hello everyone, i was wondering if floquil brand paints will conduct current? the reason im wondering is i have a set of ditch lights from details west and it says to paint the wire leads with an electrical paint to prevent shorts. any ideas or recomendations? thanks in advance!
steve[:)]
What you need is electrical insulating paint - somewhat similar to the silicone used to dip tool handles. This is thick stuff to coat the wire to insulate it. I think Radio Shack deals in it. Model paints will not work as the vibration will rub right through it.
They are referencing the rubbery material that you dip the handles of tools into to give them an insulated grip surface. BUT, it comes in quart cans and would last you forever if it didn’t set up first. An easier and cheaper way is to use shrink tubing over the joints. it looks like black rubber and when you heat it with a match or soldering iron near it it shrinks around the joint and seals it. radio Shack should definitely have that also.
Have you seen how small the wires are on ditch lights? Like hairs. Even the smallest heat shrink that works well on 30 gauge decoder wires is WAY too big. This is more along the lines of coating magnet wire used to wind motors and stuff. A good choice there is nail polish. Most spools of magnet wire are coated with varnish, but that again may result in a minimal purchase of enough to do a few million ditch lights. A small bottle of clear nail enamel would do the job quite nicely.
–Randy
Here is something I have used alot at work , liquid electrical tape and it comes in 4 different colors and in a smaller size than the rubber tool handle dip. Plus you could most likely find other uses for it wiring your layout or equipment.
The Radio Shack in my town doesn’t carry this stuff, I had to go to Home Depot to get mine.
Paint would work as an insulator but will crack if bent. Not likely to happen if applied to ditch lights. Finger nail polish would work better. The wire switch machine coils are wound with will stand flexing and is coated will enamel paint. It is sold as “magnet wire” and the enamel must be removed to make connections.
I’ve used the liquid electrical tape as well, with good results. I first ordered it from a mail-order hobby tools supplier, but it is now available at Home Depot in the elctrical section. I think its about $6 for a medium-size jar.