Cleaning Plated Electrical Contacts?
in [Repair]
|
Prev: Oldest piece of working and still used test equipment ?
Next: Vertical color lines on Imiro HD-3201 TV
From: Jim Yanik on 21 Sep 2009 14:47 zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote in news:h98aii$54e$1(a)usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu: > In article <HmNtm.3127$tl3.2818(a)nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, "JB" > <nospam(a)goofball.net> wrote: >>> Silicone based products are really not a good thing, at least thats >>> what some say. However sometimes a silicone grease is used to >>> protect connections. Silicone sprays were common 30 years ago. >>> I don't recall any of the more common recommended sprays having >>> silicone. I see mixed recommendations of lubing relays. >>> Some say no, but I do. >>> >>> greg >> >>Silicone based cleaners leave a residue that protects against friction >>but tends to insulate. You have to break through the film in order to >>even have contact. I have found them useful for connectors that see >>lots of use, such as Notebooks, but I usually have to wash them with >>Isopropyl to remove most of what I put on. >> >>There is no point in lubing relays. Any residue will increase the >>likelihood of burning of the contacts. They should be cleaned and >>burnished with a non-residue cleaner and as minimally abrasive tool as >>possible. Bond paper strips will often suffice. >> >>Isopropyl Alcohol at 90% or better is clean, leaves no residue, won't >>harm most plastics and is the only recommended cleaner for many >>switches and contacts. Do not use less than 90% as there will be risk >>of moisture damage. > > I kind of like using 70% rubbing alcohol sometimes, with > its small amount of mineral oil. Any % alcohol can cause > moisture problems, even 100%. The trick is to warm dry it. Rubbing alcohol shouldn't have any mineral oil in it. I prefer 90% isopropyl.It also absorbs any water or moisture. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at kua.net
From: Michael A. Terrell on 21 Sep 2009 15:36 Jim Yanik wrote: > > zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote in > news:h98aii$54e$1(a)usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu: > > > In article <HmNtm.3127$tl3.2818(a)nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, "JB" > > <nospam(a)goofball.net> wrote: > >>> Silicone based products are really not a good thing, at least thats > >>> what some say. However sometimes a silicone grease is used to > >>> protect connections. Silicone sprays were common 30 years ago. > >>> I don't recall any of the more common recommended sprays having > >>> silicone. I see mixed recommendations of lubing relays. > >>> Some say no, but I do. > >>> > >>> greg > >> > >>Silicone based cleaners leave a residue that protects against friction > >>but tends to insulate. You have to break through the film in order to > >>even have contact. I have found them useful for connectors that see > >>lots of use, such as Notebooks, but I usually have to wash them with > >>Isopropyl to remove most of what I put on. > >> > >>There is no point in lubing relays. Any residue will increase the > >>likelihood of burning of the contacts. They should be cleaned and > >>burnished with a non-residue cleaner and as minimally abrasive tool as > >>possible. Bond paper strips will often suffice. > >> > >>Isopropyl Alcohol at 90% or better is clean, leaves no residue, won't > >>harm most plastics and is the only recommended cleaner for many > >>switches and contacts. Do not use less than 90% as there will be risk > >>of moisture damage. > > > > I kind of like using 70% rubbing alcohol sometimes, with > > its small amount of mineral oil. Any % alcohol can cause > > moisture problems, even 100%. The trick is to warm dry it. > > Rubbing alcohol shouldn't have any mineral oil in it. > I prefer 90% isopropyl.It also absorbs any water or moisture. Some has 'Oil of Wintergreen' but that is usually colored green. It is an old type of pain killer. They still make it, but they don't use real 'Oil of Wintergreen'. between the dye and other additives, I wouldn't use it on electronics. I do use it for some types of pain in my hands, from the Diabetic Neuropathy. -- You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense!
From: GregS on 21 Sep 2009 15:52 In article <Xns9C8D962E4C4CDjyanikkuanet(a)74.209.136.85>, Jim Yanik <jyanik(a)abuse.gov> wrote: >zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote in >news:h987mf$4bh$1(a)usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu: > >> In article <VqKdnWBSC88LBirXnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d(a)earthlink.com>, "Michael >> A. Terrell" <mike.terrell(a)earthlink.net> wrote: >>> >>>GregS wrote: >>>> >>>> In article >>> <f46025b5-ecf1-4d8c-b925-6dcb0bd5ca86(a)q14g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>, >>> Dubtron <swohlfarth(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >On Sep 18, 10:28=A0am, GeneO <geno...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>>> >> Have been Googling the proper way to clean plated electrical >>>> >> contacts but either get nothing if use " or a lot of nonrelevant >>>> >> hits without. >>>> >> >>>> >> Am interested in any suggestions esp how to remove the >>>> >> nonconductive oxides. >>>> >> >>>> >> If a connector is too damaged would also be interested in what >>>> >> are considered the best type replacement. >>>> >> >>>> >> Thanks >>>> >> >>>> >> Gene >>>> > >>>> >I have had very good luck repairing low current relay contacts and >>>> >mechanical rotary switches using "tarn-x" silver cleaner containing >>>> >acidified thiourea. MSDS: >>>> >http://www.jelmar.com/msds/TX_MSDS_eng.pdf. If you take the relay >>>> >or switch apart to get to the contacts, use a cotton swab with a >>>> >small amount of cleaner and apply to the oxidized (tarnished) >>>> >surfaces. They shine right up and the surface does not appear to be >>>> >damaged by it. Then dry and apply a very light film of silicone >>>> >based contact cleaner to keep the air away and help with >>>> >lubrication. Works great for speaker relays in amplifiers and mode >>>> >switches for VCR's. >>>> > >>>> >>>> Silicone based products are really not a good thing, at least thats >>>> what some say. However sometimes a silicone grease is used to >>>> protect connections. Silicone sprays were common 30 years ago. >>>> I don't recall any of the more common recommended sprays having >>>> silicone. I see mixed recommendations of lubing relays. >>>> Some say no, but I do. >>> >>> >>> Silicone based chemicals were banned from all telephone switching >>>centers with mechanical switching. >>> >>> The old General Cement "Tuner Lube" is petroleum based and doesn't >>>build up an insulating film like Silicone based products. > >contact wiping pressure should handle that "insulating" film. >Only TEK "HF switch contacts" didn't have enough wiping pressure to deal >with films left from tuner cleaner/lube sprays. >> >> I got some of that stuff. For rubber and some plastics >> petroleum based products can hurt. I have been using plastic safe >> liquid CRC 2-26 but I really don't know whats in it. For those outside >> the US, if you use Cramolin Contaclean, it must be removed after >> cleaning because it will gum. Here is an old >> can. Check out the buildup at the top. >> >> http://zekfrivolous.com/misc/cramolin%20contaclean.JPG >> >> greg >> > >I used to use Tarn-X on TEK 500 series tube scope rotary switches,to clean >off the black oxidation. >It worked great,had to wash and oven-dry the scopes anyways. >You must RINSE the contacts after using Tarn-X on them. Been there. I love big silver plated ceramic switches. A friend used to say, he liked using both Cramolin Red and Tweek on contacts, together. The current Caig R100 full strength is also great. greg
From: GregS on 21 Sep 2009 15:59 In article <Xns9C8D969EE6524jyanikkuanet(a)74.209.136.85>, Jim Yanik <jyanik(a)abuse.gov> wrote: >zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote in >news:h98aii$54e$1(a)usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu: > >> In article <HmNtm.3127$tl3.2818(a)nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, "JB" >> <nospam(a)goofball.net> wrote: >>>> Silicone based products are really not a good thing, at least thats >>>> what some say. However sometimes a silicone grease is used to >>>> protect connections. Silicone sprays were common 30 years ago. >>>> I don't recall any of the more common recommended sprays having >>>> silicone. I see mixed recommendations of lubing relays. >>>> Some say no, but I do. >>>> >>>> greg >>> >>>Silicone based cleaners leave a residue that protects against friction >>>but tends to insulate. You have to break through the film in order to >>>even have contact. I have found them useful for connectors that see >>>lots of use, such as Notebooks, but I usually have to wash them with >>>Isopropyl to remove most of what I put on. >>> >>>There is no point in lubing relays. Any residue will increase the >>>likelihood of burning of the contacts. They should be cleaned and >>>burnished with a non-residue cleaner and as minimally abrasive tool as >>>possible. Bond paper strips will often suffice. >>> >>>Isopropyl Alcohol at 90% or better is clean, leaves no residue, won't >>>harm most plastics and is the only recommended cleaner for many >>>switches and contacts. Do not use less than 90% as there will be risk >>>of moisture damage. >> >> I kind of like using 70% rubbing alcohol sometimes, with >> its small amount of mineral oil. Any % alcohol can cause >> moisture problems, even 100%. The trick is to warm dry it. > >Rubbing alcohol shouldn't have any mineral oil in it. >I prefer 90% isopropyl.It also absorbs any water or moisture. The reason there is oil in some, its supposed to give oil back to the skin after a rub down. After using alcohol on the skin its usually very patchy looking removing the oils. I didn't exactly point out, even using 100% alcohol on things, and you will get water build up, after the alcohol starts absorbing it, and dries, leaving water. Plus, 100% is contaminated with drying agents. greg
From: GregS on 21 Sep 2009 16:13
In article <7vmdnRX3pa4nSCrXnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d(a)earthlink.com>, "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terrell(a)earthlink.net> wrote: > >Jim Yanik wrote: >> >> zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote in >> news:h98aii$54e$1(a)usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu: >> >> > In article <HmNtm.3127$tl3.2818(a)nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, "JB" >> > <nospam(a)goofball.net> wrote: >> >>> Silicone based products are really not a good thing, at least thats >> >>> what some say. However sometimes a silicone grease is used to >> >>> protect connections. Silicone sprays were common 30 years ago. >> >>> I don't recall any of the more common recommended sprays having >> >>> silicone. I see mixed recommendations of lubing relays. >> >>> Some say no, but I do. >> >>> >> >>> greg >> >> >> >>Silicone based cleaners leave a residue that protects against friction >> >>but tends to insulate. You have to break through the film in order to >> >>even have contact. I have found them useful for connectors that see >> >>lots of use, such as Notebooks, but I usually have to wash them with >> >>Isopropyl to remove most of what I put on. >> >> >> >>There is no point in lubing relays. Any residue will increase the >> >>likelihood of burning of the contacts. They should be cleaned and >> >>burnished with a non-residue cleaner and as minimally abrasive tool as >> >>possible. Bond paper strips will often suffice. >> >> >> >>Isopropyl Alcohol at 90% or better is clean, leaves no residue, won't >> >>harm most plastics and is the only recommended cleaner for many >> >>switches and contacts. Do not use less than 90% as there will be risk >> >>of moisture damage. >> > >> > I kind of like using 70% rubbing alcohol sometimes, with >> > its small amount of mineral oil. Any % alcohol can cause >> > moisture problems, even 100%. The trick is to warm dry it. >> >> Rubbing alcohol shouldn't have any mineral oil in it. >> I prefer 90% isopropyl.It also absorbs any water or moisture. > > > Some has 'Oil of Wintergreen' but that is usually colored green. It >is an old type of pain killer. They still make it, but they don't use >real 'Oil of Wintergreen'. between the dye and other additives, I >wouldn't use it on electronics. I do use it for some types of pain in >my hands, from the Diabetic Neuropathy. You will get dry patches of blue. I got an experiance I never felt. I eat hot peppers all the time, and have heard of capsation rub for pain. Capsation particles are extremely small and float in the air. Well, I was cleaning some Habenero and jalape�o peppers in haste scraping the seeds out and taking most of the core. Besides having to wash hands many times and being carefull, after about 20 minuites I started to feel the action penetrating the skin on my hands. They were tingly, much the same as a burn would do but mild. It wasn't a real bad feeling, but I could see how it might numb pain in the joints. Also try vitamin D. If your out in the sun, forget it. Just take minerals. 1000-2000 units D-3. greg |