Taking a poll: DW40 and contact cleaner on plastic switches components

[Guest byekryam]

All,

 

I have been researching problems with lights on the bike and have narrowed it down to possibly being dirty connections. Alot of posts say to spray WD40 and contact cleaner and that does a fairly good job, but my mechanic is suggesting that the chemicals will do harm to the plastic. He suggests dissasembling the switches, using files and sandpaper and cleaning them that way (if even possible, if they all come apart). What's the skinny on this? Has anyone experienced harm by using these products?

 

Thanks,

Woody

[greg_in_london]

I have heard that WD40 damages the insulation on wires too and seldom use it for that reason. There are other products that dispel moisture and allegedly coat and insulate wires that presumably at least do no damage.

 

As to dismantling the connector block - it MIGHT be possible if you have the right tools, but I know I don't have them and don't know where to get them. Without specialist tools, at best it would be difficult to dismatle and rebuild the blocks and the chances of doing damage would be far higher than using squirty stuff.

 

Just disconnecting and reconnecting the blocks will let the spade connector blades clean off some oxidation, but using contact cleaner will do a better job. there are special greases that will protect the connections and exclude water, but being a cheapskate and forgetting where I left it anyway, I use vaseline.

 

[Yes - I have destroyed those blocks trying to dismantle and re-use them, but you may be more skillful than I.]

[etcswjoe]

WD40 will displace water however will draw dust, if you use a contact cleaner make sure it is safe for plastics (they will say). When you clean switch contacts don't use a file or sandpaper it will score the contacts. A light emery cloth or even a pencil eraser will work if you can get to the contact. The drawback with physically cleaning contacts is you can bend the contact arm and it will not make proper contact (depends on type of switch).

[dingy]

All,

 

I have been researching problems with lights on the bike and have narrowed it down to possibly being dirty connections. Alot of posts say to spray WD40 and contact cleaner and that does a fairly good job, but my mechanic is suggesting that the chemicals will do harm to the plastic. He suggests dissasembling the switches, using files and sandpaper and cleaning them that way (if even possible, if they all come apart). What's the skinny on this? Has anyone experienced harm by using these products?

 

Thanks,

Woody

 

 

Below are links to write-ups detailing cleaning the switches on an MKII.

 

Throttle side: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42433

 

Clutch side: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42721

 

Brake & clutch: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42720

 

I would not use emory cloth on the contacts, as it is more aggressive than I prefer. I use a scotch brite pad.

 

Gary

[etcswjoe]

 

I would not use emory cloth on the contacts, as it is more aggressive than I prefer. I use a scotch brite pad.

 

Gary

 

I agree the less aggressive the better.

[greg_in_london]

Sorry - I misread the post - I thought you were talking about trying to take the connectors out of the block connectors. The switches I'd take apart, rather than just squirting cleaner at them, unless I was being really lazy / in a hurry.

[Guest byekryam]

Thanks all for the input, thanks Gary for the files.

 

I went to several stores today to try and find a contact cleaner that would not hurt plastic. The CRC one I found in most places stated on the label that there was a particular one that was suitable for plastic, but none of the stores carried that one. All the other ones stated harmful to plastic. I went to an electronics store and they said that as long as the cleaner was alcohol based, it would not be harmful (only the petroleum ones would be), but I could not find an alcohol based spray on cleaner.

Out of frustration I came home and tried to take apart the controler to see what I was up against, and because of time constraints, abandoned that idea, (this was before I got Gary's post). At that point I wanted to do something as I needed to take the bike to work tonight, so I did some research and found that silicone is not harmful to plastic and it actually states you can apply to plastic surfaces. I figured that the contacts might still be gummed up/corroded/etc, but at least it will not stick like it was. I sprayed this in there pretty well and moved the switch back and forth multiple times to get it to loosen up, but this did not work, it was still sticking in the 3/4 out position. The only thing I did realize is that if I let it flick out, it will come all the way out, so this is what I will do till I can spend some time to take this whole thing apart. Any input on anything I did here? Any suggestions?

All in all, I replaced some bulbs and did some other minor maintenence so it wasn't a totally lost day.

 

Thanks again,

Woody

[dingy]

If you use a cleaner that is very aggressive, like starting fluid,, you run the risk of also removing the lettering on the outside of the switch housing.

 

I do like to use starting fluid (ether) on the internals when dis-assembled, as it leaves no residue. Use with caution due to high flammability.

 

Snapping the switch out may get you by for a few days, but it probably needs tore apart & cleaned.

 

Gary

[jasonm.]

RADIO SHACK sells their electric tuner cleaner. It works usually. But for how long it lasts..I cannot say.