Cleaning electrical contacts

[Lee Nowell]

Hi all

I have a couple of issues which require me to clean those fragile looking ribbon cables like these

They are the type that look more like a strip of plastic that fits into a slot like connector with a tiny plastic strip that seems to hold them in place.

Question is what to use to clean the connection and how best to do it. They seem so fragile and fiddley.

Thanks

Lee.

[charles]

Cotton buds with contact cleaner or IPA (not the beer type)

[Broadback]

Many moons go, when working in computers, when we got contact problems we were advised to use Pepsodent toothpaste to clean them. The contacts were gold, after a while the gold disappeared, we were then told to stop using it. Now you know where the advert "You will know where the yellow went" originated!

[Andrew]

Methylated spirits if IsoPropyl Alchohol isn't to hand.

[jkn]

I'd also suggest IPA, but perhaps on a small scrap of suede leather. Make sure you pull the leather in the right direction.

Another idea might be to use a pencil eraser - one of the soft plastic ones.

You used to be able to get speshul erasors for cleaning contacts; I have one but haven't seen them for years.

Go slow and gentle whatever you do; a couple of strokes max (!)

[John Rumm]

You can use cleaners like "deoxit", but also a circuit board cleaning "rubber"[1] is often an easy way to clean those.

[1] A rubber block impregnated with a very fine abrasive - designed for cleaning copper clad circuit boards prior to layout and etching.

e.g.

[Lee Nowell]

Thanks all. Do I need to clean inside the socket as well as the cable? If so how do you do that?

[jkn]

I hope not! I have no particular tips to offer if you have to do that ;-/

Thanks to John Rumm for reminding me of the 'Seno Rubber' name

[John Rumm]

No, just the cable typically. Inserting and removing the flexi from the socket will tend to "wipe" its contacts anyway.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Gold contacts seldom need cleaning and never with abrasive

Silver is another matter

[Vir Campestris]

doing that a few times is a better bet than one of those rubbers. Like the toothpaste it's an abrasive; it'll strip the gold off (if there is any!)

We were warned off them for that reason... sometime in the last millenium.

Andy

[John Rumm]

There is not usually gold on that type of flexi.

Use very gently certainly, but handy in cases of visible corrosion.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Are you sure the tracks just close to the stiffener strip are not fractured? This is the normal failure mode. Anyone who has had a true Sinclair ZX computer can tell you all about that particular design issue. Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Also make sure the sockets are not full of debris from the cable. A give away that the cable is knackered, or almost. Brian

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Normally, simply removing and replacing will make a decent contact again. Unless obvious signs of corrosion like green gunge.

[Bob Eager]

I think it was: "You'll wonder where the yellow went". I remember because it was the first TV advert I ever saw.

[John Rumm]

I would guess there are not many who recall the ad... I only know the theme tune because I used to here people sing it when I was a kid, and at the time had no idea what it was about or where it come from!