Contact Cleaner Users- Beware
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 3
From: River Valley AR
Contact Cleaner Users- Beware
The equipment that I work on has an "anderson" style connector used to connect battery packs to the machines they power. I have seen these same style connectors used for Plug-in style jumper cables, portable receiver-hitch winches, and power to trailers to run various devices.
We found a dirty set of contacts in one of these connectors and one of my guys sprayed the connector down with a contact cleaner made by Aero. As he twisted the connector over the plastic housing began to crumble into pieces.
We tried it on another anderson connector with the same results. I don't know what makes these two things so incompatible, but they are. Worst part is that the connector housing holds two battery cables of opposite polarity so it would be very easy to short out a whole battery pack. We got lucky that ours never shorted together, but it could have been ugly.
We tried to find another plastic that would be affected the same way but we could not duplicate it.
If you use anderson connectors and Aero contact cleaner be very careful.
We found a dirty set of contacts in one of these connectors and one of my guys sprayed the connector down with a contact cleaner made by Aero. As he twisted the connector over the plastic housing began to crumble into pieces.
We tried it on another anderson connector with the same results. I don't know what makes these two things so incompatible, but they are. Worst part is that the connector housing holds two battery cables of opposite polarity so it would be very easy to short out a whole battery pack. We got lucky that ours never shorted together, but it could have been ugly.
We tried to find another plastic that would be affected the same way but we could not duplicate it.
If you use anderson connectors and Aero contact cleaner be very careful.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 21
I never trusted contactor cleaners, except for Honeywell contact cleaner, for that very reason, they damage plastic!! They supposedly have plastic safe contact cleaners availible from Graingers. They are flammable, so you have to let them dry completely before applying power. Also never ever blow out a live electrical circuit with compressed air, as the air can be dense enough with moisture, to give you nasty shock. If you have a set of contacts that need to be cleaned, polish them with a clean business card.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
I keep a piece of styrofoam in the garage, and anytime I get a new type of contact
cleaner I give it a good spray. That will usually show up any plastic problems.
Probably a styro coffee cup will do. MISTY brand contact cleaner, distributed by
AMREP in Marietta is plastic neutral. But they only sell wholesale. If any cleaner
melts or deforms a styro cup, dont use it on plastics.
cleaner I give it a good spray. That will usually show up any plastic problems.
Probably a styro coffee cup will do. MISTY brand contact cleaner, distributed by
AMREP in Marietta is plastic neutral. But they only sell wholesale. If any cleaner
melts or deforms a styro cup, dont use it on plastics.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
I've not seen any destroy rubber, but a lot of them will swell rubber up. the rubber
soaks it up, and it will swell to twice to four times it's size. Something to remember
if there are any o-rings or the like in the connector. Usually it will evaporate out
of the rubber in a day.
soaks it up, and it will swell to twice to four times it's size. Something to remember
if there are any o-rings or the like in the connector. Usually it will evaporate out
of the rubber in a day.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
The reason I started using the styrofoam trick, is when I worked in a 2-way radio
shop on portable radios, we would use a particular brand of cleaner for the insides.
I had a rush repair for a police officer. I'd always try to let the insides air out for
an hour before reassembling the unit. I put it together after 10 minutes to have it
ready. I was called up front shortly to see the radio peeling and crumbling to pieces
in the officers' hand. That was $130.00 for a new housing for that radio, and we
dropped that cleaner ASAP.
shop on portable radios, we would use a particular brand of cleaner for the insides.
I had a rush repair for a police officer. I'd always try to let the insides air out for
an hour before reassembling the unit. I put it together after 10 minutes to have it
ready. I was called up front shortly to see the radio peeling and crumbling to pieces
in the officers' hand. That was $130.00 for a new housing for that radio, and we
dropped that cleaner ASAP.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Wisconsin
Many aerosol carb cleaners will affect certain plastics this same way, too. And for a real shocker, dump a little lighter fluid on a piece of styrofoam. It almost instantly turns it to a gooey, shrunken mass.
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