What works?

I am looking for the most appropriate product for lubricating
the breakers of our station service system in our power plants.
Basically, the breakers employ a complex system of gears and linkages to perform their functions. We only operate ours once or twice a year and the grease that has been used in the gears and sliding surfaces turns to the consistancy of cosmoline within a couple of years.
Is there a product out there that would last more than a couple of
years without gumming up the works?

These types of breakers should be maintained by a professional service shop at least every two years. At one time I saw a statistic that said, otherwise they have a 77% chance of improper behavior.

Operating them every 6-12 months or so is the best DIY maintenance.

Bob,

A good type of grease to use on breaker gears is military-spec aircraft grease (Mil spec MIL-G-25537A, ASG 9150-616-9020). Aircraft grease has to stay soft at a wide range of temperature and pressure. I have a 1-pound can at home (bought at a surplus store, made by SOWESCO, KC, MO) that is dated "1928". The label says "G-366, GOB, Grease Aircraft, followed by the mil spec number. It is still soft and pliable, about the consistancy of Jello, after 78 years. I use it on farm machinery.

I worked for ASCO doing switchgear for many years. Dow Corning 44 works very well long-term. Unless you have a specific warranted breaker like a Merlin-Gerin or Toshiba that specify white lithium grease you will do well with this.

I will not know as much about this as many of you but do know that each manufacturer will have exact specs for maintenance and greasing. Anderol 757 for the switchgear and NO-OX-ID for current carrying connections are common and recommended by some manufacturers.

Check the manufacturers specs to see what they recommend.

Thanks for the advice. The breakers are Siemens Allis and they recommend Molycote 557 for the sliding surfaces and Molycote Penelube for the rotating parts. I suppose someone could have used
NoOxid for the sliding and rotating parts and the gunk that is on there now certainly has the appearance of No-Ox-Id (cosmoline)
Since the breakers were mfg in 1984, I was just wondering if there was some kind of better product as they seem to be coming up with better stuff all the time. Again, thanks for the help

Those are still recommended today but there are requirements to disassemble, clean, and relubricate over X period of time. The one time I was ever involved had ABB and they allocated 10 years for this servicing. I doubt there is anything you can use that you can just leave, contaminants will eventually degrade any lubricant where it will no longer be effective.