Topic: General: What do you use for cleaning electrical connections?

[MCRider]

Mostly of the single wire, male/female types.

I figure some emory paper or any of a number of brushes for the males.

I've got some tube brushes but they're not small enough to get in the female connectors. I could order some mini tube brushes, but thought I'd ask if there is a good DIY tool.

[tlbranth]

I've been dancing around this problem for a long time. I'm thinking a .177 pellet gun brush might work on the female connectors. White vinegar cleans things off fairly well too.

[WarwickE36]

Napa sells and electrical aerosol cleaner.  I usually use that in combination with a wire brush, and a follow up with dielectric grease. 

[madmtnmotors]

For the female bullet connectors I have an assortment of inexpensive diamond stones for my Dremel tool (low speed) followed up with contact cleaner, compressed air, and di-electric grease. For the female spade connectors I cut a narrow strip of tin the same width as the male spade. I then cut narrow strips of 220 sandpaper that I fold over the strip of tin and use this to clean the female spade, then I take pliers and pinch the connector to tighten it up a little (both female spade and bullet) followed by contact cleaner, compressed air, and di-electric grease. For multi-connector blocks I remove each connector from the block so I can pinch it when I'm done. It's a painfully slow process, but well wort it if you are having problems. My main fuse was melting. Damnedest thing, it would not blow, but the plastic housing around the original glass fuse melted but the fuse did not blow. I bypassed this with a spade fuse and eventually the spade fuse melted, but did not blow either. I have been cleaning contacts a little at a time and eventually will have done them all.

[VTCBike750]

Would small dental brushes. Look like very tiny pipe cleaners, but stiffer.

[MCRider]

All good ideas. I have some aerosol contact cleaner. But it comes out at such a high pressure its not comfortable to use. But if i soaked some pipe cleaners in it that would probably do it. "Everything worked fine when I parked it"    so I'm not anticipating problems. The main harness and several sub-harnesses are new. But there's still those connections that need cleaning.

And I have vinegar too.  Looking in old desk drawers for pipe cleaners now.

Dental brush sounds interesting.

[TwoTired]

Go to the hobby shop and find some brass tubing a bit smaller than the round female terminal.
Also get some emery cloth.
Saw a narrow slot in the end of the brass tube, the length determined by the depth of the terminal.
Cut the emery cloth into strips wide enough to fit the slot you made, and long enough wrap around the tube enough times to fit snugly, but not tightly, in the terminal.
Chuck the brass tube in your drill.  Use low speed.
Guide the emery cloth into the terminal and twist just enough to remove any surface oxide inside.
Note if you use enough abrasion you will wear completely through the plating.

Re-tension the spring of the barrel terminal.
Then either spray coat with deoxit, or pack it will dielectric grease, before inserting the cleaned male terminal.

Cheers,

[Danno]

I use a Dremel polishing bonnet and rouge then clean it off with contact cleaner or brake clean

[ekpent]

I am not saying this is all good but I have taken extremely dirty,corroded copper wire and before soldering dipped it into the Works toilet cleaner and within a very short time it is gleaming fresh and new.I no you cannot use it on aluminum but may be worth an experiment on some brassy fittings, dip and clean and a shot of areasol cleaner for a rinse,dab of grease ,maybe a better life through chemicals.

[becken]

http://www.corrosionx.com/

[sopo400f]

I have a set of jewlers files that seem to fit in all the tight places.

[Magpie]

Simple Green and Q-Tips work for the female connectors and cleans the plastic covers nicely too. Cliff.

[vames]

Females: Needle file going in and out with some twisting.
Males: Dremel with wire wheel.
Squeeze the females to make sure they will grab well (sheesh that sounds dirty).
Pack the whole thing with dielectric grease.

[vames]

Simple Green and Q-Tips work for the female connectors and cleans the plastic covers nicely too. Cliff.

Not knocking the method, but I've never heard of simple green being used to remove corrosion - I always figured acid or abrasion were the two choices. I also feel like a q-tip would be too big to make it into a female connector without disintegrating.

[Ichiban 4]

Mostly of the single wire, male/female types.

I figure some emory paper or any of a number of brushes for the males.

I've got some tube brushes but they're not small enough to get in the female connectors. I could order some mini tube brushes, but thought I'd ask if there is a good DIY tool.

____________________________________________________________

Hi Ron..

I've used an airbrush with fine aluminum oxide abrasive..for years.  Need to get the kind that has a hopper and tip made for abrasive though..not the type airbrush that's used for paint.  Obviously..you can clean any type connector this way..internal..external..et al.  You can adjust the amount of cleaning by adjusting the amount of air pressure.  I usually run @ about 50 PSI..but more if it's really caked/oxidized..less for really small delicate stuff.

After abrading..you need to puff-out the connector with plain compressed air.  Then you're ready to go. This method lasts as long as with new contacts, connectors..whereas the chemical and rotary methods seem to require cleaning more often. 

Should be able to get an abrasive airbrush unit for around $75.00..including regulator..etc.  Can also get one through dental supply houses (used to clean dental crowns, bridge work)..but simply because they have "dental" associated with them..cost considerably more.  A very handy tool to have on hand..I've found.  Let me know if you want further source info.

Cheers..

Al

[MCRider]

Thanks everyone. Seems I'm settling on pipe cleaners. One fold over makes them perfect size for the females, spray a little contact cleaner on them and go. Had a package of them in a drawawer since 1971 when I smoked a pipe.

QTips with simple green to rinse and clean the covers. The QTips don't really fit into the connector itself, at least not what I've got.

I'm looking at my Dremel selection, but nothing is jumping out at me.

Don't want to spend any money Al, but your blaster sounds great.

A teenie spiral brush that I could chuck up would be nice.  I can't see how to make the brass tube and emory paper trick work as a simple folded over strip of emory is too big let alone a tube no matter how small. But that's probably a defective understanding on my part.

But I've got what i need. I'm on to the next thing, thanks!

[TwoTired]

Be aware that the plating on the contacts is rather thin.  It is very easy to abrade through it to base metal.  Once worn through, any exposure to the elements or atmosphere advances the return of oxidation very quickly.  If it has a coating of dielectric grease, then it should be okay as long as the grease remains.

It's is like scraping the chrome off a steel bumper.  Once gone, bare steel rusts fairly soon. 


FYI

[Lostboy Steve]

CRC Electrical Parts Cleaner Aerosol works well but I don't think it takes oxidation off.

[MCRider]

Be aware that the plating on the contacts is rather thin.  It is very easy to abrade through it to base metal.  Once worn through, any exposure to the elements or atmosphere advances the return of oxidation very quickly.  If it has a coating of dielectric grease, then it should be okay as long as the grease remains.

It's is like scraping the chrome off a steel bumper.  Once gone, bare steel rusts fairly soon. 


FYI

Thanks, I understand.

[MCRider]

CRC Electrical Parts Cleaner Aerosol works well but I don't think it takes oxidation off.

Coincidentally that's what i have. I referred to it as contact cleaner. Thanks.

[Ichiban 4]

Be aware that the plating on the contacts is rather thin.  It is very easy to abrade through it to base metal.  Once worn through, any exposure to the elements or atmosphere advances the return of oxidation very quickly.  If it has a coating of dielectric grease, then it should be okay as long as the grease remains.

It's is like scraping the chrome off a steel bumper.  Once gone, bare steel rusts fairly soon. 


FYI

____________________________________________________________________________________

Maybe I'm showing my age here (haven't worked on many later model electrical connectors)..but most have been either brass or aluminum.  Don't think I've ever seen a regular steel connector..that's then plated??

Just wanted to say that by the time connectors are corroded/oxidized..they're not worth much that way.  And even if abrasives remove whatever coating may remain on there..it's still better to get the corrosion off..so that better contact is made.  Most connectors aren't plated anyway..that I've seen..unless it's with gold or another more conductive material..tin sometimes I guess.  Silver oxidizes faster than brass!

I've used the air abrasive method for @ least the past 50 years..and never had a problem with the substrate metal oxidizing any faster than usual.  As Lloyd suggests though..using some dielectric grease would probably prolong the contacts conductivity longer.  Good point Lloyd.  Dielectric grease is almost a necessity using aluminum contacts..I know..as they oxidize a lot faster than brass or other contact materials.

Only drawback to using the air abrasive methods..I feel..is the initial cost of the equipment (which can be recouped fairly quickly if you use it frequently).  That..and the necessity to blow/clean out the residual abrasive after cleaning the contacts.  BTW: this would NOT be the preferred method of cleaning for complex electronics (like CPU's or PC's..for example)..due to the abrasive residue issues.

Just wanted to back up my comments a little further..as this air abrasive method..when used appropriately..is a real time saver as well as effective way to get the job done.

Al

[MCRider]

Sounds good Al, thanks.

I'm hoping I won't have many of these to do, the main harness is new and many of the components. But some of the left over components need cleaning.

But the air brush sounds like a good way to go.

[TwoTired]

I though we were talking about the SOHC4's barrel connectors.  Those AND the sockets are most definitely plated... With tin or or zinc, I think.

Zinc is often used as a sacrificial coating, as it will chemically combine with atmospheric elements before the base metal will.  Unfortunately, zinc oxide isn't a very good conductor.

Be aware that berylium contacts and terminals or berylium plated/spattered terminals may look like brass, but are far more resistant to oxidation and stay bright with good electrical properties for quite a long time.

I'm not aware of any aluminum terminals used on the SOHC4.  Aluminum would be too soft unless alloyed.  And the alloy won't have the same properties as pure aluminum.

[Eddie]

I have been using Tarnex to clean the connections using "good" pipe cleaners...the cotton ones then flush it off with denatured alcohol....then spray with Deoxit. Works on copper, nickel plated or silver plated connections.

[Danno]

my barrel connectors are tin over some other base metal i think copper but not sure