Which contact cleaner do you consider the best?

[emeritus]

Whereas lubricating greases usually consist of a mixture of oil ( to do the lubrication) and a soap ( to make sure the oil stays put) , Vaseline is a pure hydrocarbon and so contains nothing corresponding to the soap that makes up the residue when grease hardens. A pre-war book on power engineering describes the preferred method of making bolted joints in aluminium (and copper) bus bars as coating the area of the joint with a thick layer of Vaseline, filing the metal bright through the Vaseline, and then bolting together without removing the dirty Vaseline. Because Vaseline is a pure hydrocarbon, it readily flows under pressure and so can allow a good metal-to- metal contact.

[ajgriff]

That's interesting and might suggest that vaseline can do a decent job of protecting contacts from oxidation which is the usual source of long term problems.

I also notice that, in a past thread, Bill refers to the vaseline/white spirit emulsion as the 'Marconi mixture' suggesting that the idea originates from that firm. However, I can't find Bill's original post (many years ago) regarding the mixture as it seems to have got lost in the mists of time.

Alan

[Bazz4CQJ]

Originally Posted by emeritus

Because Vaseline is a pure hydrocarbon, it readily flows under pressure and so can allow a good metal-to- metal contact.

I always use it on car batteries, and considering the current that's flowing when the starter turns, that would seem to indicate that there is still lots of good metal-to-metal contact!

B

['LIVEWIRE?']

Personally, I have always used Servisol Super 10, and only recall one incidence of it damaging plastic, many years ago

[WME_bill]

Contact cleaner.
Wme_Bill's mixture. I think that the proportions suggested by Alan AjGriff is about right. I will try to find the original reference, though that was at the time when exact proportions were not much worried about.
The Vaseline seems to dissolve in the liquid. I usually apply it with a toothbrush or a small artists camel hair brush. It does not appear to affect plastics.
Use just enough vaseline to leave a very faint smear over the switch surface.
Once the jar contents get dirty, throw it away, as the dirt and any acids in it will not help with contacts on your next switch.
Fifty years ago I used carbon tetrachloride but avoid that now, as the commercial version is acidic and it is regarded as carcinogenic.
Commercial kerosene is probably acidic too, but highly refined narrow cut kerosene (also known as white spirit) seems fine.
I suspect the commercial switch cleaners use MEK, methyl ethyl ketone, another commercial solvent, which evaporates more quickly or naptha, which is another version of white spirit. (Is MEK not also lighter fuel in small sachets?)
I remain a bit suspicious of WD40. A good solvent, but I believe it contains silicones as MS4, which is very persistent and ideal as an insulating film. I used to use it on car spark cables and the distributor (in my student days), and now around EHT circuits on oscilloscopes.
wme_bill

[G6Tanuki]

My can of "generic" WD40 says it's silicone-free.

To quote from the WD40 websote: "While the ingredients in WD-40® Multi-Use Product are secret, we can tell you what it does NOT contain. WD-40® Multi-Use Product does not contain silicone, kerosene, water, graphite, or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)."

[crackle]

Originally Posted by Techman

Servisol 10 for me for the last few years.

I agree that standard WD40 is fine so long as you know where, when and how to use it, and where NOT to use it. The problems come with people who don't know when and where NOT to use it and in what quantity. It can be messy and do a lot of damage in the wrong hands and in the wrong place, but absolutely wonderful when used correctly, and yes, I have used it as a penetrating fluid.

At last someone mentioned Servisol 10, in my mind, for the money, it is the best there is.
Deoxit is a ridiculously expensive price and not readily available..

Mike

[evingar]

I have also always found that Servisol 10 does the trick. I can't say it's the best though becuase I had it recommended to me years ago and have stuck with it rather than trying loads of others. Unadventurous ? Maybe, but why take the risk of using something worse when you know of something that will do the job admirably - every time

[emeritus]

From memory, the pre-war power book mentions that aluminium busbar joints made using the method some 40 years earlier were in good condition and had required no attention.

[Bazz4CQJ]

Originally Posted by WME_bill

I suspect the commercial switch cleaners use MEK, methyl ethyl ketone, another commercial solvent. I remain a bit suspicious of WD40. A good solvent, but I believe it contains silicones as MS4,

MEK is one of the most powerful solvents, attacks many materials and is also fairly flammable. If anyone puts it in a contact cleaner, I suspect that it's only in trace quantities, perhaps in an IPA base.

Re WD40, I suspect that the original product, which appeared in the 1970's, could have contained some silicones, but it has since been reformulated and is now silicone-free.

I've just bought a can of Sea Foam's "Deep Creep" releasing agent (American). It came top in some tests shown on Youtube. Looking at how it spreads on a rusty surface, it competes very well against all the usual stuff on my shelf, but it does not evaporate anywhere as near as fast as WD40 or PlusGas, and feels much oilier than those. Not yet had sufficient experience with it to form an opinion, except that it's "different".

B

[Richard_FM]

I remember my parents keeping a can of liquid lighter fuel (Naphtha?) around when I was young for household tasks that needed it.

I remember it was very good at dealing with removing glue residue & other sticky stains like chewing gum on clothes.

It must have been run out & my parents didn't bother to buy any more as WD40, white spirit or meths were normally decent enough at dealing with sticky stains.

[parlourtw73vs]

After reading the comments from all the contributors to this thread I decided that on balance Servisol 10 seemed a well thought of product and there seemed to be very few instances of damage arising from its use. I therefore ordered some and have subsequently used it on the controls of my Quad 33. The noisiness has now gone and the pots seem to be a little easier and smoother than they were so for now I'm a satisfied user. Should this change in the near future then I'll post an update but hopefully this won't occur. Many thanks for all your advice and examples of various products you've used over the years.