Whta is a good electrical contact cleaner for switches?

[IndyPinball]

Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.

I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?

Regards,

Indypinball

[Flippedout]

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?
Regards,
Indypinball

All about the same, do not use the ones that lubricate. Most, if not
all times, its a band-aid fix. Best to replace the part.

[Del]

Post by Flippedout

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?
Regards,
Indypinball

All about the same, do not use the ones that lubricate. Most, if not
all times, its a band-aid fix. Best to replace the part.

A Piece of Paper works find on Contact switchs, No "Sprays" needed &
dont use a file.

Pin-Del,
cargpb28

[Fred Kemper]

Alcohol and cotton swabs is best. If it is a sealed type of
switch, (micro), they must be replaced, not cleaned,
--
Fred
TX
CARGPB#8
******************

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?

[seymour-shabow]

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?

I clean low voltage (gold plated) leaf switches with a pencil eraser.
Inspect the contacts closely, a lot of operators filed the switches
because they didn't know any better and missed the large warnings in the
manuals and on the playfield to not file the switches. Once the gold
has been filed off no amount of any product will fix it, you have to
replace the contact or the switch.

microswitches just replace, they are pretty cheap.

-scott CARGPB#29

[s***@aol.com]

Post by seymour-shabow

Any one knows of a good electricalcontact cleanerfor switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?

I clean low voltage (gold plated) leaf switches with a pencil eraser.
Inspect the contacts closely, a lot of operators filed the switches
because they didn't know any better and missed the large warnings in the
manuals and on the playfield to not file the switches.  Once the gold
has been filed off no amount of any product will fix it, you have to
replace the contact or the switch.
microswitches just replace, they are pretty cheap.
-scott CARGPB#29

Try Deoxit contact cleaner and enhancer. You can get it at RadioShack
or other distributors.
Mike

[seymour-shabow]

Post by s***@aol.com
Try Deoxit contact cleaner and enhancer. You can get it at RadioShack
or other distributors.

I've tried this and it doesn't last. I do like it for 40 pin
interconnects though, but on switches it seems to work for awhile and
then you have to reapply.

-scott CARPGB#29

[s***@aol.com]

TryDeoxitcontact cleaner and enhancer.  You can get it at RadioShack
or other distributors.

I've tried this and it doesn't last.  I do like it for 40 pin
interconnects though, but on switches it seems to work for awhile and
then you have to reapply.
-scott CARPGB#29

The standard Deoxit is formulated to dissovle oxides and clean the
surface. It does a farly good job of lubricating and protecting -
good for most applications. If the lubrication does not not last as
long as desired, try the DeoxIT Shield or the DeoxIT Grease. Should
last a lot longer.
Mike

[Ken]

Post by s***@aol.com

TryDeoxitcontact cleaner and enhancer.  You can get it at RadioShack
or other distributors.

I've tried this and it doesn't last.  I do like it for 40 pin
interconnects though, but on switches it seems to work for awhile and
then you have to reapply.
-scott CARPGB#29

The standard Deoxit is formulated to dissovle oxides and clean the
surface.  

It does a farly good job of lubricating and protecting -

Post by s***@aol.com
good for most applications.  

If the lubrication does not not last as

Post by s***@aol.com
long as desired, try the DeoxIT Shield or the DeoxIT Grease.  

Should

Post by s***@aol.com
last a lot longer.
Mike

Lubrication in a pinball is a bad thing, especially in an arisol.
Attracts too much dust, dirt and the oxides that build up. Can also
cause a fire if the stuff is flammable. Detoxit doesn't sound like
something I would use. I've 'repaired' too many EM's that only really
needed cleaning. Ended up being gunk in the pivot points and gears of
the stepper units and player units.

I could see using it on an interconnect and/or some of the corrosion
prone connections on a System 3-7 Power supply, but I'd use it very
sparingly.

Give me the LPS residue free stuff or just use alcohol.

-Ken

[nuggy]

Post by s***@aol.com

Post by s***@aol.com

TryDeoxitcontact cleaner and enhancer.  You can get it at RadioShack
or other distributors.

I've tried this and it doesn't last.  I do like it for 40 pin
interconnects though, but on switches it seems to work for awhile and
then you have to reapply.
-scott CARPGB#29

The standard Deoxit is formulated to dissovle oxides and clean the
surface.  

It does a farly good job of lubricating and protecting -

Post by s***@aol.com
good for most applications.  

If the lubrication does not not last as

Post by s***@aol.com
long as desired, try the DeoxIT Shield or the DeoxIT Grease.  

Should

Post by s***@aol.com
last a lot longer.
Mike

Lubrication in a pinball is a bad thing, especially in an arisol.
Attracts too much dust, dirt and the oxides that build up.  Can also
cause a fire if the stuff is flammable.  Detoxit doesn't sound like
something I would use.  I've 'repaired' too many EM's that only really
needed cleaning.  Ended up being gunk in the pivot points and gears of
the stepper units and player units.
I could see using it on an interconnect and/or some of the corrosion
prone connections on a System 3-7 Power supply, but I'd use it very
sparingly.
Give me the LPS residue free stuff or just use alcohol.
-Ken

ah. the smell of fresh contact cleaner!

[Ken]

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?
Regards,
Indypinball

All of the above advice from the others is very good.

If you still feel the need to use a cleaner (You never told us what
your application is), then I reccomend:

http://www.lpslabs.com/Products/ElectricalCleaners/ecc.asp

You can get this from Grainger and some Ace Hardware Stores. I buy it
from BAC: http://www.bac1.peachhost.com/ because they are local and I
get it next day.

I do not spray my installed equipment directly with this (although we
used to do it with the Saab 340 aircraft and called it "Fix-A-Plane"),
but I use it quite a bit in circuit board repair or general cleaning
of parts.

For quick cleaning, I use Non-Flam Brake cleaner on my EM's (again,
never directly into the machine, but on removed parts like stepper
unit mechs). The CFC-Free Contact cleaner is great for removing rosin
from my solder repairs and does not leave a residue. Alcohol works
and is much cheaper, but sometimes you just need to use an arisol and
the CFC-Free removes rosin much better, IMO. I usually spray into the
cap, dip the brush and then brush the rosin away with a short-trimmed
acid brush, so that the bristles are more rigid. Toothbrush would
work as well.

The other item you can use is called No Flash:
http://www.lpslabs.com/Products/ElectricalCleaners/noflash.asp

This one you can spray directly onto electrical equipment, but it's
pretty expensive. About $18.00 per can. I don't use this stuff
because of the price. I also don't like to spray directly onto
equipment, whether 'safe' or not.

The best thing to use for cleaning leaf switches like in an EM or
early Solid State is a business card. I also try to adjust my
switches so that they are self cleaning. In other words, they swipe
each other as they make contact as opposed to up and down contact
movement.

-Ken
www.Team-EM.com

[ldnayman]

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?
Regards,
Indypinball

Has everyone here gone insane? The best "contact cleaner" is a
flextone file or hard file for EM games, or a business card for
digital games, and that's the final word.

Everyone knows that spraying some kind of contact cleaner is
inneffective at best and can result in an explosion at worst.

Also---what does "switches hanging up?" mean? Seriously, what the hell
kind of diagnosis is that?

Clearly this guy is an amatuer, not reading him the "fireball riot
act" on contact cleaner is borderline irresponsible.

[kirb]

Post by ldnayman

Post by IndyPinball
Any one knows of a good electrical contact cleaner for switches.
I have a few switches that hang up at times as was checking to see
what brand / type of cleaner any ones uses?
Regards,
Indypinball

Has everyone here gone insane? The best "contact cleaner" is a
flextone file or  hard file for EM games, or a business card for
digital games, and that's the final word.

Since he is saying "hanging up" I wouldn't assume the above is true.
It sounds like he has a gummy microswitch.

Post by ldnayman
Also---what does "switches hanging up?" mean? Seriously, what the hell
kind of diagnosis is that?

Like I said- sounds like a micro is closing and not releasing. He
doesn't really go into detail.

Kirb

[ldnayman]

Post by kirb
Like I said- sounds like a micro is closing and not releasing. He
doesn't really go into detail.
Kirb

Well the fact that he's seeking a "contact cleaner" leads me to belive
it isn't microswitches. And as I said 99% of the time any kind of
"contact cleaner" is useless or dangerous in a pinball.

If they ARE microswitches, he needs to replace them, and again the
fact that he doesn't realize microswitches don't have contacts shows
he's a rank amatuer. Either way, the guy has no business being given
any advice on "contact cleaner" other than "stay the hell away from
it!"

[Cliffy]

Post by ldnayman

Post by kirb
Like I said- sounds like a micro is closing and not releasing. He
doesn't really go into detail.
Kirb

Well the fact that he's seeking a "contact cleaner" leads me to belive
it isn't microswitches. And as I said 99% of the time any kind of
"contact cleaner" is useless or dangerous in a pinball.
If they ARE microswitches, he needs to replace them, and again the
fact that he doesn't realize microswitches don't have contacts shows
he's a rank amatuer. Either way, the guy has no business being given
any advice on "contact cleaner" other than "stay the hell away from
it!"

??? Of course microswitches have contacts. Ever take one apart? And they
do clean up nicely with either alcohol or nonflammable contact cleaners.
There seems to be a religious fervor over this subject and there needn't
be. Believe me, if there were no use for contact cleaners they wouldn't
be made. There IS a place in pinball for them but only as a cleaner for
plated contacts or microswitches and only the nonflammable types.

Case in point. I picked up a reimport CFTBL years ago that was so gummy
from cigarette tar that even the wiring was indistinguishable by colors.
I wasn't about to replace every freakin' switch when they could be
simply cleaned up!

[martin]

Post by Cliffy

Post by ldnayman

Post by kirb
Like I said- sounds like a micro is closing and not releasing. He
doesn't really go into detail.
Kirb

Well the fact that he's seeking a "contact cleaner" leads me to belive
it isn't microswitches. And as I said 99% of the time any kind of
"contact cleaner" is useless or dangerous in a pinball.
If they ARE microswitches, he needs to replace them, and again the
fact that he doesn't realize microswitches don't have contacts shows
he's a rank amatuer. Either way, the guy has no business being given
any advice on "contact cleaner" other than "stay the hell away from
it!"

??? Of course microswitches have contacts. Ever take one apart? And they
do clean up nicely with either alcohol or nonflammable contact cleaners.
There seems to be a religious fervor over this subject and there needn't
be. Believe me, if there were no use for contact cleaners they wouldn't
be made. There IS a place in pinball for them but only as a cleaner for
plated contacts or microswitches and only the nonflammable types.
Case in point. I picked up a reimport CFTBL years ago that was so gummy
from cigarette tar that even the wiring was indistinguishable by colors.
I wasn't about to replace every freakin' switch when they could be
simply cleaned up!
--
Cliffy - CARGPB2
A passion for pinball!http://www.passionforpinball.com- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Some microswithc notes, including some internal pictures:

http://www.iobium.com/wpc__microswitch.htm

[KarlZona]

I just went through this on RFM, changed out about 9 mirco switches
becuause they would not 'click' on the first 1-7 pushes. A few others
never would click at all. They were sticking or hanging up
internally.

Whether they had dired up lube inside or solder flux creeping in and
guming up the works doesn't much matter. If you want to fix it once
replace it/them. If you want to mess with them over and over try
cleaning with your favorite spray can stuff. Who knows, maybe one will
actually work?

Yes they are sort of cheap but at $5 each they add up fast. I have
contact cleaner on a shelf somewhere and I have not used it since I
got my frist pin (EM) many years ago. BTW, it was no help on that one
either of course.

Post by ldnayman
Has everyone here gone insane?

and I thought it was just me.
;/

It's all covered in the Gospel according to Master Clay and the book
of Norm:
http://marvin3m.com/fix.htm

Restore for hire, Karl ***@yahoo.com =World Class Pinball=
Pinball Restore Pix: http://karlzona.smugmug.com/Hobbies/351815
Support NO KILL Animal Shelters, SPAY/NEUTER!!!! =^o^=

P.s. I had a funny joke about "what is a good contact cleaner for
switches" (none) but I know better now... Email me if you like.