Since it's a slow news day on The List....let me toss this one out:� Di-Electric Grease.� I first bought a little "Taco Bell Sauce" pack of it at Kragen for a buck or two for use on my Vanagon horn ring.� Had and still have excellent results (along with filing down the rough edges of the contact spring which is part of the turn signal thingee).� I squeezed the rest of it into a plastic syringe...for later use on stuff.

Lately, when I've been having weird electrical phenomenom, I've been using the grease.� Both on Vanagon and around the house.� I just smear a little onto the contacts, rub it in to dissolve and remove whatever's on there, and wipe off the excess.� Then, I may apply a little more, leaving a thin film, right where it matters.

Boy, have I been having good luck!� Latest fix was this Halogen desk lamp next to my computer...it would sputter and fit and blink until it was warmed up.� Cleaned up the contacts, applied the grease, no more sputter!� Same thing with my cheapo $1 WalMart flashlights, spread all around the car and house....now they always fire right up nice and bright, no matter how many weeks or months since I've last used them, seems to keep the white flakey stuff from forming, too.� Same story with other things, like noisy telephone contacts.� Have even gotten to the habit of applying a little bit on things like bulbs on the Vanagon or whatever when I'm in there cleaning.� So far, only good news....but always the caveat, YMMV.

I'd love to hear news to the contrary or warnings....but so far so good.� My dad said that when he worked for the telephone company with mechanical relays before the modern era of digital electronics, the di-electric grease was the fix at his job at the Central Station.� Cheap, simple, works.� I mean, by nature, it's got to keep the moisture off the metal, right?

Rich
85 Vanagon
San Diego