Electrical connector cleaning

[Ceri JC]

Hi Folks,

I've not had problems with damp electrics for ages now (touch wood). However, I currently have the back end off and a load of wires unplugged, so thought it might be worth giving them a coating of something. I can vaugely remember something about cleaning with WD40, then metal polishing the contacts, then coating in silicone grease. Is that right? I don't want to do it from a hazy memory then find out it'll make things worse. :)

Thanks in advance,

Ceri

[johnny ro]

polishing tiny contacts is the sort of thing that separates americans from the english, we would not bother, you seem to do these things right. Sort of.

Electronic supply houses sell zero residue contact cleaner to blow off any grime on radio volume controls- spray your parts, then plug unplug as fast as you can for a while then reapply and repeat, this is kind of like polishing.

Reassemble with automotive di-electric grease (intended for spark plug boots) which is like bathroom vaseline but is multiweight, the bathroom stuff hardens in the cold and you are facing this off-season (winter) procedure. Also the car stuff comes in a tube, with spout. Suggest wrapping it with duct tape before first use, the tubes in the USA are thin lead-like metal and rip easy.

If you want to get fancy fix your rusty grounds and replace fuses with resetting circuit breakers in tiny fuse chassis.

also suggest gooping a new bike, then it never fouls its connectors.

[northwind]

Aerosol tin of silicon grease... Goop everything with it ;) Make sure it's dry first, compresse air is handy. You can get both these things in aerosol form from Maplins, or the silicon spray from Halfords.

[Ceri JC]

Aerosol tin of silicon grease... Goop everything with it ;) Make sure it's dry first, compresse air is handy. You can get both these things in aerosol form from Maplins, or the silicon spray from Halfords.

Cheers Northwind, I'll pick some up so when the back end is next in bits (when my lube tube arrives later this week) I can do all the connectors. Do you reckon it's worth doing the fuse box fuses at the same time or is that overkill? ta.

[northwind]

Total overkill ;) But it can't hurt.