CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

I was taking a close look at the pins on my system board and they all look tarnished. I wonder what could be causing the corrosion, the wave board contacts look clean.

Can anyone recommend a good contact cleaner that would remove the tarnish, or at least guaranty a good connection?

Thanks, Deron.

jask · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 10187 Location: kamloops BC

some people swear by Deoxit but I have used the MG chemicals super contact cleaner for years on things like sealed rotary switches and pots. I also keep some 99% Isopropyl alcohol and q-tips handy as they do a better job than ANY spray cleaner-especially if you mix in a couple drops of Ammonia for each ounce of isopropyl.

mikeryan · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 47 Location: Surrey

Just a quick reply but I work for a lurbricant distribution company, we sell a great electrical contact cleaner made by a company called JAX. They have a distro center in Sacramento, you won't be able to buy direct but they maybe able to point you in the right direction.
http://www.jax.com/contactus/Default.aspx try this link they can point you to a distributor in your area. its called " JAX Electrical Contact Cleaner Non- Flammable " part number JAX 124 . I sell alot of this to saw mills and machinists all over. I would highly reccomend it.

www.jax.com

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

I have heard great things about Stabilent 22, I think I will order some myself tonight!!!

http://www.stabilant.com/bccomp.htm

What is Stabilant 22?

Stabilant 22 is an electrically active material which stays resident within a contact-pair, there enhancing conductivity without causing electrical leakage between adjacent contacts. Although Stabilant 22 does have a detergent action it is not sold as a cleaner, just as it has a good lubricant action but is not sold as a lubricant. Stabilant 22 is used to increase the reliability of contacts. Tenfold to one hundred-fold increases are not unusual. At the present time it is used in many different types of contacts, including card-edge connectors, D-type connectors, MIL-spec connectors, signal switches, etc.

Stabilant 22 is an initially non-conductive amorphous-semiconductive polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropyline block polymer with a molecular weight of about 2800 that, when used in thin films between contacts, acts under the influence of the electrical field and switches to a conductive state. The electric field gradient at which this occurs is established during manufacture so that the material will remain normally non-conductive. Its switching speed is too slow to allow it to be used in the more traditional semiconductor applications; however, this means that signals at frequencies substantially above five cycles per hour will not be modulated by the switching characteristics of Stabilant 22.

Thus, when applied to electromechanical contacts, Stabilant 22 provides the wide-bandpass connection reliability of a soldered joint without bonding the contacting surfaces together!

In its undiluted form at room temperature, Stabilant 22 has the viscosity of medium-weight motor oil, although it thins out with increasing temperature, starting to decompose into the two polymers it is formed from at about 240° Celsius. It has a very low vapor pressure and therefore there is no appreciable loss of material from evaporation. It has been in some applications for more than fifteen years without renewal, and it is probably safe to say that in the majority of cases, the equipment on which it is used will be retired as obsolescent before the Stabilant must be renewed.

this place has it...

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=22

Athanasios

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:41 am Post subject:

I always start with the cheaper contact cleaner. Most switches and controls will get repaired with some 'Radio Shack' (MG Chemicals, etc), but the ones that don't then get hit with DeOxIt from www.caig.com. Rare is the time that the Caig stuff doesn't do the job right.

Bad thing is, I paid $18 for the last can I bought about 5 years ago. It's about gone, so it's now $32 at the local electronics store!!!

I'll bet I'll find it online for far less though.

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

I also use Caig, i use the Pro gold and the protectant, But the Stabilant 22 is suppose to be the best as it actually is a semi conductor. It fills in the gaps of the contacts so it has
more surface area for the electric current to go through. One of my customers is an electrician for some manufacture and he uses it on all the contacts and switches
on the machinery, he swears by it. He then passed it on to the IT guy and he also loves it. But your suppose to clean the contact first , so I will have both on my wrk bench.
I ordered the S 22 so I will let you guys know how I like it or if I don't.

Athanasios

1031 · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 657 Location: Finland

I made stabilant treatment to my Marquee about half year ago, great stuff indeed. There was even little difference on picture quality after that treatment, Less noise and more stable convergence.Like Nashou says it is not contact cleaner, it must be used after cleaning.

WTS · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1276 Location: Calgary

Buy the stab22 and be safe. Most of that other stuff(crap) on the market doesn't work worth a damn for long term and believe me I've tryed pretty much all the brands over the pst 30 years.

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

Has anyone actually looked at the contacts after cleaning them to see if the stuff does remove the tarnish/corrosion?

If I had a tool, I would get in there and physically remove the corrosion, but it almost seems like you need a mild acid and then neutralize it.

I was thinking of trying various things on copper on pennies to see which one stripped off the tarnish the best.

Yeah, I looked around and they want a premium for contact cleaner, probably way over priced when you could use some lemon juice to do the cleaning Very Happy

Deron.

jkruger · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 2435 Location: Carlsbad, CA

A pencil eraser works well if you can get to it. Shines it right up but then you have to protect it from corrosion again. I have one of these also:
http://www.eraser.com/catalog.cgi?mode=details&product_id=1246

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Actualy the DeOxit cleaner works great eat the tarnish right off with no rubbing, i just connect and disconnect a few times.

Athanasios

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

I'm guessing humidity levels have something to do with the contacts getting bad. It's probably a wise idea to protect the contacts if you have a basement theater or live in a high humidity area.

Good luck if you live close to the beach, the salt ruins everything.

Deron.

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

The pencil eraser is one my Dad taught to me, works great and there is always a pencil around.

I remember when I was into flying a Cessna I ran into some communication problems. I was leaving on a cross country and trying to get in touch with the tower, I could hear them but they could not hear me. Turns out it was a military control tower talking to a civilian one, about me. I almost ended up in military airspace over their field, till I figured things out.

Well when I got back I told the owner of the plane about the problem. He said it happens all the time, "just pull the mic plug out and lick it and put it back in, it usually starts to work then". I was thinking to myself, not too bright, that is what is causing the problem in the first place, the saliva will cause corrosion.

Deron.

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

I have been using Deoxit D5. But the residue it leaves, I am not so sure about. It seems it residue never dries completely.

Anyone else use this type?

wallace

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Just received the Stabilant 22, I'll try it out as soon as I have some free time the new GF is taking up al my time, taking me out to dinner now for my Birthday Very Happy

Athanasios

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

dturco · Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:24 am Post subject:

Happy Birthday indeed Laughing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rur5wKoua1o

1031 · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 657 Location: Finland

Happy Birthday Athanasios Thumbs Up

tvless · Joined: 20 Jun 2009 Posts: 76 Location: Ontario

My new OLD VPH 1251q Sony CRT projector was failing constantlly until I did apply the magic of contact cleaner to the boards and terminals, I hope is it not against the rules but the contact cleaner I used was (and will continue to be) JAX Electrical Contact Cleaner (aerosol) (non -flammable formula) , this product is acceptable for use as a solvent for cleaning electronic electronic instruments... compared to the one I used first, this one really remove all the oxide and bad stuff formed by humidy/condensation and dust and time acumulation ... you will be happy surprised... it goes to all members as well...

I do not have nothing to do with that comany whatsoever, just my personal experience... this product comes from Wisconsin (Menomonee Falls) and I live in Ontario....

TvLess