Cleaning Electrical Connections - Advice??

[Scotty Hutto]

I've heard from several folks over the past couple of years that one of Bill D 's big recommendations for getting rid of electrical gremlins was to clean all of the connectors and grounds on your coach.

Sooo... what's the best way to clean?  Spray contact cleaner? Solvent?  Wire brush?  Different for different connections?

Do you put anything on them to keep them clean and healthy?  What?

Thanks,

Scotty

[Chad Y]

32 minutes ago, Scotty Hutto said:

I've heard from several folks over the past couple of years that one of Bill D 's big recommendations for getting rid of electrical gremlins was to clean all of the connectors and grounds on your coach.

Sooo... what's the best way to clean?  Spray contact cleaner? Solvent?  Wire brush?  Different for different connections?

Do you put anything on them to keep them clean and healthy?  What?

Thanks,

Scotty

Scotty,

I had an issue back this summer with water in a connector to my Allison transmission. A wise man (Van Williams) told me to use WD-40 on the connection and to plug and unplug a couple times to "clean" the connection. After it dried use some dielectric grease to seal it. I did that to my transmission connections and (knock on wood) haven't had any more trouble.

Now your question included pics of your batteries. I'm not sure WD-40 would work best in that situation or not. Someone else may chime in there. I have used the CRC brand battery terminal cleaner and protectant with good success on the batteries. Hope this helps.

 

Chad Y

07 Neptune

Currently Orlando FL

[Gary M]

Scotty

Great topic. I have had several electrical issues lately and I have been told to check grounds. In crawling under and around my coach, I can’t believe how many grounds I find.

So very interested in everyones ideas.

[Hypoxia]

Wire brush for most or a wire wheel, you have to take the nut and wire off to clean underneath.  I use brake cleaner to remove oil/grease on the frame.  I like to spray battery sealant on the battery terminals once the cables are reattached to prevent gas from escaping through the case where the terminal comes through and causing corrosion.  Every switch terminal, bulkhead terminal and frame ground has to be cleaned.  Don't forget the front run box and generator cables,  wire brush for them.  If there is green or corrosion going into a terminal lug I cut the end off & replace it or make a new one.  A poor connection will not fix itself.

I do not advocate any spray other than the battery.  The earlier  mention of water in a connector is different, WD-40 = Water Displacement 40.  Electrical Contact Cleaner works for plugs and receptacles.

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Most of Bill D's recommendations applied to the ground bar on the fire wall where all the dash gauge connections terminated.  Bill recommended loosing all the screws, spraying them with WD 40, and retighten them.  Bill also recommended cleaning all the grounds on the battery cables including the cable end that attached to the chassis frame.  

Since the ground wire connections to the dash gauges are daisy chained, I recommend visiting them once a year to tighten them up.  The wires bounce up and down due to road vibration causing them to come loose.  All the connections down stream become compromised.  

 

I use the NAPA NCP-2 battery corrosion preventative spray on all the ground connections except for the gauge ground connections on the firewall.  I also use it on the diesel gauge connections on top of the fuel tank.

Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[throgmartin]

Scotty:

 

My method  for battery terminals that are corroded I steal some of Ingrids baking soda, mix it with a little water and pour it on the terminals. Then I hose it off.

I then use what Chuck said NCP-2 battery terminal spray. For grounds I will clen the area and contacts with a wire brush and use the NCP 2 on them.

On other electrical connections I clean them and then spray them with Boeshield T-9. It is an awesome lubricant but also seals electrical connections. Boeing Corp found all kinds iof uses for it

on airplanes.

 

[veraken]

I use this product on my battery terminals.

https://www.amazon.com/NO-OX-ID-Tube-Special-Grease-Compound/dp/B00HSW341A/ref=pd_bxgy_60_2/146-7076459-0120657?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00HSW341A&pd_rd_r=4d2e1fe4-c285-4cc5-9e34-1c9483c7b01a&pd_rd_w=EOUbn&pd_rd_wg=sVKes&pf_rd_p=09627863-9889-4290-b90a-5e9f86682449&pf_rd_r=6P70FN13J6ZF0MMVYJ02&psc=1&refRID=6P70FN13J6ZF0MMVYJ02

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by veraken
error

[BennieH]

What I do for the battery terminals, (we did this on the farm growing up and it worked):

Clean the terminals with a fine wire brush getting any corrosion off. Coat the posts, bolts, nuts and terminals with petroleum jelly (Vaseline). Put all together and tighten. then recoat with petroleum jelly. Has never failed me in 50+ years.

For low voltage connections/connectors I clean them with a Plastic Safe contact cleaner. Be careful, so contact cleaners will damage plastics! I then apply a dielectric silicone grease and reassemble by working the connectors together and apart several times.

For voltage, low power signals I use  CAIG Laboratories D100L-2DB Electric Cleaner to clean and preserve the connectors.

Edited January 5, 2020 by BennieH