Cleaning Electrical Terminals
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,365
Likes: 12
From: NW Indiana
Cleaning Electrical Terminals
Wondering if their are any cool tools or liquid solutions for cleaning things like light bulb terminals. I've tried small diameter gun brushes and pocket screwdrivers with minimal success. Dielectric grease is obvious for reassembly but we are just kinda making sure current flows through oxidation.
The female plugs on these trucks are pretty hard to get really clean.
The female plugs on these trucks are pretty hard to get really clean.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
I just noticed at autozone the other day that they had 3 different sprays for electrical connections. One was basically spray dielectric grease, I think the other two were cleaners, not sure really what the difference was between them.
You should try them and let us know if they work
You should try them and let us know if they work
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 312
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MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Dielectric grease is a compound that keeps corrosion out of connectors and prevents them from seizing. It fills in the tiny gaps and cavities along the mating surfaces so that moisture, durt, salt, etc cannot. It is non-conductive (hence the term dielectric), so it can be spread across multiple terminals in the connector and not cause a short.
General-purpose electrical contact cleaner can be used to clean electrical terminals and can be found at parts stores, Radio Shack, etc.
General-purpose electrical contact cleaner can be used to clean electrical terminals and can be found at parts stores, Radio Shack, etc.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 16
From: Ideeho
I agree on the contact cleaner, but sometimes that just isnt enough. For the female connectors that are badly corroded, I have used what are referred to a jewlers files or needle files. I picked up a set years ago at one of the "cheapy" tool sale/auctions that travel around the country. Harbor freight may have them too. They work better than trying to scrape the crap out with a small screwdriver but still aren't ideal. You just have to be careful to not remove too much material so that it still fits tight when youre done.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 567
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, WA
Cleaning tight and small places is a real pain. I use several different methods. I buy a set of cheap emory boards for finger nails and trim them to size and shape. I also use contact cleaner sprays, but you have to be careful because some will soften plastic. I also use wooden dowel rods with a saw slit in one end that i insert some fine emory cloth and use like a hone. Again you have to be careful not to sand too long, and don't jam it in a socket because it might catch and tear it up. Time, patience and practice.
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Cargo Master
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