electrical connection

D

Dean The ResourcefulNorse

Member
Mar 25, 2020
108
0
16
I have (several) electrical connection(s) that is/are intermittent because
of dirt/corrosion/gunk etc but I can not clean properly as it is a female.
Anyone with suggestions on how to make a connection like that make a
'better' connection? Electrical spray cleaner? The proper type of 'grease'?
I would rather not cut out the connection involved with a rewire around
solution. I would rather "make my life easier through chemistry". I think
Dupont said that way back when.

Dean Hanson 75 Avion
 
You should be able to squeeze the connector to make a tighter fit. Don’t use regular pliers or you’ll probably make it too tight.
I use small vice grips and possibly do a trial fit and if it’s not tight enough tighten them a little and try again.
Also put some dielectric grease for better contact.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> I have (several) electrical connection(s) that is/are intermittent because
> of dirt/corrosion/gunk etc but I can not clean properly as it is a female.
> Anyone with suggestions on how to make a connection like that make a
> 'better' connection? Electrical spray cleaner? The proper type of 'grease'?
> I would rather not cut out the connection involved with a rewire around
> solution. I would rather "make my life easier through chemistry". I think
> Dupont said that way back when.
>
> Dean Hanson 75 Avion
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
I’ve always had good luck using Tarn-X, but I imagine there are better ones that folks would recommend.

-Dave
1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh

>
> I have (several) electrical connection(s) that is/are intermittent because
> of dirt/corrosion/gunk etc but I can not clean properly as it is a female.
> Anyone with suggestions on how to make a connection like that make a
> 'better' connection? Electrical spray cleaner? The proper type of 'grease'?
> I would rather not cut out the connection involved with a rewire around
> solution. I would rather "make my life easier through chemistry". I think
> Dupont said that way back when.
>
> Dean Hanson 75 Avion
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
I use a very good product called DeoxIT D5, American made been around for 60
years.
It works for me. It's available online.
Emery's idea for tightening connections sounds excellent.

Marsh Wilkes
Perry Fl

-----Original Message-----
From: Hanson Email via Gmclist
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2020 5:31 PM
To: gmclist
Cc: Hanson Email
Subject: [GMCnet] electrical connection

I have (several) electrical connection(s) that is/are intermittent because
of dirt/corrosion/gunk etc but I can not clean properly as it is a female.
Anyone with suggestions on how to make a connection like that make a
'better' connection? Electrical spray cleaner? The proper type of 'grease'?
I would rather not cut out the connection involved with a rewire around
solution. I would rather "make my life easier through chemistry". I think
Dupont said that way back when.

Dean Hanson 75 Avion

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Dean,

Belt and suspenders.
- Electrical contact cleaner spray
- Pinch female connector as necessary to insure a snug fit (don't over do it)
- Dielectric grease

If it's a connection that rarely if ever needs to be separated, and is in a location where it's exposed to further contamination, you could cover the
whole connection with heat shrink tubing.

Richard
--
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach with 18,477 verified miles;
‘76 Edgemonte
 
Is the connection exposed to constant weather, or battery fumes, etc. Try
to position it so that those effects are minimized, if that is the case. If
not, then I don't have much to add to the good advice others here have
already given you.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sat, May 16, 2020, 9:39 PM Richard via Gmclist
wrote:

> Dean,
>
> Belt and suspenders.
> - Electrical contact cleaner spray
> - Pinch female connector as necessary to insure a snug fit (don't over do
> it)
> - Dielectric grease
>
> If it's a connection that rarely if ever needs to be separated, and is in
> a location where it's exposed to further contamination, you could cover the
> whole connection with heat shrink tubing.
>
> Richard
> --
> '77 Birchaven TZE...777;
> '76 Palm Beach with 18,477 verified miles;
> ‘76 Edgemonte
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
liberal application of silicone grease will help a lot. Get it on the plumbing aisle of the home center. DO NOT use regular shrink tube as it is porous and will trap the gas/water vapor making things much worse!

>
>
> Is the connection exposed to constant weather, or battery fumes, etc. Try
> to position it so that those effects are minimized, if that is the case. If
> not, then I don't have much to add to the good advice others here have
> already given you.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Sat, May 16, 2020, 9:39 PM Richard via Gmclist

>
> > Dean,
> >
> > Belt and suspenders.
> > - Electrical contact cleaner spray
> > - Pinch female connector as necessary to insure a snug fit (don't over do
> > it)
> > - Dielectric grease
> >
> > If it's a connection that rarely if ever needs to be separated, and is in
> > a location where it's exposed to further contamination, you could cover the
> > whole connection with heat shrink tubing.
> >
> > Richard
> > --
> > '77 Birchaven TZE...777;
> > '76 Palm Beach with 18,477 verified miles;
> > ‘76 Edgemonte
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
For many years I have seen good results with MG Chemicals "Super Contact Cleaner". Spray it in and then connect/disconnect the connector a couple of
times to try to wipe the contact clean.

If you are SERIOUS about removing the intermittent, use a product called "Stabilant". It is a contact enhancer and will make all your troubles go
away. It actually promotes a molecular bond between the contacts. They are really proud of this stuff though!

Before using either of these products, try to increase the connector tension as Emery mentioned. The dielectric grease should be applied to the
outside of the connector after it's plugged in, to prevent water intrusion.

John S.
--
John Shutzbaugh, Vacaville, CA, ncserv;
77 Eleganza, bought it new, can't blame PO; and
78 Buskirk stretch, "What were we thinking?"
 
That Stabilant stuff is great. I've been using it in my electronics business since the '80s. I believe the product itself becomes conductive in the
presence of an electric field, akin to soldering the joint.

It's expensive stuff, a small bottle is about $40.00, but you only need a drop. My experience is connections internal to equipment, but I think you
would need to protect it from being washed away in an exposed application.

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
 
> liberal application of silicone grease will help a lot. Get it on the plumbing aisle of the home center. DO NOT use regular shrink tube as it is
> porous and will trap the gas/water vapor making things much worse!

Rich, I've never heard of heat shrink tubing being porous like that. I just did a Google search and couldn't find anything on heat shrink tubing
porosity or permeability, other than the occasional reference to "low permeability". I'm not sure if warning people off of the standard polyolefin
heat shrink tubing makes sense in our pedestrian...errr...wheeled applications.

The question of best practices when using dielectric grease (or whether to use it at all) comes up fairly regularly. I find Nye's myth-busting chart
to be a good reference.
https://www.nyelubricants.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/8872a6eb9c4f51b0f519af73d9cabe7f/en/factsandmyths___lubricating_electrical_connectors_final.pdf

Richard
--
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach with 18,477 verified miles;
‘76 Edgemonte
 
My advice would be to used the heat shrink tubes that have a meltable sealant in them to keep water out of joints that are exposed to weather/water. Some of these are also resistant to UV degradation. Indoor joints need only the regular heat shrink tubing to provide insulation from short circuits.

D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com

From: Gmclist on behalf of Richard via Gmclist
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2020 11:56
To: gmclist
Cc: Richard
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] electrical connection

> liberal application of silicone grease will help a lot. Get it on the plumbing aisle of the home center. DO NOT use regular shrink tube as it is
> porous and will trap the gas/water vapor making things much worse!

Rich, I've never heard of heat shrink tubing being porous like that. I just did a Google search and couldn't find anything on heat shrink tubing
porosity or permeability, other than the occasional reference to "low permeability". I'm not sure if warning people off of the standard polyolefin
heat shrink tubing makes sense in our pedestrian...errr...wheeled applications.

The question of best practices when using dielectric grease (or whether to use it at all) comes up fairly regularly. I find Nye's myth-busting chart
to be a good reference.
https://www.nyelubricants.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/8872a6eb9c4f51b0f519af73d9cabe7f/en/factsandmyths___lubricating_electrical_connectors_final.pdf

Richard
--
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach with 18,477 verified miles;
‘76 Edgemonte

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