What do people use to prevent corrosion of the pins on tiller pilot plugs and sockets? Dielectric grease? Conductive grease? Sprays like Corrosion X, WD-40?

Cheers,
Kinora

These sockets have a screw cap over them, which protects them. My socket is mounted on a vertical area of the cockpit near my legs. Perhaps you could use grease or vaseline if you ever felt the need. Otherwise, unless you are using data input to navigate, the only crucial bits are a red and a black wire for 12 volts. That's easy to solder a better plug or extension to.
I've never applied any grease, nor have ever had corrosion there.

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the reply. I went Googling and found pictures of the ST2000+ without a cap for the plug and with a cap. Mine came without a cap. The pictures that show a cap have it attached to the body via one of the screws holding the upper and lower halves together. Seems like a good idea. Anyway, the pins in the plug on my ST2000+ have rusted after ~18 months. I've bought a replacement and wanted to extend its life.

Cheers,
Kinora

I use Lanox spray. It's not rated as conductive but everything works just fine. The advantage over vaseline is the spray's ability to penetrate deeply. Once in a blue moon I use a Pikster (teeny little brushes used to clean between your teeth) to clean out the female part. And yes, it is essential to fit the cap on the socket to minimise corrosion.

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Kinora said..
I've bought a replacement and wanted to extend its life.

Hi Peter, unless you use data input from a GPS, any waterproof plug and socket could be used. I've seen and/or heard of Anderson plugs being used, but you still need a small entry point into the interior of the yacht for the wires, for when there is spray.
I like to keep my autopilot independent of other systems (or I'm low-tech), so just 2 wires are used in mine. The small rubber band between the cap and the O-shaped surround does deteriorate and I might have broken one once or twice. It's just a cap.

Thanks, Wongaga and Phil. An Anderson plug on a lead would make it easy to plug the unit in, at present the socket is deep in a compartment cut in to the coaming. I'll try cleaning + Lanox first as a quick fix.

K.

Electrical circuit board contact cleaner from Jaycar is good for attacking corroded stuff. Or MAF sensor cleaning spray, but it's expensive.
Innox is my go to for cleaning and protecting electrical connections. I used to spray all my engine fixings, exposed nuts and threads and electrical connections with it once every few months, it keeps everything looking like new. Lasts much longer than RP7 or WD40 which seems to dry out really quick.

Thanks, shaggy. Lots of options now, trial and error will be my guide. In an online review of corrosion protection for electrics (some sacrificial VHF sets, might have been Yachting Monthly), WD-40 came out quite well with one of the benefits that it did dry out and didn't remain sticky. Horses for courses ...

Cheers,
Kinora