Glue for repairing wall warts and laptop batteries?

[mike]

Been fixing wall warts and laptop batteries.
I'd normally glue them back together with the
stuff used for plastic plumbing.
But the stuff has a short shelf life after opening
and I waste 90% of it. Every time I try to use it,
the can contents is solid. I spend $4 on a can of
glue to fix a 25-cent wall wart.

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?
I have no idea what type the plastic is.

Looking for a recommendation that you have actually
used successfully.

I really don't want to unplug the wall wart and find
myself with a handful of AC when the lid comes off.

 

On Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 3:32:21 PM UTC-7, mike wrote:

Been fixing wall warts and laptop batteries.
I'd normally glue them back together with the
stuff used for plastic plumbing.
But the stuff has a short shelf life after opening
and I waste 90% of it. Every time I try to use it,
the can contents is solid. I spend $4 on a can of
glue to fix a 25-cent wall wart.

Get the clear liquid solvent weld glue sold in glass
bottles and with an applicator brush in the screw-on
cap at hobby shops and electronics parts supplies, like
Testor's #3502 or "TV Radio Cement". They usually work
better than lacquer thinner or carburetor/throttle body
cleaner. They also have a much longer shelf life than
PVC pipe glue.

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:31:28 -0700, mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

But the stuff has a short shelf life after opening
and I waste 90% of it. Every time I try to use it,
the can contents is solid. I spend $4 on a can of
glue to fix a 25-cent wall wart.

Try removing the air with one of these:
<http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump/dp/B003UEMFUG>
I'll admit that I haven't tried doing this, but I've been thinking
about it for fixing the same problem with rubber cement. Try it and
report back.

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?
I have no idea what type the plastic is.

Nope. The brittle glues, like cyanoacrylate adhesive will crack and
you'll have a potential shock hazard. I've done so-so with the
rubbery RTV adhesives (not caulk), but they tend to be messy. They
also have a short shelf life. Even if you don't open the tube, 1 year
maximum is the mfg recommendation.

Looking for a recommendation that you have actually
used successfully.

Solvent welding works. You'll need a syringe applicator to keep from
making a mess. Also, lots of ventillation and gloves. Most of the
plastic cases are ABS but a few are polycarbonate. My solvent of
choice is methyl chloride, also known as paint stripper, which will
work with most thermosetting plastics.

For just ABS, straight acetone, or some plastic scrap dissolved in
acetone works well.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YIV0XVkkPE>
Lots of other YouTube videos on plastic welding.

Your existing pipe glue is a solvent with some thin plastic filler.
The problem is that it's rather weak to prevent softening the pipe if
overused.

I really don't want to unplug the wall wart and find
myself with a handful of AC when the lid comes off.

Get a sticker that says:
"No user serviceable parts inside".

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[mike]

On 4/28/2015 5:25 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:31:28 -0700, mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

But the stuff has a short shelf life after opening
and I waste 90% of it. Every time I try to use it,
the can contents is solid. I spend $4 on a can of
glue to fix a 25-cent wall wart.

Try removing the air with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump/dp/B003UEMFUG
I'll admit that I haven't tried doing this, but I've been thinking
about it for fixing the same problem with rubber cement. Try it and
report back.

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?
I have no idea what type the plastic is.

Nope. The brittle glues, like cyanoacrylate adhesive will crack and
you'll have a potential shock hazard. I've done so-so with the
rubbery RTV adhesives (not caulk), but they tend to be messy. They
also have a short shelf life. Even if you don't open the tube, 1 year
maximum is the mfg recommendation.

Looking for a recommendation that you have actually
used successfully.

Solvent welding works. You'll need a syringe applicator to keep from
making a mess. Also, lots of ventillation and gloves. Most of the
plastic cases are ABS but a few are polycarbonate. My solvent of
choice is methyl chloride, also known as paint stripper, which will
work with most thermosetting plastics.

For just ABS, straight acetone, or some plastic scrap dissolved in
acetone works well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YIV0XVkkPE
Lots of other YouTube videos on plastic welding.

Your existing pipe glue is a solvent with some thin plastic filler.
The problem is that it's rather weak to prevent softening the pipe if
overused.

I really don't want to unplug the wall wart and find
myself with a handful of AC when the lid comes off.

Get a sticker that says:
"No user serviceable parts inside".

Thanks for the link. I'll try the acetone.

For today's fix, I took the hot air rework pencil out to the
garage. Heated the seam with 360C air and pinched it together with
tweezers to melt it all together.
Doesn't look pretty, but I can't break it apart, so guess it works.

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:48:18 -0700, mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

For today's fix, I took the hot air rework pencil out to the
garage. Heated the seam with 360C air and pinched it together with
tweezers to melt it all together.
Doesn't look pretty, but I can't break it apart, so guess it works.

Yep. It's called "plastic welding". My hot air SMD desoldering tool
(Saeke 852D+) produces far too wide a heat affected zone with the
standard tips. For big pieces of plastic, such as case parts, it
works, but not for small and thin parts like battery and wall wart
cases. I also like to work from the back of the plastic part, so as
not to make the cosmetic side look bad. That's impossible with
batteries and wall warts. I get best results with a tiny tip, high
heat, very low air flow, and working fast. As always, there are
YouTube videos on plastic welding.

This might offer a clue:
<http://www.harborfreight.com/welding/plastic-welders.html>
Note the tiny tip and low air flow.

I guess I should mention that I tried a narrow nozzle on my heat gun
that is normally used for shrink tube. Since I had little control
over temperature or air flow, my first attempt blew a hole through the
plastic parts. Not recommended.

I forgot to mumble something about the horrors of polyurethane
welding. Unlike ABS and PVC, polyurethane is a themosetting plastic,
instead of thermoplastic. That means it burns when heated, instead of
melting. The fix is to not let oxygen anywhere near the joint by
using nitrogen to displace the oxygen. I modified my hot air SMD
rework tool to work this way and found that my reflow soldering
somewhat improved. See Item #7 at:
<http://www.hakkousa.com/leadfree.asp>
Typical automotive plastic welder that uses nitrogen:
<http://prospot.com/products/np-3/> (See speed welding tip)
You probably won't run into the thermosetting problem, or need
nitrogen, but it's a good thing to know.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[Martin D. Bartsch]

On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:31:28 -0700, mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

I would try a glue for plastic model kits
http://www.revell.de/en/products/colors-glue-co/glue.html

 

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net>
escribió:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

This is a better method than cutting, because it doesn't wreck the seam,
and re-gluing with superglue will be successful as the maximum contact
area between the two halves will have been preserved.

--
:: je suis Charlie :: yo soy Charlie :: ik ben Charlie ::

 

[Cydrome Leader]

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

 

[John-Del]

On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.

 

[mike]

On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:

En el artículo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribió:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.

Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

This is a better method than cutting, because it doesn't wreck the seam,
and re-gluing with superglue will be successful as the maximum contact
area between the two halves will have been preserved.

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Wed, 29 Apr 2015 19:20:59 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
<presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

That work, sometimes. These 2wire power supplies, and about 10 more,
all came apart with only a gentle tapping:
<http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/repair/slides/2Wire-power-supplies.html>
However, the new and improved model power supply from the same vendor
could probably survive an attack with explosives. I couldn't tell if
it was solvent welded or ultrasonically welded, but it certainly
didn't want to come apart. Sorry, no photos of the mess I made with a
hacksaw.

I'm partial to the bench vise method of case cracking. If that fails,
I escalate to beating on it with a hammer. If that also fails, I beat
on the seperation line with a concrete chisel.
<http://www.toolup.com/product-images/dasco-437-0_1.jpg>
Last resort, I saw it open with a hacksaw.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[mike]

On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:

On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.

RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

 

[Jon Elson]

mike wrote:

Been fixing wall warts and laptop batteries.
I'd normally glue them back together with the
stuff used for plastic plumbing.
But the stuff has a short shelf life after opening
and I waste 90% of it. Every time I try to use it,
the can contents is solid. I spend $4 on a can of
glue to fix a 25-cent wall wart.

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?
I have no idea what type the plastic is.

The trick is to use a large wrench to tighten the PVC cement lid down.
You don't use a lot of gripping force, or it will crush the lid. But, you
use a big wrench so you can get a solid grip on the knurled cap. I've done
this for years, and my PVC cement usually lasts a couple years before drying
out. You WILL need the wrench to get it open the next time, though.

Jon

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Wed, 29 Apr 2015 19:19:26 -0700, mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

>RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.

Yep. 1 year at best. One part RTV cures by the action of atmospheric
water (humidity) on acetoxysilane to form acetic acid. All it takes
is a little water in either a porous container or lousy cap fit, and
you have a guaranteed limited shelf life. I've tried vacuum sealed
bags over rubber cement, silicone, and some smelly solvents, with
generally good results. Whether it's worth the effort is debateable.

You can also get two part RTV. The most common types are rubber
casting compound and high cure rate production line adhesives commonly
used in appliance assembly. For example:
<https://www.dowcorning.com/content/publishedlit/80-3375.pdf>
The problem is that these don't have any better shelf life than the
one part RTV, about 1 year.

All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

You can get non-acetic acid RTV, also known as non-corrosive silicone.
<https://www.google.com/search?q=non-corrosive+silicone+adhesive&tbm=isch>

This might be enlightening:
<http://yarchive.net/electr/silicone_sealant_corrosiveness.html>

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 29/04/15 08:31, mike wrote:

Been fixing wall warts and laptop batteries.

Looking for a recommendation that you have actually
used successfully.

I've had good success with the glue that's sold for repairing swimming
pool vinyl liners. Seems to last quite a while in the tube too.

Clifford Heath.

 

[Cydrome Leader]

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.


RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

The RTV type 2 stuff smells like alcohol, not acetic acid. I just make
sure to get a tube that has a good cap that won't clog up and can be
resealed nicely. The GE branded stuff in plastic tube works well. The last
tube had to be around $4 at home depot.

 

[mike]

On 5/1/2015 10:35 AM, Cydrome Leader wrote:

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.


RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

The RTV type 2 stuff smells like alcohol, not acetic acid. I just make
sure to get a tube that has a good cap that won't clog up and can be
resealed nicely. The GE branded stuff in plastic tube works well. The last
tube had to be around $4 at home depot.

Got a part number?
The GE Silicone II seems to say, non-corrosive, but there are additives
for mildew resistance and color change while curing etc. that may or may
not be good for electronics.
There's a zillion choices with very little info.
Some of the stuff says, "use on aluminum, copper, stainless...",
but when you finally find spec, it's acetic acid based.

Still, all the ones I've found that actually say, "safe for electronics"
are $30 for a 3oz. tube, 99% of which I'm gonna watch harden in the tube.

An actual part number for a product you've actually used successfully
on electronics would be helpful...until they change the formula...sigh...

 

[Michael Black]

On Fri, 1 May 2015, mike wrote:

On 5/1/2015 10:35 AM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply
and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again
and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it
with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get
if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of
effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll
just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too
deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart
cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you
can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and
wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.


RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

The RTV type 2 stuff smells like alcohol, not acetic acid. I just make
sure to get a tube that has a good cap that won't clog up and can be
resealed nicely. The GE branded stuff in plastic tube works well. The last
tube had to be around $4 at home depot.

Got a part number?
The GE Silicone II seems to say, non-corrosive, but there are additives
for mildew resistance and color change while curing etc. that may or may
not be good for electronics.
There's a zillion choices with very little info.
Some of the stuff says, "use on aluminum, copper, stainless...",
but when you finally find spec, it's acetic acid based.

Still, all the ones I've found that actually say, "safe for electronics"
are $30 for a 3oz. tube, 99% of which I'm gonna watch harden in the tube.

An actual part number for a product you've actually used successfully
on electronics would be helpful...until they change the formula...sigh...

I realize some of the problem is in the curing, and in a tight space some
of what dissipates during curing may cause problems to metallic
components.

But there has to be a distinction between glopping this stuff over
electronic components to insulate them (or hide them away so the
competition can't see what you're doing) and sealing up the casing.
The former seems very finicky, the latter less so. But I don't know how
much less so.

Michael

 

[mike]

On 5/1/2015 4:49 PM, Michael Black wrote:

On Fri, 1 May 2015, mike wrote:

On 5/1/2015 10:35 AM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader
wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike
ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the
cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really,
really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I
use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and
try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for
the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power
supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over
again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at
it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside.
Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like
you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a
lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are
the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making
sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart
cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours.
BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil
(or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.


RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

The RTV type 2 stuff smells like alcohol, not acetic acid. I just make
sure to get a tube that has a good cap that won't clog up and can be
resealed nicely. The GE branded stuff in plastic tube works well. The
last
tube had to be around $4 at home depot.

Got a part number?
The GE Silicone II seems to say, non-corrosive, but there are additives
for mildew resistance and color change while curing etc. that may or may
not be good for electronics.
There's a zillion choices with very little info.
Some of the stuff says, "use on aluminum, copper, stainless...",
but when you finally find spec, it's acetic acid based.

Still, all the ones I've found that actually say, "safe for electronics"
are $30 for a 3oz. tube, 99% of which I'm gonna watch harden in the tube.

An actual part number for a product you've actually used successfully
on electronics would be helpful...until they change the formula...sigh...

I realize some of the problem is in the curing, and in a tight space
some of what dissipates during curing may cause problems to metallic
components.

But there has to be a distinction between glopping this stuff over
electronic components to insulate them (or hide them away so the
competition can't see what you're doing) and sealing up the casing.
The former seems very finicky, the latter less so. But I don't know how
much less so.

Michael

Back in the day, I built a pirate TV receiver. Sealed the box with
household caulk. About a month later, it quit working.
Opened it up and youda thunk it had been under seawater for years.
Corrosion everywhere. Had to trash it and start over.

 

[Cydrome Leader]

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

On 5/1/2015 10:35 AM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 1:53 PM, John-Del wrote:
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:
mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
On 4/29/2015 4:40 AM, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el art?culo <mhp1nk$7e2$1@dont-email.me>, mike <ham789@netzero.net
escribi?:

So, Is there a glue that works well holding wall
warts back together and has a long shelf life?

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) works well for me, but don't buy the cheap
stuff.
Superglue scares me for something that can electrocute me.
Works great when it sticks, but doesn't stick well to some plastics.
When I'm fumbling around in the dark under the desk, I really, really
want the wall wart to come out in one piece.

Getting the wall-wart apart neatly is an art form in itself. I use a
bench vice (with protectors if the vice jaws are serrated) and try the
wall wart in various positions, tightening the vice to probe for the
weakest part of the joint. Once you get the seam separated at one
point, the rest is easy to gently crack open.

I've never had much luck with that. End up tearing the plastic
instead of separating the joint.
I use a wood chisel to whack the seam sharply. Splits nicely, but
does break a lot of the overlapping plastic. With the plumbing pipe
glue, I can get it back together with reasonable aesthetics.

It takes time, but I read on a newgroup you can hold the power supply and
just beat on it with a hammer all around the edges over and over again and
it will split open, like a nut.

It does work. I told the power supply in fluffy glove and whack at it with
a small hammer. All the little whacks crack the welds inside. Everything
pieces together nicely with no stretched or deformed parts like you get if
you chisel, cut or pry thing thing open. The tough things like laptop
power supplies will open up this way if you have several minutes.

Some come apart easily, and some will never come apart without a lot of effort. Those that appear to be really welded together are the ones I'll just zip down with a Dremel and cut-off wheel (making sure to not go too deep).

If fixed, I'll either run some solvent in the seam if it came apart cleanly, or stuff it with RTV and rubber band it for 24 hours. BTW, you can make a nice RTV seam by wetting your finger with oil (or spit) and wipe it down to a smooth shiny fill.


RTV has the same shelf life problem. And it's GAWD awful expensive.
All the stuff I've found at reasonable prices or at the hardware store
exude acetic acid.

The RTV type 2 stuff smells like alcohol, not acetic acid. I just make
sure to get a tube that has a good cap that won't clog up and can be
resealed nicely. The GE branded stuff in plastic tube works well. The last
tube had to be around $4 at home depot.

Got a part number?
The GE Silicone II seems to say, non-corrosive, but there are additives
for mildew resistance and color change while curing etc. that may or may
not be good for electronics.
There's a zillion choices with very little info.
Some of the stuff says, "use on aluminum, copper, stainless...",
but when you finally find spec, it's acetic acid based.

I just use this stuff- it's cheap and has a nice nozzle and no threads to
get gunked up after the first use. NO oozing messes like with metal
squeeze tubes either.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Silicone-II-2-8-oz-Clear-Window-and-Door-Caulk-GE500-3TG/100179996

It's the type II stuff, so no acetic acid. There are "aquarium" grade
silicones, but they all use acetic acid. I've also used Permatex "blue"
RTV gasket sealant. It's packed with some additive to give it strength,
it's also the non-acetic acid based stuff. Never used either on sealed
electronics though. Cap makers always warn to stay away from halogens, so
plastic welding solvents may be bad news for closing up power supplies.

All that stuff is ultrasonically welded at the factory, so they never have
to worry about drying times and stuff like that.

Hell, plain old superglue will probably work fine if you clamp the shells
together under some pressure while it all dries. It's cheap and there's
quite a bit of surface to be joined so the strength should be excellent.