Re: FW: How to clean Electrical connections (was: Wipers not returning to start)

[T Berk <tberk@mindspring.com>]

Nate Mellom wrote:
> 
> When I used to run my Loinel train set I cleaned the tracks and contacts
> with a plain old pink rubber pencil eraser.  Worked like a champ!  I've
> used it on a few electrical connections as well, and it worked slick.
> Try it.
> 
> Nate
> --

This is a good idea, but not a complete answer. let me 'splain:

Mechanical Cleaners:

the Good:

- Removes surface contamination.
- Exposes bright, shiny metal.

the Not so Good:

- Recently exposed metal is going to start oxidizing as soon as you
remove the eraser.
- Erasers and sandpaper, and buff wheels and other stuff like that
remove material, some of it bad, some of it good metal. Some of these
metal contacts are not solid metal, they are coated, tinned, plated with
a surface metal w/ a totally different metal underneath. 

Chemical Cleaners:

the Good:

- Cleans w/ out mechanical action, usually this means no loss of
material.
- Cleans away oils and other coatings (dirt) that may be insulating a
good electron flow.

the Bad:

- Can be harsh, can remove more than you bargained on. (Melted plastic
anyone?
- Might be flammable, watch out. ;)
- Different types for different jobs, the wrong one can cause trouble
don't the line.


By no means do I know everything but damned if I don't act like I do.  8
])

Peace,
TBerk

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