Dealing with rusty electrical connections

[rcx132]

Something curious happened, finally finished electrics on my restoration project. Connected battery but both front turn signals and both front parking lights don't work. Rear ones worked fine. Spent a bit of time checking the front loom but would you believe it was coincidence that ALL the front bulbs had corroded, and ONLY the front bulbs, making me thing it was the front loom.

So the headlight bulb uses high quality sealed connectors. The parking lights and turn signals do not.

What do people think about contact cleaner? I was always worried it's caustic and will strip off the zinc off the connectors, giving a temporarily better connection followed by even more rust. I could be wrong.

Is there anything I can apply to connectors to inhibit corrosion?

 

[rtbcomp]

I've had no end of trouble with ferrous and Mazak bulb holders. Contact cleaner should be ok, once you've got them clean and fitted some grease smeared over the connectors should keep the moisture out.

 

[rcx132]

I've had no end of trouble with ferrous and Mazak bulb holders. Contact cleaner should be ok, once you've got them clean and fitted some grease smeared over the connectors should keep the moisture out.

So grease works for you? My friend told me not to do that, happy to give it a go for myself though.

 

[RonA]

Something curious happened, finally finished electrics on my restoration project. Connected battery but both front turn signals and both front parking lights don't work. Rear ones worked fine. Spent a bit of time checking the front loom but would you believe it was coincidence that ALL the front bulbs had corroded, and ONLY the front bulbs, making me thing it was the front loom.

So the headlight bulb uses high quality sealed connectors. The parking lights and turn signals do not.

What do people think about contact cleaner? I was always worried it's caustic and will strip off the zinc off the connectors, giving a temporarily better connection followed by even more rust. I could be wrong.

Is there anything I can apply to connectors to inhibit corrosion?

Buy yourself a fibre glass brush from a well known high street electronics store beginning with M. The most effective thing I’ve found for sorting out contact corrosion.
RonA

 

[rtbcomp]

Just make sure you don't use a grease that can conduct. People usually use petroleum jelly but I reckon it would melt at bulb temperatures.

 

[8ob]

There are terminal cleaners on the market but not cheap, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovative-Products-8040-3-Piece-Terminal/dp/B0062Y599K. Having lots of grief atm with the transits melting bulb holders because of dirty connections and was thinking of getting the kit, once clean I suppose maintenance spray would do the job. Dont think there are any magic potions in a tin that will clean corroded terminals.

Bob

 

[pedrobedro]

Clean the contacts and make a good connection then put grease on to keep it clean, don't grease the surfaces before you connect. Boiling water was the cleaner of choice in the old days.

 

[RonA]

Buy yourself a fibre glass brush from a well known high street electronics store beginning with M. The most effective thing I’ve found for sorting out contact corrosion.
RonA

Update, just checked the price at that well known high st electronics store, now twice the price of an identical item on the dreaded bay of evil.
RonA

 

[RichardM]

Spray them with ACF50.

 

[brightspark]

[clean the connections and a smear of silicone grease or petroleum jelly . that's whats used on switchfuses and isolators

 

[Turbo]

Take some vinegar & keep adding salt, stirring it in until no more will dissolve. Dip your corroded connector into this solution for a while, swirling it around occasionally. Once it's clean you need to neutralise it using a strong solution of baking soda & water with a final rinse of clean water.

This will usually remove any corrosion on any wire. I've used it to clean blackened copper wire back to clean metal so that I could solder it.

For really stubborn connectors & the inside of spade terminals I use an old diamond coated metal nail file that I've cut to the shape of a male spade terminal.

For protection I've yet to find anything better than Novatio Clear Lube, I've sprayed it into trailer lights & 10 years later they were free from any corrosion & still on the same bulbs!
http://www.novatio.be/en/products/clear-lube

 

[dobbslc]

Diamond nail file as above cut to size.
Get a can of this 202077831098 on ebay , I've used it for years on bikes and it seems to work well.

 

[Robotstar5]

Take some vinegar & keep adding salt, stirring it in until no more will dissolve. Dip your corroded connector into this solution for a while, swirling it around occasionally. Once it's clean you need to neutralise it using a strong solution of baking soda & water with a final rinse of clean water.

This will usually remove any corrosion on any wire. I've used it to clean blackened copper wire back to clean metal so that I could solder it.

For really stubborn connectors & the inside of spade terminals I use an old diamond coated metal nail file that I've cut to the shape of a male spade terminal.

For protection I've yet to find anything better than Novatio Clear Lube, I've sprayed it into trailer lights & 10 years later they were free from any corrosion & still on the same bulbs!
http://www.novatio.be/en/products/clear-lube

Can't find a UK supplier

 

[Robotstar5]

Diamond nail file as above cut to size.
Get a can of this 202077831098 on ebay , I've used it for years on bikes and it seems to work well.

Servisol is a good brand, I've used their products since the 70's

 

[ajlelectronics]

Barkeeper's Friend is a good option. I struggled to find any as it seemed to be purely mail order. Then I found it at B&M and Tesco!

 

[Cobbler]

Barkeeper's Friend is a good option. I struggled to find any as it seemed to be purely mail order. Then I found it at B&M and Tesco!

And Lakeland

 

[Turbo]

Can't find a UK supplier

Arrow chemicals do a very similar product called viscolube.
https://www.silmid.com/lubricants/spray-lubricants/arrow-viscolube-600ml-aerosol/