Dr. J,
Grease is a conductor. Not all, but most that people have at hand. Put your
digital voltmeter probes into grease, and you will get a good reading
diminishing as the probes are separated. My meters are so sensitive as to
give a reading when pinched by thumb and forefingers of opposite hands. Wet
your fingers and the reading is increased. Add a little salt and it will
zero!
But that is not what is important. As discussed before, the white grease is
used and a MUST beneath your computer processor chip. The conductivity there
is for heat and it is very special, expense, and purpose required. The
importance is to help or inform people who just simply have a need to make a
better and lasting repair free from maintenance. Oh yes, I could have
insisted on the purpose specific di-electric greases, all of various types,
even the large tube available at Stasco, but that is not really important.
People don't want to make a special and unnecessary trip when simple things
they already have will work well for this application. Not rocket science,
that old black molly grease, yellow wheel bearing grease, the blue, the red,
vasoline, or even motor oil will work.
Sure, you ought to gently pull the insulated connector out, clean it too,
even use a soldering iron and build up the contact points, but then you'd
have to caution to push the wires thru the insulator before soldering so as
to not heat the insulator. I had already cautioned not to push too hard and
damage the little contact in the bottom of the socket. That old grease will
get in there, get behind that insulator in time, it's rusty spring or rubber
pusher, make the whole thing work and mover better and stop the
deterioration.
It can be a lot of work and time to clean and make better all the bulbs. For
inexperienced people, it's even difficult to know which bulb is the culprete
problem bulb. It seemed only important to offer a good suggestion as long as
your changing or cleaning a problem lamp, to do something that will
definitely prevent having to constantly repeat the same old job over and
over again.
Yes, not all greases will conduct electricity, but to say grease does not
promote and conduct electricity is dependent upon the grease. The grease
used in modern vehicles does conduct electricity and if you want a real
hands-on proof, just smear some under your vintage distributor cap between
the electrode contact tips and see if you can start the engine. It won't!
The 20,000 to 80,000 volts DC will just love what you did and fire every
plug simultaneously. Try it. You can wash off the grease with any carb
cleaner or brake cleaner spray. Just go try it. You will see.
-Eddie- Houston