Basic Advice on Cleaning Electrical Contacts - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

shertex · #1 08-18-2011, 12:52 PM

Is isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol adequate for cleaning electrical contacts, or do I need to get some stuff formulated to clean contacts? What's the best way to clean the receptacle/female part of a contact? Stick a Q-tip down there or is there some better way?

Thanks.

Zacharias · #2 08-18-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Is isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol adequate for cleaning electrical contacts, or do I need to get some stuff formulated to clean contacts? What's the best way to clean the receptacle/female part of a contact? Stick a Q-tip down there or is there some better way?

Thanks.

I use light grit sandpaper on male contacts.

For the female I guess it would depend on the size of the actual receptacle. I've never had to clean one that was too small for careful attention with a piece of sandpaper.

But you could use a 'real' qtip with some contact cleaner or just spray in contact cleaner.

Don't use the dollar store qtip knockoffs they fall apart and leave lint too easily.

Brian Carlton · #3 08-18-2011, 01:26 PM

Women's emery board for the contact points.

Diesel911 · #4 08-18-2011, 01:50 PM

On the Window Switch Contacts (in my case burned some) I used a small Pocket knife to scrape off the burned stuff.

For male Electrical Plugs I have used 220 or finer Wet&Dry Sand Paper.
For Femal Sockets that a Blade fits into like the Alternator Connector I have folded the Wet&Dry Sand Paper and slide it in and out to clean up the socket.

For some reason round sockets do not seem to suffer as many problems as the blade type do.

What you uses is going to depend on how bad of condition what needs cleaning is.

SD Blue · #5 08-18-2011, 01:55 PM

Beware of using abrasives for cleaning. Too coarse and you can induce other problems. Some of the best "abrasive" cleaners I've used: Pencil eraser, Ink eraser for more stubborn corrosion and Mr. Clean Magic eraser.

The "specialty" contact cleaners are less stressful to the plastics used in connectors. For female connectors, the sprays are very handy and usually take care of the problem. Isopropyl Alcohol and even brake cleaner can be used but can cause the plastic to become brittle, which is more of a factor in 25yr. old connectors.

About the only time you need an abrasive of any kind is when there is corrosion to the point of sluffing of metal and pitting. Many contacts have a very thin plating of more conductive metal or "tinning" and abrasives wear this away very quickly.

Stretch · #6 08-18-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD Blue

Beware of using abrasives for cleaning. Too coarse and you can induce other problems. Some of the best "abrasive" cleaners I've used: Pencil eraser, Ink eraser for more stubborn corrosion and Mr. Clean Magic eraser.

The "specialty" contact cleaners are less stressful to the plastics used in connectors. For female connectors, the sprays are very handy and usually take care of the problem. Isopropyl Alcohol and even brake cleaner can be used but can cause the plastic to become brittle, which is more of a factor in 25yr. old connectors.

About the only time you need an abrasive of any kind is when there is corrosion to the point of sluffing of metal and pitting. Many contacts have a very thin plating of more conductive metal or "tinning" and abrasives wear this away very quickly.

I admit to being an "abrasive" user - but this sounds like a much better way of starting out and then resorting to abrasives for those stubborn stains.

Would something like this be good?

http://www.polywater.com/typefd.html

EDBSO · #7 08-18-2011, 03:17 PM

anthonyb · #8 08-18-2011, 03:23 PM

I use a pencil eraser, blow off the residue then follow with IPA or a contact cleaner. Works pretty well.

boneheaddoctor · #9 08-18-2011, 04:03 PM

Many higher quality contacts are electroplated....silver or gold...a lot of those on the Benz are sliver plated at least some of the older ones....abrasives will quickly remove that plating permanently, simple brass is most common however. I prefer to use a good electrical contact cleaner on both the male and female connections and plug and unplug them several times quickly before it dries...then use a dielectric grease liberally applied to both plug and socket to prevent new oxidation.

There are proper tools for burnt contacts....its not an emery board or sandpaper...its called a burnishing file....and they are very fine and seem almost smooth. Not many people outside of my line of work even know what those are.

You can find them at electronics supply houses.

Brian Carlton · #10 08-18-2011, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

There are proper tools for burnt contacts....its not an emery board or sandpaper...its called a burnishing file....and they are very fine and seem almost smooth. Not many people outside of my line of work even know what those are.

Agreed.

http://pinballmagic.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=86

Although a fine emery board will work acceptably well in a pinch. We're not rebuilding watches here.

You'd be surprised what other people know.

layback40 · #11 08-18-2011, 08:56 PM

Boiling water is good for removing corrosion products if you have the contact remote from everything. The heat causes the contact to dry off.
Its also good for battery terminals.
By dissolving the corrosion only, you dont damage the metal.
I have been told a product like "Tarn off" will do this also. Its used for restoration of silver etc. I havent used it though.

Diesel911 · #12 08-18-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Many higher quality contacts are electroplated....silver or gold...a lot of those on the Benz are sliver plated at least some of the older ones....abrasives will quickly remove that plating permanently, simple brass is most common however. I prefer to use a good electrical contact cleaner on both the male and female connections and plug and unplug them several times quickly before it dries...then use a dielectric grease liberally applied to both plug and socket to prevent new oxidation.

There are proper tools for burnt contacts....its not an emery board or sandpaper...its called a burnishing file....and they are very fine and seem almost smooth. Not many people outside of my line of work even know what those are.

You can find them at electronics supply houses.

If there was any Silver Plating on my Window Switches it was burned through years ago.
Also a Flat Contact Cleaning Tool is not going to get inside of the Switch.
The Switches have been working at least 2 years now since I scraped them with a Pocket Knife.

In my younger days People used to use a Points File or Flex Stones (a flexible abrasive strip) on the Contact "Points" on their Cars.
I have also used sharpening Stones for knives where there was room to fit them in once the Points were out of the Distributor.
　

Marvelicious · #13 08-19-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDBSO

x1000000

That stuff is EXCELLENT

Actually, I believe we used to use their in the music store where I worked. The gold is sort of a combination cleaner/protector and I can attest that it works. You can't imagine how many "broken" guitar amps we fixed with a shot of contact cleaner. It always made us look like great guys when we didn't even charge them for the repair.

Sounds like the D series is a little more "agressive" for seriously corroded stuff - y'know, instead of sandpaper... Probably more appropriate for our cars - most folks don't keep their guitar amp in their driveway, so its a little nicer environment.