Copper slip or not?

[Dieseldonkey]

Hi,
I'm just starting off, building a layout in ther garden. I'm using Aristocraft 6.5 diameter curves and possibly Piko R5 points. I know the Aristo track screws together at the fish plates but should I also use conductive paste of some sort. If so which is best? Is copper slip suitable for this purpose?

Thanks

 

[Philbahn]

Yes used copperslip on mine 7 years ago and only one or two joints are giving problems

 

[stevelewis]

Hi,
I'm just starting off, building a layout in ther garden. I'm using Aristocraft 6.5 diameter curves and possibly Piko R5 points. I know the Aristo track screws together at the fish plates but should I also use conductive paste of some sort. If so which is best? Is copper slip suitable for this purpose?

Thanks

Its difficult to say whether the use of a conductive paste is of value, The concept had not been considered when I laid my first LGB track, it was a good 15 years before LGB sold Graphite paste in little tinlets!

However I did buy some and have used it ever since , I still buy LGB conductive paste, the price may seem high around £6+ for a tube ( the tins did not stay around for long they soon replaced them with tubes) BUT it lasts a heck of a long time
MY Second tube only in very many years is still about 1/4 full, it is convenient to use with its small nozzle. I also seal the screws on LGB point motors and 55024 decoders with a blob of the paste as well.

Just a point with Aristo track the screws do tend to work loose in time I check mine around twice a year, ( I have both LGB & Aristo track) and the use of conductive paste is recommended on Aristo track as the railjoners do not appear to be as good a quality as LGB and do tend to develop a whitish corrosion type film after some time, so the paste helps combat this.

 

[Gizzy]

Copperslip?

I'm in the YES camp.

Half a pea size in the joiner works for me....

 

[Wobbleboxer]

Whether it helps conduct the leccy, or just stops oxidisation in the joints I don't know. Either way, I'm all for it.

 

[ntpntpntp]

I remember this question came up on the old G Scale Mad forum a while back and we had an interesting discussion.

At the time I got hold of some Copperslip and some other similar stuff from Halfords and tested it with my trusty multimeter: I found it NOT conductive to any meaningful degree. I also got hold of some industrial graphite grease, and this was no better.

So as an electrical continuity aid I don't think Copperslip etc. have any benefit, however I did end up using the graphite grease in my fishplates to help keep out water and prevent oxidisation etc.

I must admit I've never tested a sample of the LGB conductive paste.

 

[LTfan]

I found it NOT conductive to any meaningful degree. I also got hold of some industrial graphite grease, and this was no better.
So as an electrical continuity aid I don't think Copperslip etc. have any benefit,

The makers of Copaslip don't AFAIK mention electrical properties.
I've used it to stop things seizing such as exhaust manifold nuts and joints, etc.
Suitable up to 1100 deg C.
Excellent stuff.

David

 

[jacobsgrandad]

the previous discussion seemed to come to the conclusion that it helped by keeping the joint clean rather than any conduvtive powers of its own. I have tried an experiment using vaseline and i[have had no problems to date.

 

[stevelewis]

the previous discussion seemed to come to the conclusion that it helped by keeping the joint clean rather than any conduvtive powers of its own. I have tried an experiment using vaseline and i[have had no problems to date.

I would be a BIT DUBIOUS using an insulator ( VASELINE) in my rail joints

I would much rather use something that is a conductor ie Graphite Paste, its relativley inexpensive and a tube lasts ages anyway!

 

[gregh]

the previous discussion seemed to come to the conclusion that it helped by keeping the joint clean rather than any conduvtive powers of its own. I have tried an experiment using vaseline and i[have had no problems to date.

Yeh, someone else uses Vaseline.

It's not meant to be conductive, just to keep the water out and so stop oxidisation. And really that's all the expensive copper paste stuff does. The little bits of copper in those pastes can't conduct the amps we need. Conduction is always across metal to metal contact. If you want proof try an experiment. Put a thin layer of copper paste on a piece of wood. Then take one of the wires to your track, and cut it and bare both ends. Put the two ends as close together as you can, without touching, on the paste and see if your train will go.

I also smear it around soldered wire joints before I put heatshrink sleeving on.

It's also all I use as a gear lubricant.

 

[spike]

I remember this question came up on the old G Scale Mad forum a while back and we had an interesting discussion.

At the time I got hold of some Copperslip and some other similar stuff from Halfords and tested it with my trusty multimeter: I found it NOT conductive to any meaningful degree. I also got hold of some industrial graphite grease, and this was no better.

So as an electrical continuity aid I don't think Copperslip etc. have any benefit, however I did end up using the graphite grease in my fishplates to help keep out water and prevent oxidisation etc.

I must admit I've never tested a sample of the LGB conductive paste.

Yep!
I did various tests at work with different voltages and could'nt get Copper paste or LGB stuff to conduct in any meaningful way. I used much larger voltages than we have on our tracks, 250,500 and 1000Volts.
To get any conduction the probes were virtually touching each other.

As pointed out the main use is to keep the joint from oxidizing.

 

[spike]

I found it NOT conductive to any meaningful degree. I also got hold of some industrial graphite grease, and this was no better.
So as an electrical continuity aid I don't think Copperslip etc. have any benefit,

The makers of Copaslip don't AFAIK mention electrical properties.
I've used it to stop things seizing such as exhaust manifold nuts and joints, etc.
Suitable up to 1100 deg C.
Excellent stuff.

David

We use it a lot a work, it makes dismantling a lot easier especially on stuff that is subject to heat and water.

We also use it on brake pads but use it sparingly and don't get any on your disks.

I have encountered people putting it in ball bearings, not a good idea unless the bearing is subjected to elevated temperatures upto 1100degrees.......same for gearboxes.

 

[minimans]

[/quote]



We also use it on brake pads but use it sparingly and don't get any on your disks.


[/quote]
Ummmm He mean's on the BACK of the pad's people! It really stops sqeek's if you put it on the face but unfortunately thats all that would stop!!!
And I agree it's stopping the oxygen getting to the joint thats important. thats why you use vaseline on battery terminals (or at least we used to!) just stops the oxygen causing the white shmootch.........................

 

[spike]

We also use it on brake pads but use it sparingly and don't get any on your disks.


[/quote]
Ummmm He mean's on the BACK of the pad's people! It really stops sqeek's if you put it on the face but unfortunately thats all that would stop!!!
And I agree it's stopping the oxygen getting to the joint thats important. thats why you use vaseline on battery terminals (or at least we used to!) just stops the oxygen causing the white shmootch.........................
[/quote]

Thanks for that Paul.......yes I did mean the back

 

[Bram]

I'm in the yes camp, I have used it on all my rail joiners and I have only one input to the rails ( one for each rail before one of you asks) and there is no voltage problems