Dish Lubrication

[iBoston]

I bought special lubricant that is excellent for cold weather. I lubricated all the pivots, and joints, and i took the motors apart and lubricated the gears and motor.

I swapped polarization on one when i put it back together. Had to switch the wires on the back of the actuator.. Ooops..

I am hoping this will resolve the problem of stuck dish. Last winter, when the temperature got below 10F, the dish would become sticky and the actuator motor would complain. I'm hoping this will resolve the issue.

 

[Titanium]

What brand and type of lube?

 

[iBoston]

UltraLube (10373) Winter Grade Multi-Purpose Lithium Grease - 14 oz.

Low-Temperature Multi-Purpose Lithium Grease
A special low-temperature, cold weather climate grease formulated to pump easily
at temperatures to -20°F (-30°C). Has the same features and applications as
our Multi-Purpose Lithium Grease. Great for snowmobiles, snowblowers, ATVs
and other winter equipment.

 

[Jason S]

I thought I'd share another tool for the toolbox:

At the local NAPA auto parts store, I found Fluid Film lanolin based spray lubricant. The partsman said that it was used by a lot of local farmers for corrosion control on equipment.

Being that it was paint safe, I thought I'd try it- especially for my classic trucks. Using it where I'd normally use lithium spray (i.e., latches, door hinges & tailgates), it penetrates quick and seems to have good staying power. The label states uses from guns to snowmobiles to inhibiting snow and ice buildup.

 

[Cham]

Actually I don't think Fluid Film is what I would call paint safe...
I've used it in the past to remove paint on parts that require press fitting etc. Just spray on and leave for an hour or two, and the paint scrapes right off... Really handy for removing paint without having the bare metal rust from moisture/air contact when using harsher chemicals or heat.
It IS a great lubricant and rust penetrant. Just be careful where you spray it!

 

[mikekohl]

I bought special lubricant that is excellent for cold weather. I lubricated all the pivots, and joints, and i took the motors apart and lubricated the gears and motor.

I swapped polarization on one when i put it back together. Had to switch the wires on the back of the actuator.. Ooops..

I am hoping this will resolve the problem of stuck dish. Last winter, when the temperature got below 10F, the dish would become sticky and the actuator motor would complain. I'm hoping this will resolve the issue.

Depending upon what lubrication if any was in your actuator tube before, and if there is or was any moisture in the tube, you may not have a perfect solution. In a gear-driven device like an old AJak H180 HH motor, it is easy to apply lithium grease and it makes a difference at temps down to about 25 below Zero F. Below that, all bets are off, and I normally did not try to move things in Alaskan installations back in the 1980s and 1990s. I mention moisture, because it tends to collect in the low end of actuator tubes and hopefully drains out a hole that should be on the low end of properly installed linear actuator motor. On a new installation you may get away with what you have done, but on any used actuator you may find moisture in the tube after a heavy rainfall, or simply from condensation when actuator tube is protected inside of a rubber bellows. No problem until it gets below 30 above F. Then you may have a film of water that binds metal on metal as the inner and outer tubes turn. I would suggest a backup plan for extreme cold: Not necessarily UL approved, but consider running an extension cord out to the dish with an indoor switch, or a thermostat arrangement. I mention an AC switch because you can simply apply power when you know the temperature is going below a certain range. Go to a plumbing supply store and purchase a heat tape. This runs a DC voltage to a heating element (the wire) which is wrapped around the outer tube of the actuator.
If it keeps water pipes from freezing, it should keep a water laden actuator from freezing solid.
Remove the extension cord when warm weather returns.

 

[Jason S]

Actually I don't think Fluid Film is what I would call paint safe...
I've used it in the past to remove paint on parts that require press fitting etc. Just spray on and leave for an hour or two, and the paint scrapes right off... Really handy for removing paint without having the bare metal rust from moisture/air contact when using harsher chemicals or heat.
It IS a great lubricant and rust penetrant. Just be careful where you spray it!

Thanks for the info. Thus far, on automotive enamel, it hasn't harmed or softened the paint on any of the areas I've used it. But will take extra precautions in the future.