cleaning electrical connections and connector sources

[limeex2]

What is an easy way(lazy) to clean electrical connections?Is there a fluid one can dip them in? Secondly,where can I find a source for nice electrical connectors along with the rubber fittings that go around them? Crimpers are a dime a dozen,but what is a good brand that wont wear out right away?

[mrbill5491]

What is an easy way(lazy) to clean electrical connections?Is there a fluid one can dip them in? Secondly,where can I find a source for nice electrical connectors along with the rubber fittings that go around them? Crimpers are a dime a dozen,but what is a good brand that wont wear out right away?

Electrical contact cleaner, some fine emery cloth and dilectric grease. There are some online companies that have some nice connectors or just run to your nearest favorite parts store. If you are going to replace some connectors, might want to look into a good soldering tool. I try to solder all my replacement connectors that I can. Sometimes crimp and a bit of solder. Spade connectors over bullet if possible.

[posplayr]

DeOxit is a chemical cleaner with a treatment to dissuade further formation of corrosion. If the contacts are relatively clean then DeOxit can just be sprayed on. However If there is enough crap on the contacts, then brushing with a wire brush and dipping in something like Naval jelly will clean up the really dirty stuff. Wash off with water, blow dry and then spray on the DeOxit for the corrosion protection properties.

I guess I have used emery cloth before, but mainly on points not electrical connectors.


Realize that what you really need to get clean is the gunk inside of the connector crimps. No emery cloth will get to that which is why you need the chemical cleaner. If the connections are between the R/R and the Battery then I would also flow some solder into the crimps to wet the contact surface between the crimp and the wire it is in contact with. Dont try and wick a lot of solder way up into the wire (under the insulation). It makes the wire ends stiff and they are much more likely to break off from vibration.

[cowboyup3371]

If you would like good terminals and connectors then get the parts from www.vintageconnections.com as one source. You'll want a good crimper too.

[limeex2]

Thanks guys.The connection kit was what I was looking for.Nice stuff,not cheap but good quality.

[1948man]

This sounds really basic but I can't find the info. If you want to replace a multi-pin connector with a new one from a vintage supplier, is it a simple thing? Do you just jamb the wires into the appropriate slot in the connector? Do they then lock so they won't pull out?

[posplayr]

This sounds really basic but I can't find the info. If you want to replace a multi-pin connector with a new one from a vintage supplier, is it a simple thing? Do you just jamb the wires into the appropriate slot in the connector? Do they then lock so they won't pull out?

There is a small fishhook like tab that holds the connectors into the housing once inserted; you use a small screwdriver to push the tab back back and release the pin from the housing. Then cut the old pin off and crimp on a new one(use the right crimper). I would suggest a little colder as well. insert into the correct shell location and it will lock.Give a little tiug to make sure it is.

DeOxit will treat the connectors or if you want to go heavy duty use Dielectric grease.

Belt and braces on a new harness I used oversized 1" shrink tubing over the whole connector along with a zip tie holding the shells together underneath.

1.) Pull it tubing onto one side
2.) connect the connector.
3.) zip tie through the wires on once size around through the wire on the other side (end to end).
4.) pull the shrink tub into place and shrink.

keeps water out better than having it exposed and the conectors stay clean inside of the shrink covering.

[londonboards]

Blimey all them belt and braces. No wonder my trousers keep falling down and I have voltage losses and over amperages all over.

[posplayr]

Blimey all them belt and braces. No wonder my trousers keep falling down and I have voltage losses and over amperages all over.

I like to promote "best practices" appropriate for the general motorcycle usage.

[1948man]

Thanks for the help. I have some partially deformed gang-connectors on my GL and my voltage doesn't rise like it should with my rpm's. I will order some stuff and get into this.

[posplayr]

Thanks for the help. I have some partially deformed gang-connectors on my GL and my voltage doesn't rise like it should with my rpm's. I will order some stuff and get into this.

The only connectors that affect charging are those between the battery and the R/R. In other words dirty headlamp connections will lower the voltage to the headlamp but it will not lower the voltage to the battery.

If you have low charging problems, first is to clean those connections(flow a little solder into any crimp):
Battery to fuse box
inside the fuse box
SPG
the "T".

in these contacts even 0.1 ohms is a lot.

[1948man]

Thanks, will check those areas.

[Nessism]

I've never had much luck with trying to chemically clean discolored brass terminals. I tried phosphoric acid and even HCl and was never happy with the results. Best way I've found is to remove the terminal from the plastic shell and physically scrub off the corrosion using either scotchbrite, a stainless steel wire brush, or some sort of grinding bit in a dremel. Those small female spades are almost impossible to properly clean though.

You can purchase a terminal extraction tool to assist in removing the brass contacts from the plastic shell. They are marginally more effective to use than a small screwdriver. It's really easy to bust off the brass tabs though so you gotta be careful.

If you decide to just replace the terminals get some proper crimping pliers, the type that roll over the lips of the contacts and bite into the wire tightly. The cheap Harbor Freight crimping pliers just crush the terminals together, they don't roll them over for a proper crimp. And you should never try to put any solder on a crimped connector either. It makes the connection more brittle, although I suppose if the terminal is already corroded and for whatever reason you can't replace the terminal, I suppose it wouldn't hurt.

[posplayr]

I've never had much luck with trying to chemically clean discolored brass terminals. I tried phosphoric acid and even HCl and was never happy with the results. Best way I've found is to remove the terminal from the plastic shell and physically scrub off the corrosion using either scotchbrite, a stainless steel wire brush, or some sort of grinding bit in a dremel. Those small female spades are almost impossible to properly clean though.

You can purchase a terminal extraction tool to assist in removing the brass contacts from the plastic shell. They are marginally more effective to use than a small screwdriver. It's really easy to bust off the brass tabs though so you gotta be careful.

If you decide to just replace the terminals get some proper crimping pliers, the type that roll over the lips of the contacts and bite into the wire tightly. The cheap Harbor Freight crimping pliers just crush the terminals together, they don't roll them over for a proper crimp. And you should never try to put any solder on a crimped connector either. It makes the connection more brittle, although I suppose if the terminal is already corroded and for whatever reason you can't replace the terminal, I suppose it wouldn't hurt.

Ed a little Naval jelly will clean up any brass contacts in about 10 minutes.Don't let it set much longer as the newer Naval jelly dries and cleaves a crud. 10-15 minutes max. reapply if you must but I seldom ever have had to do that.

Again your scotch brite will do nothing to clean out the crimps which are the biggest source of resistance. deadhorse.gif