Bit by the non-drying GE Silicone

[Red Green]

Mostly and FYI post. Every so often the subject pops up in this NG. My story:

Bought a cartridge tube of white GE Silicone II at Blue Borg in March

2008. Expiration date of 10/2008. Didn't use it but kept it. A few days ago I had a need for some caulk around a shower and opened it. Suppose to skin in 30 min and dry in 24hrs. Days later it's still even surface tacky.

Wasn't sure what's needed to dissolve uncured stuff so I called GE this morning. Very responsive after a bit of a wait. Basically she says the cause is generally heat even with the unopened cartridges. Told her when I purchased it I brought it home and into the house which has A/C and it's been there since. Of course we both knew that we didn't know what it was exposed to between the time it was manufactured and when it got to the retail shelf.

Told her all I really called for was to find out what will dissolve the partially cured caulk after mechanically removing what I can. Won't really dissolve the half dried pcs but 91% isopropyl alcohol cleans up film. Fortunately I had done only a small portion of what I needed to but it still took 1-2 hrs to get it cleaned up the best possible.

Then she asked for my address info and says since it's opened they eat the cost and send a refund. Just asked where it was bought, the batch number and expiration date. Never asked what I paid for it. That'll be interesting.

She did mention that any product out on the shelves now should have an expiration date in 2010.

Because of the grief and added time & work, I self justified my taking it back to Blue Borg for a duplicate refund. They took it back no questions asked especially since I have the receipt. I picked up another one and indeed, the expiration date is 04/2010. Makes me wonder. If I bought that one in 03/2008 could that have been manufactured in 2006?!!! Would explain a lot.

So if there's anything to be gotten out of this post it should be that any GE silicone bought should have a 2010 expiration date and that it might be a good idea prior to using a tube to put some on scrap and see if it skins in 30-60 min.

[Billy Pilgrim]

good to know, thanks

[Puddin' Man]

A good warning post.

I had a similar problem with GE caulk some years ago. A hideous mess.

I've totally written off GE -anything- in the household/DIY arena. No honest folk on the planet have time for such BS.

Maybe if I ever manufacture airliners I'll consider their aircraft engines. :-)

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See" - the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

[Red Green]

Red Green wrote in news:Xns9AEAEE8239C9BRedGreen@216.168.3.70:

Followup:

Got a check today for 6.00. With tax, it cost me 6.04.

[Ron]

I had the opposite problem with the same product. Bought 2 tubes in a row that were dried up in the tube, even though it was before the expiration date.

They just have bad batches sometimes.

[tnom]

It's not just heat. It could be just the age of the tube.

I had a similar problem. I made an outside repair job using the same GE II silicone as a glue/sealant. It never dried. This tube was a used tube that I used a few years back without any problems at all. Back then it dried just as you would expect it to, but when using the same tube a few years later it just refused to dry. The tube was stored at

72 degrees the entire time between uses. Age was the only factor.

[Don Klipstein]

Sometime I believe in the 1980's when GE Silicone II was something new, I got some. It dried only a little bit after a couple of days.

I have used the GE "Glue And Seal" silicone and the Radio Shack stuff that appears to me to be similar (I suspect possibly the same stuff) with never a curing problem.

Now I am having trouble finding silicone rubber at Radio Shack, and silicone rubber other than GE Silicone II at hardware stores.

Any idea where I can get the good stuff that has the vinegar-like scent?

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])