Is there a good preservative or protectant to use on cables?

[US6x4]

I've started noticing some severe cracking of the cable sheath on my H161 headsets particularly below the PTT switch near the coiled spring. The cracks go all the way to the wires and I'm looking for a way to prevent this from happening to all the other wires & cables. For reference, the headsets are E & F models of 1994 manufacture.

Is there a spray or jelly or anything that could buy me some time?

 

[jimmr]

The chief engineer officer i had put 'O' rings in baby powder, there must be some ingredient in there that'd help?

 

[US6x4]

The chief engineer officer i had put 'O' rings in baby powder, there must be some ingredient in there that'd help?

He would do that as a preservative measure?

Wonder what is in that stuff?...

 

[87cr250r]

Silicone or PTFE oils and greases are your best options. This doesn't mean oils with silicone or PTFE but oils formulated from silicone or PTFE.

 

[jimmr]

I don't know what talc is but "talcum powder" ............ I always thought plain grease would do it but i have seen somewhere grease covered 'O' rings or rubber stuff cracked anyway but the talcum powder seemed good although i was only exposed to that method a couple short years?
Silicone sure seems a viable thing but US6X4 wants something that's ez to apply and stays there a while, AND i'd guess it has to refract, reflect or block UV light? maybe something like they put on tires?

 

[87cr250r]

Tire shine is silicone oil.

 

[Guyfang]

Silicone grease. Thats what we used in the Army, and the units that were down range and used it right, had no problems with cables cracking at all. I think I still have a tube in the garage, if you want the MIL number.

 

[jimmr]

that's probably that clear electric component silicone, I have a tube from the '70's still performs like new.
good stuff maynard!!!!!!

 

[chucky]

I have real good service out of this stuff sold at CROWN brand forklift co. I keep this stuff sprayed on thick on all my winch cable on the drum and its keeps it looking new !

 

[chucky]

7-001 Chain Spray 10 Oz Lube: Crown PART NUMBER: CR363107-001 BRAND: CROWNhttps://trupar.com/

 

[87cr250r]

What is the base oil in that chain lube?

 

[gringeltaube]

Silicone grease. ......

that's probably that clear electric component silicone...

That! - if we are talking about sheathed electric cable; electric contacts; rubber parts, etc. (Not steel cables & wire ropes)

AKA "Dielectric Grease"

 

[jimmr]

That! - if we are talking about sheathed electric cable; electric contacts; rubber parts, etc. (Not steel cables & wire ropes)

AKA "Dielectric Grease"

 

[jimmr]

all the commo shops had it. green tube, sticky clear sort of stuff, non-hardening, used for contacts and antenna joints etc. I wasn't being very specific but the author here probably wouldn't want that exact stuff as it makes a mess all the time. there may however be a ingredient such as what talcum powder has that would point to a specific product

 

[87cr250r]

The green tube is Dow Corning Molykote 111.

 

[jimmr]

yea, mine is always at hand till i need it.

 

[US6x4]

Silicone grease. Thats what we used in the Army, and the units that were down range and used it right, had no problems with cables cracking at all. I think I still have a tube in the garage, if you want the MIL number.

I would like to get the MIL number if you don't mind digging a little.

 

[jimmr]

ok us6x4 with only a couple sips of coffee i embarked on what turned out to be a pre-coffee odysee where I found usa signal mirrors, (very nice) a pot stash relic from the 70's and some other interesting stuff but NOT that green wrinkled soft tube of silicone krap. I KNOW it's around here, you'll just have to hang till it shows up, getting the nsn off of it may prove problematic as the tube is about 2/3 gone. I know the sigbal mirror(s) nsn is gone from the wrapper like the atmosphere sucked the ink up! one finds different things when looking for certain sized stuff or some other metric.

 

[87cr250r]

The NSN is 9150-01-106-7078