it's available at any automotive store under the name "dielectric tune-up grease." It seems to work fine for "above water" flashlights, and it doesn't gum up over time. Got a lifetime supply at Cdn. Tire for under ten bucks.

A caution, though: I don't know the purity of this stuff. If I was relying on a diving light for life-and-limb, I'd pay the boutique price from the dive shop.

I don't think that natural rubber o-rings have been made in many years - they have all been made of synthetic rubbers for many years.

Don't worry about the lube damaging the o-ring - use whatever lubricant gives the 'feel' you prefer.

BTW, silicone greases tend to creep forever and attract dust like crazy, without actually being good lubricants.

I find that a light grease works nicely and minimizes the amount that gets into the works, unlike an oil which can migrate around the inside of the light.

Of all the threads I looked through most recommended either Silicone Grease or Nyogel.

[parnass]

In the USA, you can buy silicone grease in the plumbing supply section in Home Depot for about $3.  That's what I use.

Here is an O-ring/chemical compatability chart:

http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/oring/oring_chemical.cfm?SM=none&SC=Hexane

[Grant Lamontagne]

Awesome.  Thanks for the info!

Def

[NutSAK]

I second parnass's recommendation.

DO NOT use petroleum products on o-rings unless you know what material they are made of.  Better yet, never use petroleum products on o-rings because you will likely NEVER know what material they are made of.

Petroleum products can make certain materials deteriorate or swell.



If it swells, ride it.