WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

[gregz]

<oldschool@tubes.com> wrote:

On Sun, 11 Mar 2018 08:42:37 -0000 (UTC), gregz <zekor@comcast.net
wrote:

John Robertson <spam@flippers.com> wrote:
On 2018/03/09 11:28 PM, marty wrote:
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


Last week I fixed a small pot on headphones with WD40.
Works perfectly now. The only problem was applying a small enough dose.
Thanks for the info.

WD-40 is a rust preventative tool only, anything else that it seems to
do is done better by products designed for the job. WD-40 usually gums
up after a year or so, so I can't imagine it will do your pot any good
in the long run.

Much like folks used to use carbon tetrachloride (or gasoline) for
cleaning stuff or lead to make paint white, solder for water pipes...we
have moved on.

John :-#(#

Never seen WD40 gum up, but it dries with a film. One of the popular
cleaners is Nathpha, or like Coleman Fuel. It dries slow enough to use
mechanical switch action to clean. For lube I like CRC 2-26.

Greg

Aside from cost, I think Deoxit is the best spray to use. I'll continue
to use Deoxit, but I do wish I could find a cheaper product for
non-critical applications, such as the dashboard switches in cars. I
used to use Radio Shack's contact cleaner and it was a good product, but
now that R.S. is gone, I have not found any replacement. If anyone on
here knows of a cheaper contact cleaner that is worthwhile, I'd like to
hear about it. (and where ot buy it).

My personal opinion about WD-40 is not very good. PB Blaster is far
superior for loosening rusted bolts and it lasts a lot longer too. I
have not bought WD-40 in years, I have not found any real use for it.
Yet it costs more than PB Blaster, even though it's an inferior product.
WD-40 was more or less the first product of it's kind, and it gained a
reputation for its name, so now the name is what sells it, except for
people like myself who learned that it's not worth much. From what I
have heard, WD-40 is mostly just Kerosene.

At least PB Blaster actually displaces water instead of floating on water.

Greg

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

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

The above is the MSDS for WD40. And, yes, it is mostly ultra-refined kerosene. Track the CAS numbers to show that.

What it is not is Stoddard Solvent, although it has been accused of being that in the past.

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927610

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Phil Allison]

pf...@aol.com wrote:

--------------------

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

The above is the MSDS for WD40. And, yes, it is mostly
ultra-refined kerosene.

** So no longer Kerosene at all, a myth WD-40 strongly deny.

What it is not is Stoddard Solvent, although it has been accused
of being that in the past.

** If you consider WD-40 to be a 5:1 mix of a Naptha like solvent or White Spirit and light mineral oil - you are very close.

Unlike most of its similar competitors, WD-40 is sold to the *public* at corner stores. So it suffers from being too commonplace.



..... Phil

 

[Tim R]

I don't have an existing opinion on the terminology, but because I was curious I looked it up.

According to How Stuff Works,

aliphatic hydrocarbons from C1 to C4 are gases.

C5 - C7 are naphthas, also used in dry cleaning solvents, so maybe Stoddard solvents is accurate.

C7 - C11 are blended to make gasoline.

C12 - C15 is the kerosene range.

Lubricating oils are longer carbon chains, and when we get above C20 we get solids, waxes.

The MSDS for WD-40 is not real specific. It says aliphatic hydrocarbons 45-50%, LVP aliphatic hydrocarbons 12 - 18%, petroleum base oils <25%. Snopes says "medium aliphatic hydrocarbons, aka Stoddard solvent."

Not being a chemist, from those descriptions I'd guess it's about 50% "naphtha," a very imprecise term, 20% kerosene, the rest oil.

so I guess you're all correct.

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

Look up the CAS number.

That will state exactly what each part contains.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Phil Allison]

Tim R wrote:

------------

According to How Stuff Works,

aliphatic hydrocarbons from C1 to C4 are gases.

C5 - C7 are naphthas, also used in dry cleaning solvents, so maybe Stoddard solvents is accurate.

C7 - C11 are blended to make gasoline.

C12 - C15 is the kerosene range.

Lubricating oils are longer carbon chains, and when we get above C20 we get solids, waxes.

The MSDS for WD-40 is not real specific. It says aliphatic hydrocarbons 45-50%, LVP aliphatic hydrocarbons 12 - 18%, petroleum base oils <25%. Snopes says "medium aliphatic hydrocarbons, aka Stoddard solvent."

Not being a chemist, from those descriptions I'd guess it's about 50% "naphtha," a very imprecise term, 20% kerosene, the rest oil.

so I guess you're all correct.

** Trying to disparage WD-4O by pointing out it is a mixture of a common solvents and light mineral oil is ridiculous.

Its the *physical properties* of the mixture that make it work. The only
way to know how well is to try using it on a variety of jobs over a period
of time.

I have done this long ago so am happy to recommend its use and comfortable that most will either have some on hand or can get it cheaply almost anywhere on earth.



.... Phil

 

[gregz]

<oldschool@tubes.com> wrote:

On Sun, 11 Mar 2018 08:42:37 -0000 (UTC), gregz <zekor@comcast.net
wrote:

John Robertson <spam@flippers.com> wrote:
On 2018/03/09 11:28 PM, marty wrote:
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


Last week I fixed a small pot on headphones with WD40.
Works perfectly now. The only problem was applying a small enough dose.
Thanks for the info.

WD-40 is a rust preventative tool only, anything else that it seems to
do is done better by products designed for the job. WD-40 usually gums
up after a year or so, so I can't imagine it will do your pot any good
in the long run.

Much like folks used to use carbon tetrachloride (or gasoline) for
cleaning stuff or lead to make paint white, solder for water pipes...we
have moved on.

John :-#(#

Never seen WD40 gum up, but it dries with a film. One of the popular
cleaners is Nathpha, or like Coleman Fuel. It dries slow enough to use
mechanical switch action to clean. For lube I like CRC 2-26.

Greg

Aside from cost, I think Deoxit is the best spray to use. I'll continue
to use Deoxit, but I do wish I could find a cheaper product for
non-critical applications, such as the dashboard switches in cars. I
used to use Radio Shack's contact cleaner and it was a good product, but
now that R.S. is gone, I have not found any replacement. If anyone on
here knows of a cheaper contact cleaner that is worthwhile, I'd like to
hear about it. (and where ot buy it).

My personal opinion about WD-40 is not very good. PB Blaster is far
superior for loosening rusted bolts and it lasts a lot longer too. I
have not bought WD-40 in years, I have not found any real use for it.
Yet it costs more than PB Blaster, even though it's an inferior product.
WD-40 was more or less the first product of it's kind, and it gained a
reputation for its name, so now the name is what sells it, except for
people like myself who learned that it's not worth much. From what I
have heard, WD-40 is mostly just Kerosene.

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.

Greg

 

[Tim R]

On Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 9:51:02 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

Its the *physical properties* of the mixture that make it work. The only
way to know how well is to try using it on a variety of jobs over a period
of time.

I have done this long ago so am happy to recommend its use and comfortable that most will either have some on hand or can get it cheaply almost anywhere on earth.



... Phil

I've used it for many decades and always have a can nearby. It's not the optimal choice for all applications but most of the time is "good enough."

Reading the MSDS made it clear to me that it's a pretty variable mixture of various chain length hydrocarbons; surely one batch differs significantly from the next.

Oh, and it's far better on locks than graphite.

And terrible on an airgun. (at least on a springer)

 

https://www.google.com/search?gl=us&tbm=isch&source=hp&ei=pySpWvuLCMmvggf9gaCAAQ&q=electrical+connection+cleaners&oq=electrical+connection+cleaners&gs_l=mobile-gws-img.3...1756.15468..17718...0....425.5126.0j25j1j2j2..........1..mobile-gws-wiz-img.....3..0j41j0i8i30j0i10i24j0i13.nAf7BT%2BxkBs%3D

 

[Phil Allison]

GS wrote:

---------

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.

** The solvent in WD-40 damaged does not damage any of the plastics commonly
used in electronic or electrical components.

In normal use, the solvent evaporates in 10 to 15 minutes having done its job of softening the contaminating material so merely operating the switch, pot or connector completes the cleaning operation.



..... Phil

 

[gregz]

Tim R <timothy42b@aol.com> wrote:

On Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 9:51:02 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:
Its the *physical properties* of the mixture that make it work. The only
way to know how well is to try using it on a variety of jobs over a period
of time.

I have done this long ago so am happy to recommend its use and
comfortable that most will either have some on hand or can get it
cheaply almost anywhere on earth.



... Phil

I've used it for many decades and always have a can nearby. It's not the
optimal choice for all applications but most of the time is "good enough."

Reading the MSDS made it clear to me that it's a pretty variable mixture
of various chain length hydrocarbons; surely one batch differs
significantly from the next.

Oh, and it's far better on locks than graphite.

And terrible on an airgun. (at least on a springer)

Im satisfied with the description of mineral spirits and light mineral oil.
I laugh some say fish oil. Upon investigating, there seems to be a trace of
bug oil. I think it was a variety of stink bug. LOL.

Greg

 

[Chuck]

On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:01:50 -0700 (PDT), Phil Allison
<pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:

GS wrote:

---------

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.



** The solvent in WD-40 damaged does not damage any of the plastics commonly
used in electronic or electrical components.

In normal use, the solvent evaporates in 10 to 15 minutes having done its job of softening the contaminating material so merely operating the switch, pot or connector completes the cleaning operation.



.... Phil

Just a heads up, don't use any isopropyl alcohol containing cleaners
on coal based plastics (Mainly old eastern block products.) I had just
repaired a camera and sprayed the meter pots. The plastic gears
instantly turned into goo.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

 

[Phil Hobbs]

On 03/13/18 21:50, Phil Allison wrote:

Tim R wrote:

------------



According to How Stuff Works,

aliphatic hydrocarbons from C1 to C4 are gases.

C5 - C7 are naphthas, also used in dry cleaning solvents, so maybe
Stoddard solvents is accurate.

C7 - C11 are blended to make gasoline.

C12 - C15 is the kerosene range.

Lubricating oils are longer carbon chains, and when we get above
C20 we get solids, waxes.

The MSDS for WD-40 is not real specific. It says aliphatic
hydrocarbons 45-50%, LVP aliphatic hydrocarbons 12 - 18%, petroleum
base oils <25%. Snopes says "medium aliphatic hydrocarbons, aka
Stoddard solvent."

Not being a chemist, from those descriptions I'd guess it's about
50% "naphtha," a very imprecise term, 20% kerosene, the rest oil.

so I guess you're all correct.



** Trying to disparage WD-4O by pointing out it is a mixture of a
common solvents and light mineral oil is ridiculous.

Its the *physical properties* of the mixture that make it work. The
only way to know how well is to try using it on a variety of jobs
over a period of time.

I have done this long ago so am happy to recommend its use and
comfortable that most will either have some on hand or can get it
cheaply almost anywhere on earth.

It also makes a good perfume for women who are interested in gearheads.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

(Stainless welding flux is another good one.)

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

 

[Phil Hobbs]

On 03/10/18 10:56, John Robertson wrote:

On 2018/03/09 11:28 PM, marty wrote:
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


Last week I fixed a small pot on headphones with WD40.
Works perfectly now. The only problem was applying a small enough dose.
Thanks for the info.

WD-40 is a rust preventative tool only, anything else that it seems to
do is done better by products designed for the job. WD-40 usually gums
up after a year or so, so I can't imagine it will do your pot any good
in the long run.

Much like folks used to use carbon tetrachloride (or gasoline) for
cleaning stuff or lead to make paint white, solder for water pipes...we
have moved on.

Carbon tet is awesome. It'll take out grease stains that nothing
aqueous will touch.

Of course you have to use it in the open air!

TCE is almost as good and much much safer.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs


--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

 

[Phil Hobbs]

On 03/15/18 17:26, Chuck wrote:

On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:01:50 -0700 (PDT), Phil Allison
pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:

GS wrote:

---------

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.



** The solvent in WD-40 damaged does not damage any of the plastics commonly
used in electronic or electrical components.

In normal use, the solvent evaporates in 10 to 15 minutes having done its job of softening the contaminating material so merely operating the switch, pot or connector completes the cleaning operation.



.... Phil


Just a heads up, don't use any isopropyl alcohol containing cleaners
on coal based plastics (Mainly old eastern block products.) I had just
repaired a camera and sprayed the meter pots. The plastic gears
instantly turned into goo.

IPA makes a mess of acrylic too--it crazes the surface instantly.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

 

[Terry Schwartz]

On Friday, March 16, 2018 at 7:04:58 PM UTC-5, Phil Hobbs wrote:

On 03/15/18 17:26, Chuck wrote:
On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:01:50 -0700 (PDT), Phil Allison
pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:

GS wrote:

---------

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.



** The solvent in WD-40 damaged does not damage any of the plastics commonly
used in electronic or electrical components.

In normal use, the solvent evaporates in 10 to 15 minutes having done its job of softening the contaminating material so merely operating the switch, pot or connector completes the cleaning operation.



.... Phil


Just a heads up, don't use any isopropyl alcohol containing cleaners
on coal based plastics (Mainly old eastern block products.) I had just
repaired a camera and sprayed the meter pots. The plastic gears
instantly turned into goo.


IPA makes a mess of acrylic too--it crazes the surface instantly.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

So does DEET. Keep it off your motorcycle gauge faces.

 

[gregz]

Terry Schwartz <tschw10117@aol.com> wrote:

On Friday, March 16, 2018 at 7:04:58 PM UTC-5, Phil Hobbs wrote:
On 03/15/18 17:26, Chuck wrote:
On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:01:50 -0700 (PDT), Phil Allison
pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:

GS wrote:

---------

I think PB Blaster will melt polystyrene. Not sure about W40.



** The solvent in WD-40 damaged does not damage any of the plastics commonly
used in electronic or electrical components.

In normal use, the solvent evaporates in 10 to 15 minutes having done
its job of softening the contaminating material so merely operating
the switch, pot or connector completes the cleaning operation.



.... Phil


Just a heads up, don't use any isopropyl alcohol containing cleaners
on coal based plastics (Mainly old eastern block products.) I had just
repaired a camera and sprayed the meter pots. The plastic gears
instantly turned into goo.


IPA makes a mess of acrylic too--it crazes the surface instantly.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

So does DEET. Keep it off your motorcycle gauge faces.

I have been using Naptha cleaning fogged headlights for a tempoary fix.
Actuall Seafoam mix.

Greg

 

On Monday, 1 May 2017 09:07:51 UTC-7, 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.)

every day i get down on my knees and thank the 6lb. 8 oz. baby jesus for giving us wd40.

 

[Look165]

Trop gras.

RigiditĂŠ ĂŠlectrique trop faible.

Le F2 (ancien KF) de Siceront est idĂŠal.

joefed54@gmail.com a Êcrit le 20/01/2019 à 02:57 :

On Monday, 1 May 2017 09:07:51 UTC-7, 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.)
every day i get down on my knees and thank the 6lb. 8 oz. baby jesus for giving us wd40.

 

[Chris]

On Sat, 19 Jan 2019 17:57:44 -0800, joefed54 wrote:

every day i get down on my knees and thank the 6lb. 8 oz. baby jesus for
giving us wd40.

You might just be the only one who does.