Electrical contact cleaners

CPC's "pro power" branded stuff seems ok... comes in a 200ml aerosol.

Yes in the old days they were based around a fast evaporating chemical which was a CFC and hence banned now. All the usual ones work, electrolube, Servisol and the RS branded one. Sadly one of the best I had was made by Tandy, and I guess now its no longer around. What not to use. Do not use WD40, It seems to be no good at all, and some can damage plastic, though it claims it won't. WD I understand stands for Water Displacement, so might be good in car uses where the electrics get damp. I have noticed recently that battery connectors in portable gear seem poorly made with no plating and also often dissimilar metals of the spring and the rivet and the tag where the wire goes often making the connection crackly, if for example inside a microphone. Certainly some mild abrasive is good every so often on some of the connections. Do not forget also the plus and minus ends of both batteries.

I did come unstuck with an older can of Servisol though. I put it in a crackly 1 quarter inch headphone socket and it melted the plastic and the contacts fell out.

I think its always a good idea to test the substance somewhere where a bit of melt does not matter! Brian

I still like AF spray. It was pretty well the universal cleaner in TV - even for things like tape heads. Safe on most plastics.

Brian Gaff brought next idea :

Almost all the battery terminals and springs I come across these days, even in the cheapest gear, are formed from stainless. Any damage from battery leaks, can be just brushed away with a toothbrush.

In message <q1abq0$b46$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me, Brian Gaff snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk> writes

On the contrary, I find WD40 works fine - and it's something that any respectable DIYer is likely to have about their person. The oily residue kills corrosion - although if any has occurred, it's wise to remove as much as possible first. I've never found it damages any normal plastics (certainly not that used in battery holders etc) - but if in doubt, try it first. [I've certainly seen white spirit (I think) make the acrylic body of a nail brush disintegrate before my eyes.]