sealing norseman swageless fittings

[orientalnc2010]

What is the latest opinion about using sealant? These will be bottom eye fittings on 1/4 stays in SE part of the US.
I want to use Norseman as I have some in hand, but I don't see the merit in sealing them. I fear lack of Oxygen in that part of the wire will lead to SS corrosion. (I have Norseman fittings in hand and am interested in this brand only for that reason....less boat bucks poured down the hole the water.)

[knothead]

Originally Posted by orientalnc2010

What is the latest opinion about using sealant? These will be bottom eye fittings on 1/4 stays in SE part of the US.
I want to use Norseman as I have some in hand, but I don't see the merit in sealing them. I fear lack of Oxygen in that part of the wire will lead to SS corrosion. (I have Norseman fittings in hand and am interested in this brand only for that reason....less boat bucks poured down the hole the water.)

Seal them. When you don't and they fill with water, they will be oxygen deprived anyway.
The manufacturer's of the fitting recommend that they be sealed as a last step to installation because they did testing on them either way and discovered that sealing them was better.
Don't forget to use locktite or equivalent on the threads as well. Very important.

[Cruiser2B]

guys at rigging only recommended window caulking from lowes for my sta-lok. they said do not use any silicone...the acid will corrode the stainless

[RobGallagher]

My rigger used Boatlife calk. Can't say if that was a good idea or a bad idea.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by RobGallagher

My rigger used Boatlife calk. Can't say if that was a good idea or a bad idea.

Boatlife is fine. 5200, 4200, anything like that. The silicone thing is true in that it does contain something that can etch stainless. But it's not a big deal because as soon as it goes off, which it does very quickly, the acid or whatever it is that's corrosive is no longer active. The worse it will do is discolor the surface of the metal slightly.

I've disassembled mechanical fitting that were sealed with just about anything you could name. They all work about equally as well. Which is to say a lot better than not sealing them at all. When I open up ones that haven't been sealed they are usually very rusty inside.

[orientalnc2010]

Thanks Knothead and those that replied, that is the kind of definitive answer I was looking for. I will seal'em.

[badsanta]

Do you just fill around the outside edges or do you fill up the insides before you tighten everything up?

[knothead]

Originally Posted by badsanta

Do you just fill around the outside edges or do you fill up the insides before you tighten everything up?

What you do is form the wire first, (make sure you coat the threads with locktite to prevent galling), by installing the fitting and tightening it.
Then take it apart and inspect it to be sure that the strands are formed properly.
Then add a little more locktite to the threads and fill up the hollow of the terminal with sealant. With Norseman fittings you will have to fill it, screw it on by hand, take it apart and fill it again to get enough to make sure it squeezes up around the wire. With Sta-loks you only have to fill it once.
Then tighten it up hard.