Cleaning Electrical Connections

[Night Vision]

Ok, since I'm waiting for parts, I decided to start going through the electrical connectors and make sure everthing is hunky-dorry

got my CLR and can of contact spray, opened up the headlight bucket (because I'm going to replace the front brake switch) and see lots of connections that have kinda "factory" heat shrink on them either black or clear plastic.

obvisously I'm going to have to undo the shrink on the brake switch connectors....

My question is........ I want to do the recommended "maintenance" but don't know to what extreme I should go...

A) do I just go through the white multi wire plastic connectors (dip, scrub, spray)? or...

B) do I have to take apart ALL connectors and then heat shrink them up again?... is that the tedious "get to know your bike" part?

What have others done?

 

[Lucky]

if you mean the heat shrink on the brake light switch (& clutch switch on the other side) that plugs into the levers, then all you have to do to get them out is push a small tipped screw driver in from underneath the housing where they plug in. you'll see a hole, & they pull out.

I would absolutly open up all the switches & clean/grease them too.

also, it's a bit of work, but the relays collect rust in them.  you can carefully bend back the tabs holding the covers on, remove the covers & spray them out with WD-40 or contact cleaner.

--Lucky

[Night Vision]

ok after a second look, I guess it's only the turn signal wires that have the shrink wrap. I thought the other connectors that had clear plastic on them were "sealed" but they come apart. Since there's only four signal wires in the buckket, I might as well do them to. Kinda like flossing only the teeth you want to keep I guess.

Lucky, I did not know you could take relays apart.? I have a suspect sidestand relay that I might schedule for surgery. thanks for that tid bit.

EDIT: well.... didn't want to bump this post up, but the relay did not pull through surgery? :-[.? ?same sidestand relay bugaboo. Does not pass the Haynes test. Bike still won't start in neutral. oh well, back to the drawing board.

[Lead_Deficiency]

There's somethinig that electrician's use when they are working with aluminum wire so it won't corode once it has been cleaned.  I think its called NOLUX.

I have never used it myself, but I have an electrician friend that uses it, Maybe it would be a good fix for old connections?

[Lucky]

Lucky, I did not know you could take relays apart. I have a suspect sidestand relay that I might schedule for surgery. thanks for that tid bit

they aren't SUPPOSED to come apart, but they do...

[Kiwi_XZ]

Relays are very touchy.  You should only clean the relay contacts with isopropyl alcohol, Contact cleaner (CO Cleaner) or Electro-clean.  Avoid using products like WD40 as these will leave deposits on the contacts resulting in arcing and ultimately early failure.  Under no circumstances use sandpapers or any other abrasives as these remove metal coatings from the contacts, reducing their life.  If you must, try a thin piece of paper dipped in alcohol or cleaner.  This works well.

Cheers - Shane

[Lucky]

Shane, are you serious? have you seen the amount of crap in some of these relays?  clean them out! any residue WD-40 leaves behind will act to protect the bare metal, & if you think there is any coating left on the contacts after 20+ years...

You do need to be careful of the hair-thin wires though.

--Lucky

[Kiwi_XZ]

Lucky
Oh yes, very serious.  Products like WD40 are designed to assuage the effects of water on electrical systems.  Many people use WD40 and its kin for cleaning electrical contacts. This is a mistake, the makers do recommend it for cleaning purposes but they also claim it leaves a protective film.   Any such film could work as an electrical insulator, which is exactly what is not wanted on a connector or relay contact.

The aviation industry no longer uses WD40 and its kin, in fact Pratt & Whitney now bans the use of WD40 in particular on its gas turbine engines.

My experience is that initially spraying these hydrocarbon based cleaner/lubricants around willy, nilly on electrical components often has the desired short term result, however a week down the track the fault often reoccurs with a buildup of burnt material on connectors and contacts.  Remember these products are advertised as combustable.

Refer my previous message and use Contact Cleaner, Electro Clean or one of the other specialist electrical cleaners on electrical components, it will save you a lot of grief in the long run.

Shane

[Lucky]

Ok, i'll give you that WD-40 leaves a film, but really, i doubt it matters much on these 20 year old relays that are often so full of rust that the contacts have to be cleaned up, coating or no.  i've pulled some apart that have arced so badly that one side is pitted, & the other side has a corrasponding cone of arced metal.

under normal circumstances, i'd agree with you, but these relays are in anything other than 'normal' condition. Personally, i'd rather protect what's left with the WD-40. the contact cleaner will clean them out well though.  probably best to use both...

I live in the salty air of the east coast, so it's not surprising the relays i've opened were packed with rust, & still worked (for the most part)  those in drier climates, or who's bikes have allways been garaged may be in better shape.

--Lucky

[h2olawyer]

I live in the salty air of the east coast, so it's not surprising the relays i've opened were packed with rust, & still worked (for the most part) those in drier climates, or who's bikes have allways been garaged may be in better shape.

--Lucky

I can verify that relays & other electrical contacts stay corrosion-free in the arid western US.  The aluminum also doesn't oxidize nearly as much.  The difference in surface quality between the original parts & those I've bought on eBay is amazing.  My V has only had a rust problem on the inside of the fuel tank.  Even a couple places on the frame where the paint chipped off years ago had just a very minor coat of surface rust - it came off with a 3M scotchbrite green pad in a couple passes.  Granted, I've always had indoor storage for my bike so it hasn't been exposed to very much harsh weather.

H2O