"Cleaning" Eectrical Connectors

[TomoHawk]

People say you should clean the connectors & ground to get more voltage to things like lights. How would you clean the connectors? wire brush? I used some de-rusting acid on corroded lightbulb bases once. Came out real shiny. I don't think you 'd want to soak your connectors in acid.

Anybody try 'CLR' to de-rust?

What works for you?

thx.

happy doli-daze.

[EScanlon]

When I did mine, I used both a folded piece of 400 grit sand paper that had been cut to width of the Female Spade Lug Connectors, and an emery board (courtesy of my wife) that had also been cut to size.

For the Male connectors, a simple piece of sandpaper on the end of a glue spreader from the local hobby shop.

In the case of Bullet connectors, I used a fibreglass contact cleaner on the ones that were really bad. Otherwise, I just rotated the mated contacts together once or twice.

Remember that when we refer to cleaning the contacts between connections, we're not implying that you have to get completely neurotic and anal about getting every last bit of grime and corrosion out of there. What I've found, and others have also, is that poor connections, whether because of corrosion, poor fitting connectors, poorly crimped or soldered joints and the infamous wire wrap and electrical tape connection are the prime reason for circuitry to start having problems. Add to that fuse holders that are purposely spread apart to make it easier to remove and add fuses and you have a recipe for electrical mayhem.

Look at your connections first. Spade Connectors and Bullet Connectors typically "scratch" out new contact surfaces when they are properly fitted to one another. When they have been loosened whether by use, vibration, or intentional spreading, is when they don't scratch off the surface corrosion that prevents proper contact. Sometimes the cleaning you are looking to do is nothing more than tightening the connector.

As far as grounds, those are typically either a round connector under a screw OR a Spade Lug / Washer combination. There what you want to do is remove the screw and look at the underlying metal. A lot of times you find that there is some corrosion under the washer surface and on the washer.

Most if not all of the "cleaning" isn't done with any kind of liquid or solvent, usually it's just ensuring that the MECHANICAL connection is good.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

[Bruce Palmer]

..... and I have learned this from too many professional mechanics (remember them?) who said and I quote, "90% of all electrical problem can be traced to a bad ground". Remember and heed that advise and approach all problems from that standpoint first and you'll be surprised how few components you'll have to change out trying to solve a problem that was ground related.

That, and the vinegar bath for the fuse box has saved this old boy mucho grief!!!!

[GunnerRob]

Originally posted by Bruce Palmer

..... and I have learned this from too many professional mechanics (remember them?) who said and I quote, "90% of all electrical problem can be traced to a bad ground". Remember and heed that advise and approach all problems from that standpoint first and you'll be surprised how few components you'll have to change out trying to solve a problem that was ground related.

That, and the vinegar bath for the fuse box has saved this old boy mucho grief!!!!

Bruce what's vinegar bath and it's proportions?

[Bruce Palmer]

.... remove fuse box, pull all fuses soak for about 10 minutes in vinegar right out of the bottle, wires connectors and all. You'll see the connectors brighten up in short order. Rinse everything well, blow it out with air and dry with a hair drier or let it air dry. Reload with new fuses and maybe a little dielectric grease on the contacts and watch for a marked improvement in circulation. Good Rx for 30 something year old Datsun arteries.

Discard used vinegar safely. It will make your salad dressing taste funny. sorry.......

[GunnerRob]

Originally posted by Bruce Palmer

Discard used vinegar safely. It will make your salad dressing taste funny. sorry.......

Ya, and you don't want to get a 'charge' from it either!

[Victor Laury]

The electrical contact vinegrette works on all your connectors. Soak any connector in a cup of vinegar, then flush it throughly with contact cleaner = brand new contacts

[TomoHawk]

I'm surprised you DIY guys don't know this already from the DIY home shows on TV:

Hot vinegar is used to clean & brighten up your tarnished brass stuff. Tried it myself once.

Hot Taco Bell "Hot Sauce" is supposed to work too (probably contains vinegar.)

I better go to Taco Bell & stock up to cook my connectors cleaner!

Too bad you can't suck the vinegar through the wiring & de-rust that, too!

[owenk]

Hey what about after cleaning, I know with home wiring there is some kind of goop to put on aluminum connections to prevent hot spots does any one know if there is anything for automotive use?

[Bambikiller240]

In a case like this it's better for the solution to be weaker than stronger. As my shop teacher used to say "Ya can't put the metal back once it's gone." The corrosion is "flakey" and soft compared to the sound metal remaining and it will clean up fairly quickly with a bit of brushing with some of those small "acid brushes" found at the hardware store. I cut the length of the brush hairs a bit shorter to make them more stiff and they work pretty good after a good soak in the vinegar solution.

Di-electric grease is good to put on the connectors after cleaning

[texasz]

Coke-a-cola works for problems like corrided battery terminals! And to think, some of you drink that stuff!

Think I'm kidding? Next time you pop one open pour a little into a bowl and place a dirty penny in it, come back a few hours later and see how clean it is now!

[Bambikiller240]

I think it's the ascorbic acid in the Coke (a preservative) that does it. A soft drink like 7-UP (with citric acid) will do the same.