Thread: Cleaning electrical contacts...

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

<cut>use silicone dielectric grease </cut>

I've been using vaseline for about 17 years or so for the same purpose. It's much cheaper and works. When I worked at Westinghouse we used vaseline between connections (especially puck diodes) to improve the connection and prevent corrosion.

Works well.

I'm ex-Navy avionics so I'm used to the extremes when it comes to cleaning contacts and preserving them. To date the BEST contact cleaner is an eraser like CP said. It removes the least amount of material.

I would love to find a civilian replacement for amlguard ..great stuff for any bare metal you can't immediately paint but need to protect..

Careful with vaseline as it will attack some plastics and rubber. Check first.

The old cross bar telephone switches had many, many, many relays in it. They were a constant fight to keep clean and we found that using a new dollar or 100 dollar bill worked just great as they do not leave any lint. I cleaned many of them that way. It was either that or replace them and some of them had up to 24 connections and everyone wire wrapped.

Originally Posted by IBNFSHN

The old cross bar telephone switches had many, many, many relays in it. They were a constant fight to keep clean and we found that using a new dollar or 100 dollar bill worked just great as they do not leave any lint. I cleaned many of them that way. It was either that or replace them and some of them had up to 24 connections and everyone wire wrapped.

I like to watch them crossbars work. Amazing. Can't clean with the dollar bill anymore. I heard it shrunk to nuthin.

Good post CP.

I use a pencil eraser to clean my contacts. Habit from my AFX race track days.

From my electrician days I used dielectric grease for all my auto/boat contacts, including light bulbs. The grease prevents the sockets from corroding and prevent dim bulbs, plus they keep teh water and other elements out. You can pick it up at auto parts or your local electrical supply store. I have been using a fairly large tube for the past 20 plus years.

I also use it on my boat trailer, and I never unplug my trailer lights. Second season on this set of bulbs. So far, so good.

Can you use dielectric grease on fuse holders? Mine are breaking contact and the fuses on the old Bass Tracker are a bugger to get to.

Originally Posted by ifish

Can you use dielectric grease on fuse holders? Mine are breaking contact and the fuses on the old Bass Tracker are a bugger to get to.

Yes. Remember corrosion is also an insulator. You pick the less of the two evils. Thin coat is best after cleaning the contacts. I don't care what the pros say (it's an insulator grease). I have used it for years with great results. Bell South also uses it in their phone jacks that are exposed to the elements.