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OT-potting with RTV silicone

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raymondj(at)frontiernet.n
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

do not archive



Is RTV silicone acceptable for potting electronics?  I know Bob 

recommends E6000 or equivalent but I have several 1/2 tubes of RTV I'd 

like to use up.  The item I'm potting is the "ballast for some cheap 

fluorescent fixtures that buzz. I'm hoping I can quiet them down.



Thanks for all replies.

-- 

Raymond Julian

Kettle River, MN

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ceengland(at)bellsouth.ne
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:03 am Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

On 1/29/2011 1:25 AM, rayj wrote:      	  Quote: 	
		  -->       AeroElectric-List message posted by: rayj       <raymondj(at)frontiernet.net> (raymondj(at)frontiernet.net)       

       

       do not archive       

       

       Is RTV silicone acceptable for potting electronics?  I know Bob       recommends E6000 or equivalent but I have several 1/2 tubes of RTV       I'd like to use up.  The item I'm potting is the "ballast for some       cheap fluorescent fixtures that buzz. I'm hoping I can quiet them       down.       

       

       Thanks for all replies.       

     	
     If the label doesn't say 'sensor         safe' or something similar, it's likely that it will be         corrosive. If you're just potting the transformer, it might not         corrode fast enough to matter, but I'd be really leery about         using it on a circuit board.

         

         Charlie

             [quote][b]

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:11 am Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

At 02:25 AM 1/29/2011, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



do not archive



Is RTV silicone acceptable for potting electronics?  I know Bob 

recommends E6000 or equivalent but I have several 1/2 tubes of RTV 

I'd like to use up.  The item I'm potting is the "ballast for some 

cheap fluorescent fixtures that buzz. I'm hoping I can quiet them down.


	


    "Potting" implies a material that will set up

    in what's called "deep section". Exemplar materials

    are those that use a catalyst to effect a chemical

    reaction throughout the mass of potting compound.



    RTV's I've encountered come in both catalytic

    and environmentally "set". I think that

    materials that come in tubes are set up

    by moisture in the air. E6000 and other cements

    set up when solvents evaporate. Both will eventually

    get firm throughout the mass but E6000 can take

    days, RTV might take months.



    Rather than "pot", try "coating". The buzzing will

    be mitigated by adding any dampening mass to the devices

    that vibrate. Use a thin layer of any non-catalytic

    material over the offending devices. Let that set

    up (perhaps a couple days) and apply another coat

    if the first treatment is insufficient.



    But putting the devices in a potting form and filling

    it with any non-catalytic material will leave a

    liquid interior that may take a very long time

    to firm up.  The garden variety RTV's smell like

    vinegar . . . not sure about the details of their

    functional chemistry but I do know that the acetic

    acid is antagonistic to metals during the cure

    cycle. I observed that fact in a $thousand$ boo-boo

    at Cessna about 40 years ago!



    There are RTVs that don't smell like pickles, if

    that's the variety you have, you can go forward

    with very little risk.

   Bob . . .

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pwmac(at)sisna.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:36 am Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

Correct and that brand uses an acid .

  Having said that you can still buy RTV that contaons no acid.

The no acid type is what the Kitfox guys use to bond the fiberglass 

tank to the Al spar.

Avoid the acetic acid mentioned on the label.

All use moisture as the curing catalyst.

PaulW

======

At 06:06 AM 1/29/2011, Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  The garden variety RTV's smell like

    vinegar . .

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Tundra10

Joined: 14 Jun 2010
Posts: 102
Location: Scarborough, Ontario

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:37 am Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

You can buy silicone without acetic acid at the pet store - used for  

sealing aquariums.  I haven't tried it for potting though.



Jeff Page

Dream Aircraft Tundra #10

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:57 am Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

At 10:30 AM 1/30/2011, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



You can buy silicone without acetic acid at the pet store - used for

sealing aquariums.  I haven't tried it for potting though.


	


    Thank you! I'd forgotten about that. I think the

    same grade of RTV is approved for situations that

    come into contact with food.



    I'm pretty sure this stuff would do the job if applied

    in several layers of 1/4" or less and allowed to cure

    before more is added.

        Bob . . .

                    ////

                   (o o)

    ===========o00o=(_)=o00o=========

    < Go ahead, make my day . . .   >

    < show me where I'm wrong.      >

    =================================

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raymondj(at)frontiernet.n
Guest

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:23 pm Post subject: OT-potting with RTV silicone

do not archive



Thanks to all for the info.   I'm going to go with a coating of E 6000 

and I'll add additional layers  of RTV, if necessary.



Raymond Julian

Kettle River, MN



On 01/30/2011 01:15 PM, Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com>



 At 10:30 AM 1/30/2011, you wrote:

> 

>

> You can buy silicone without acetic acid at the pet store - used for

> sealing aquariums. I haven't tried it for potting though.



 Thank you! I'd forgotten about that. I think the

 same grade of RTV is approved for situations that

 come into contact with food.



 I'm pretty sure this stuff would do the job if applied

 in several layers of 1/4" or less and allowed to cure

 before more is added.

 Bob . . .

 ////

 (o o)

 ===========o00o=(_)=o00o=========

 < Go ahead, make my day . . . >

 < show me where I'm wrong. >

 =================================

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