Changed my mind about using thermal paste on avionics connectors

I always thought putting thermal paste on connector pins was a bad idea, something only hacks did. Then I read a detailed report from the NTSB about a 2018 in-flight failure caused by thermal runaway in a connector block. They found that using a specific non-conductive paste actually reduced resistance by 12% in high-heat environments. One of the maintenance engineers quoted in the report said 'It's not about making the connection better, it's about keeping the connection stable.' I tried it on a set of old pitot-static connectors we had in the shop and saw the temp drop by 15 degrees after a bench test. Has anyone else here seen official guidance on this from a manufacturer like Honeywell or Collins?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler6145d ago

Guess I see it differently, thermal paste still feels like asking for trouble in an avionics bay.

the_julia5d ago

Nah, tons of avionics gear uses paste just fine.