Re: FW: How to clean Electrical connections (was: Wipers not returning to st...

[BFDEIHL@aol.com]

Gee, what a co-incidence... I do this for a living....

Gotta agree with T. Berk on this one. You generally don't want to remove 
material from an electrical contact (especially plated connectors). Unless 
the surface is really pitted, it's better just to use a chemical spray 
cleaner to clean the surface of dirt and oil.

Caig Labs makes a good (but expensive) aerosol cleaner called Deoxit. Another 
good (and more widely available) electrical aerosol cleaner is made by CRC- 
when shopping, get the "Control Cleaner" and not the "Contact Cleaner" as the 
contact cleaner is not plastics safe.

The best anti corrosion lube I've found for electrical connectors is Caiglube 
made by Caig Labs (formerly Cramolin Paste). It is a copper impregnated 
compound that aids in electrical transfer while lubricating and protecting 
against corrosion.

Something worth mentioning is many people will try to "seal" out corrosion by 
use of silicone RTV or similar encapsulation. This can be a mistake. If the 
silicone sealant has an odor of vinegar during curing-- it will eventually 
PROMOTE corrosion...

Dow Corning 738 is made expressly for sealing electrical connections. GE also 
makes an equivilent. If you want to use RTV to seal and protect your chassis 
ground points, check the product label for acetic acid before use.

As a last resort, if a contact or connector is badly pitted, and needs 
burnishing- a Rush stainless or Fiberglas Eraser is an excellent tool for 
removing corrosion and restoring the surface. These are pencil shaped brushes 
with retracting mechanisms. They are also used for removing ink from paper, 
some of the larger stationery supply stores sell them. 

 Another specialty tool for restoring relay contact points is a "Plastone"- 
which is essentially a thin emory board. These are available in different 
sizes and grits.  Emory paper is preferable to sandpaper for cleaning 
electrical contact points, as it doesn't shed so readily.

Sorry about the long post, 

Danny
Bunch of VWs....

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