WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

[rickman]

On 5/1/2017 12:39 PM, Sjouke Burry wrote:

On 01.05.17 18:07, Micky wrote:

WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

I'm on vacation and renting a room, and my landlady has a combination
CD/Radio/Cassette?, very compact, portable, works well except fo the
little on/off/CD slide switch.

The switch doesn't easily make contact, even when pushed to and past
the On position. So it's hard to get the radio on, and it turns off
by itself in about 30 minutes. Moving the switch back and forth 10
times to clean it hasn't worked yet.

Normally what I would do is spray contact cleaner or tuner cleaner in
the switch from above, where the plastic slider that goes over the
switch is, And normally that doesn't accomplish much.

Even taking such things apart and spraying the switch from underneath
has taken longer to work than for rheostats, for example, and here I
don't want to take it apart. She's only my landlady.

I don't know where in this non-English-speaking country to buy
contact cleaner and she might balk at the extra money, but she does
have something in an aerosol can that looks mighty like WD-40.

I have this vague recollection that WD-40 is good to clean electric
contacts?? Either that or it's bad for them. Should I try it.

BTW, I want to use the radio, so that's one big reason I want it
fixed. When it stopped playing while she was there, she said, "Oh,
yeah, maybe that's why I bought another one" (She speaks English.)

Trying it, will certainly not make things worse.
And cleaning/flooding the switch a day or two later with
something volatile,(alcohol,turpentine or such) will take
care of the wd40 residue(maybe).
I don't think it will make things worse.

Very bad idea. Contact cleaner is specifically formulated for the job
and won't cause any harm to electronics. A friend used WD40 on some
very expensive chemical instrumentation as "preventive maintenance" and
the volatile solvents in it melted the shafts to the collars on the pots
freezing them. So he had a service call the next day where he had to
replace the pots he sprayed.

--

Rick C

 

[rickman]

On 5/1/2017 8:09 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

Micky wrote:


I have this vague recollection that WD-40 is good to clean electric
contacts?? Either that or it's bad for them.



** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.

Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.

Until you use it on one where the plastic bits dissolve and melt together.

--

Rick C

 

[Phil Allison]

Prickman is a Liar wrote:

I don't think it will make things worse.

Very bad idea.

** Lie number 1.

Contact cleaner is specifically formulated for the job

** Lie number two.

Most so called "contact cleaners" are hopeless at fixing noisy switches and pots. The solvents use are too weak and evaporate so fast they do not do anything. Plus there is no residual oil to protect metal surfaces from corrosion.

A friend used WD40 on some
very expensive chemical instrumentation ...

** Why is it always a "friend" who has weird experience with WD40 and never the person posting ??

Cos the story is a complete fabrication.



.... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

Prickman is a Liar wrote:

Phil Allison wrote:

** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.

Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.


Until you use it on one where the plastic bits dissolve and melt together.

** Massive LIE !!

WD40 does not harm plastics used to make electronic or electrical components.

That is the oldest and STUPIDEST crock of shit trotted out by WD40 haters.

The Prickman is a parroting MORON.



..... Phil

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 02/05/17 10:09, Phil Allison wrote:

Micky wrote:
I have this vague recollection that WD-40 is good to clean electric
contacts?? Either that or it's bad for them.

** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.
Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.
.... Phil

I've been meaning to thank you for telling us that some months back.

In my Yamaha A-520 stereo amp, I've been putting up for several
years now with a noisy/intermittent balance pot for several years.
Only one channel working most of the time, and when you finally
get both to work, one was significantly louder than the other.
It looks like a big job to disassemble it enough to replace.

A quick squirt of WD-40 and it seems as good as new.
I wouldn't have done it on anyone else's recommendation.

Clifford Heath.

 

[Ian Jackson]

In message <v6udnTMQQbl1JprEnZ2dnUU7-K-dnZ2d@giganews.com>, John
Robertson <spam@flippers.com> writes

On 2017/05/01 1:24 PM, Wade Garrett wrote:
On 5/1/17 3:08 PM, Foxs Mercantile wrote:
On 5/1/2017 12:00 PM, Retired wrote:
According to WD-40's "List of 2000+ Uses" at
https://wd40.com/files/pdf/wd_40_2000_uses_updated_jan_2017.pdf
"• Cleans gunk from electrical contacts" is one of them

And most of the 2000 ideas are marketing hype.


You're a regular party-pooper!


Having cleaned the residue (glue like substance) of WD-40 from many an
electrical unit I would say that it's only practical use is for
preventing rust on tools.

Everything else is hype.

There are FAR better solvents out there than WD-40...and cheaper!

Cheaper than the old can you've had in the tool-shed for the last 20
years, but which has been your saviour on the odd occasion when you've
suddenly needed a general-purpose lubricant / switch cleaner / rusty nut
freer / corrosion inhibitor ?
>

--
Ian

 

[Ian Jackson]

In message <oe8m0u$n9s$2@dont-email.me>, rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com>
writes

On 5/1/2017 12:39 PM, Sjouke Burry wrote:
On 01.05.17 18:07, Micky wrote:

WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

I'm on vacation and renting a room, and my landlady has a combination
CD/Radio/Cassette?, very compact, portable, works well except fo the
little on/off/CD slide switch.

The switch doesn't easily make contact, even when pushed to and past
the On position. So it's hard to get the radio on, and it turns off
by itself in about 30 minutes. Moving the switch back and forth 10
times to clean it hasn't worked yet.

Normally what I would do is spray contact cleaner or tuner cleaner in
the switch from above, where the plastic slider that goes over the
switch is, And normally that doesn't accomplish much.

Even taking such things apart and spraying the switch from underneath
has taken longer to work than for rheostats, for example, and here I
don't want to take it apart. She's only my landlady.

I don't know where in this non-English-speaking country to buy
contact cleaner and she might balk at the extra money, but she does
have something in an aerosol can that looks mighty like WD-40.

I have this vague recollection that WD-40 is good to clean electric
contacts?? Either that or it's bad for them. Should I try it.

BTW, I want to use the radio, so that's one big reason I want it
fixed. When it stopped playing while she was there, she said, "Oh,
yeah, maybe that's why I bought another one" (She speaks English.)

Trying it, will certainly not make things worse.
And cleaning/flooding the switch a day or two later with
something volatile,(alcohol,turpentine or such) will take
care of the wd40 residue(maybe).
I don't think it will make things worse.

Very bad idea. Contact cleaner is specifically formulated for the job
and won't cause any harm to electronics. A friend used WD40 on some
very expensive chemical instrumentation as "preventive maintenance" and
the volatile solvents in it melted the shafts to the collars on the
pots freezing them. So he had a service call the next day where he had
to replace the pots he sprayed.

While I'm sure that there have been occasions when a squirt of WD40 has
dissolved everything in sight, I've been using it for decades, and I've
never found it has ever caused any such damage.
--
Ian

 

[Phil Allison]

Clifford Heath wrote:

Phil Allison wrote:

** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.
Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.


I've been meaning to thank you for telling us that some months back.

In my Yamaha A-520 stereo amp, I've been putting up for several
years now with a noisy/intermittent balance pot for several years.
Only one channel working most of the time, and when you finally
get both to work, one was significantly louder than the other.
It looks like a big job to disassemble it enough to replace.

A quick squirt of WD-40 and it seems as good as new.
I wouldn't have done it on anyone else's recommendation.

** Thanks or the vote of confidence.

Often, the effect of using a little WD40 is so quick and complete it seems almost magical.


..... Phil

 

[gregz]

"pfjw@aol.com" <pfjw@aol.com> wrote:

A few things on WD-40.

Its name means Water Displacement - 40th try.
It is, essentially, stoddard solvent, that is highly refined kerosene and
a very small amount of very light mineral oil.
It is 100% volatile over time. Which is directly related to temperature.
Most gunks and goos are soluble in WD-40. But, what is not rinsed away
will be evenly distributed when the solvent evaporates. So beware!
It is a rather gentle solvent, and does not attack most plastics or
finishes. *MOST*, not all!

WD-40 is NOT a contact cleaner. What it does along those lines is by rinsing.
WD-40 is not a lubricant. It will (temporarily) reconstitute some
lubricants under some conditions.

Good luck with it, you could do worse.

It does not displace water unless it's the blast. It floats on water. PB
Blaster displaces water.

Greg

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

WD-40 is not designed to remove or protect against rust either. It is meant to *DISPLACE* dampness in the process of cleaning and protecting tools *with something else*.

Try the test.

WD-40 is neither voodoo, black magic nor a secret potion. It is a very simple compound designed for a few very basic purposes.

https://wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd482671453.pdf

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 8:18:04 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

tabb...@gmail.com wrote:


Stoddard solvent is aka white spirit.



** Which is refined petrol, aka lighter fluid.




..... Phil

The MSDS for WD-40 is posted previously. Look up the numbers.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Jeff Layman]

On 02/05/17 12:16, pfjw@aol.com wrote:
> WD-40 is not designed to remove or protect against rust either.

From the link you quoted:
"Product Use: Lubricant, Penetrant, Drives Out
Moisture, Removes and Protects Surfaces
From Corrosion"

Why do you believe that "Removes and Protects Surfaces From Corrosion"
does not include removing or protecting against rust? From the Wikipedia
article on "Rust":
"Rusting is the common term for corrosion of iron and its alloys".

.. It is

meant to *DISPLACE* dampness in the process of cleaning and
protecting tools *with something else*.

Try the test.

I have, many times. It just works.

WD-40 is neither voodoo, black magic nor a secret potion. It is a
very simple compound designed for a few very basic purposes.

It is not a compound. A compound is a single entity . It is a mixture of
compounds (including "non-hazardous ingredients", which appear to be, or
include, sodium bisulfite). The actual amounts are given as ranges.

https://wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd482671453.pdf

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

--

Jeff

 

[Adrian Caspersz]

On 02/05/17 12:16, pfjw@aol.com wrote:

WD-40 is not designed to remove or protect against rust either. It is meant to *DISPLACE* dampness in the process of cleaning and protecting tools *with something else*.

Try the test.

WD-40 is neither voodoo, black magic nor a secret potion. It is a very simple compound designed for a few very basic purposes.

https://wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd482671453.pdf

It washes out the proper & better lubricants.

We have a sliding door that does get a bit stiff, so a while ago a
regular spray of WD40 sorted it - until it got stuck again. Then another
respray.

Now I've I fixed the respray issue more or less permanently with light
machine oil. Actually another known household brand name, 3-in-1.

When it later needs a clean, I'll use WD40 - then back with the oil.

Because of the advertising, the non-technical "my tv is broke, must be
the switch" tend to overuse the product on anything things that are not
suited, I'm sure some here will have seen examples of overendevous
application on deck mechanics and electronics.

--
Adrian C

 

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:31:55 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

Prickman is a Liar wrote:


Phil Allison wrote:

** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.

Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.


Until you use it on one where the plastic bits dissolve and melt together.



** Massive LIE !!

WD40 does not harm plastics used to make electronic or electrical components.

That is the oldest and STUPIDEST crock of shit trotted out by WD40 haters.

The Prickman is a parroting MORON.



.... Phil

As much as I hate to agree with Phil, I believe he's right.

I've learned about unintended solvent welding of plastics with all kinds of spray elixirs, and I've also learned to test each one on soft plastics so I have an idea of what kind of consequences (if any) to expect upon usage.

WD40 has never shown any tendency to soften or otherwise affect plastics that I'm aware of. Is there a strange plastic formula that WD might affect that I've never encountered? Possibly, but I've never seen it, at least not at the level that plastic controls might be constructed of.

Maybe the "friend's" controls weren't solvent welded at all, but bound by the original hardened lubricant that was dissolved and rehardened later after being flushed into the shaft.

 

[rbowman]

On 05/02/2017 01:45 AM, Ian Jackson wrote:

While I'm sure that there have been occasions when a squirt of WD40 has
dissolved everything in sight, I've been using it for decades, and I've
never found it has ever caused any such damage.
-

Not WD-40 but I found out that using Lock-Ease on a bicycle chain lock
with plastic internal parts is a poor idea Even worse is having the
chain wrapped around the bike and an immobile object at the time.

 

[rickman]

On 5/2/2017 9:38 AM, ohger1s@gmail.com wrote:

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:31:55 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:
Prickman is a Liar wrote:


Phil Allison wrote:

** WD40 is excellent at making bad contacts good again.

Switches, connectors and pots are all examples.


Until you use it on one where the plastic bits dissolve and melt together.



** Massive LIE !!

WD40 does not harm plastics used to make electronic or electrical components.

That is the oldest and STUPIDEST crock of shit trotted out by WD40 haters.

The Prickman is a parroting MORON.



.... Phil
\



As much as I hate to agree with Phil, I believe he's right.

I've learned about unintended solvent welding of plastics with all kinds of spray elixirs, and I've also learned to test each one on soft plastics so I have an idea of what kind of consequences (if any) to expect upon usage.

WD40 has never shown any tendency to soften or otherwise affect plastics that I'm aware of. Is there a strange plastic formula that WD might affect that I've never encountered? Possibly, but I've never seen it, at least not at the level that plastic controls might be constructed of.

Maybe the "friend's" controls weren't solvent welded at all, but bound by the original hardened lubricant that was dissolved and rehardened later after being flushed into the shaft.

This was laboratory equipment that had never seen any harsh treatment.
Anything is possible I suppose, so maybe the controls weren't melted by
the WD-40. But the fact remains that regardless of the exact details
surrounding the problem, it was caused by the indiscriminate use of
WD-40 where it does nothing to help.

So caution is advised when using WD-40 on electronics regardless of the
details of how it mucks up the works.

--

Rick C

 

[Jeff Layman]

On 02/05/17 13:06, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

Now I've I fixed the respray issue more or less permanently with light
machine oil. Actually another known household brand name, 3-in-1.

http://www.concept2.co.uk/files/pdf/us/miscellaneous/MISC_MSDS_3-in-1-Oil.pdf

> When it later needs a clean, I'll use WD40 - then back with the oil.

The money all ends up at the same place!

--

Jeff

 

On Tue, 2 May 2017 08:45:41 +0100, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVETHISjackson@g3ohx.co.uk> wrote:

In message <oe8m0u$n9s$2@dont-email.me>, rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com
writes
On 5/1/2017 12:39 PM, Sjouke Burry wrote:
On 01.05.17 18:07, Micky wrote:

WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

I'm on vacation and renting a room, and my landlady has a combination
CD/Radio/Cassette?, very compact, portable, works well except fo the
little on/off/CD slide switch.

The switch doesn't easily make contact, even when pushed to and past
the On position. So it's hard to get the radio on, and it turns off
by itself in about 30 minutes. Moving the switch back and forth 10
times to clean it hasn't worked yet.

Normally what I would do is spray contact cleaner or tuner cleaner in
the switch from above, where the plastic slider that goes over the
switch is, And normally that doesn't accomplish much.

Even taking such things apart and spraying the switch from underneath
has taken longer to work than for rheostats, for example, and here I
don't want to take it apart. She's only my landlady.

I don't know where in this non-English-speaking country to buy
contact cleaner and she might balk at the extra money, but she does
have something in an aerosol can that looks mighty like WD-40.

I have this vague recollection that WD-40 is good to clean electric
contacts?? Either that or it's bad for them. Should I try it.

BTW, I want to use the radio, so that's one big reason I want it
fixed. When it stopped playing while she was there, she said, "Oh,
yeah, maybe that's why I bought another one" (She speaks English.)

Trying it, will certainly not make things worse.
And cleaning/flooding the switch a day or two later with
something volatile,(alcohol,turpentine or such) will take
care of the wd40 residue(maybe).
I don't think it will make things worse.

Very bad idea. Contact cleaner is specifically formulated for the job
and won't cause any harm to electronics. A friend used WD40 on some
very expensive chemical instrumentation as "preventive maintenance" and
the volatile solvents in it melted the shafts to the collars on the
pots freezing them. So he had a service call the next day where he had
to replace the pots he sprayed.

While I'm sure that there have been occasions when a squirt of WD40 has
dissolved everything in sight, I've been using it for decades, and I've
never found it has ever caused any such damage.

I can tell you one thing it is DEFINITELY no good for.
I have EuroVynyl brand tilt turn side dlider windiws - made with Rehau
vinyl extrusions. When cleaning the windows my wife drcided to
lubricate the pivot blocks with WD-40.She then could not get the
blocks to slide in the track. I ended up moving the top block far
enough to pop the window sash out of the sliders, drive the block to
the end, cut the top of the track and pry out the block. Luckily I had
purchased a few sets of the lovot blocks and other parts fron the
manufacturer when I bought the windowsn(I worked for the dealer) so I
was able to replace the swollen blocks. No amount of soaking in
alcohol or any othe substance was effective in returning the block to
the proper size. No idea what kind of plastic it was- but it sure
didn't like WD-40.

If using wd-40 to disolve hardened grease in a slide switch, ALWAYS
finish the job with a contact cleaner to flush out the remains.

In automotive switches, like power window, door lock, headlight, etc,
when I've had to dissassemble them and clean/polish contacts etc I
re-assemble using a synthetic silicone based grease which won't
harden.WD 40 can be an effective solvent for softeninf and removing
the old "boogers" - . It can also be acceptable for "burnishing"
plug-in connectors and keeping them from corroding - things like
wiring harnes plugs - but the old TV Tuner dope works a lot better if
you can still find it.

 

On Mon, 1 May 2017 15:50:09 -0700 (PDT), "pfjw@aol.com" <pfjw@aol.com>
wrote:

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 5:51:19 PM UTC-4, et...@whidbey.com wrote:
WD-40 does not completely evaporate over time unless the temperature
is higher than that which is compatible with human life.

No, it does completely evaporate. That 'leftover' is the previous skunge dissolved and spread over everything.

To prove this out:

Take a standard paper towel, clean and dry.
Saturate it in WD-40.
Leave it on a clean surface in a location in your domicile exposed to normal temperature variations.
Check it in 4-20 days depending on ambient temperatures.

Don't take my word for it.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Peter, I discovered this residue after cleaning a machine well with
solvent and then spraying wirth WD-40. There was left behind a hard
coating on all the previously cleaned metal surfaces. I have since
learned to use this to advantage when repairing an oil rubbed bronze
finish that has been damamged by machining operations. After texturing
and oxidizing the bright bronze machined surface I heat, then spray,
then heat and then spray again with WD-40. This ends up being almost
exactly a US-10 oil rubbed bronze finish and wears identically.
Eric

 

On Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at 11:57:29 AM UTC-4, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
Luckily I had

purchased a few sets of the lovot blocks and other parts fron the
manufacturer when I bought the windowsn(I worked for the dealer) so I
was able to replace the swollen blocks. No amount of soaking in
alcohol or any othe substance was effective in returning the block to
the proper size. No idea what kind of plastic it was- but it sure
didn't like WD-40.

I've heard of certain materials that swell in the presence of oils. Maybe it wasn't the solvent in the WD but the mineral oil it contains. IOW, any spray with mineral oil might have had the same effect.