Author Topic: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner  (Read 2879 times)

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Offline 001Topic starter

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Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« on: October 10, 2019, 03:39:53 pm »
Hi

I hear about marvelous Deoxit  spray
But it is not common outside of USA

What I can use to clean contacts in old  scopes?
Someone told me what brake cleaner is good for auto electronics too  :-// Any ideas?
 

Offline Benta

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2019, 04:48:41 pm »
Kontakt Chemie 60.
 

Offline Gyro

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2019, 05:21:07 pm »
IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol).

Brake cleaner can be very nasty in the presence of heat - Phosgene gas evolution irrc, but I can't remember the details.
« Last Edit: October 10, 2019, 05:22:38 pm by Gyro »
Best Regards, Chris
 

Offline MosherIV

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2019, 05:59:29 pm »
In UK servisol contact cleaner is the one my electronics colleagues recommend.
 
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Offline Gyro

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2019, 06:09:18 pm »
I also find Electrolube EML really good. It's a shame they don't do the little pen dispenser any more, but you can always spray a bit into the lid and apply it with a cocktail stick.

https://cpc.farnell.com/search?ost=electrolube&searchref=searchlookahead&product-range=electrolube-eml-series
Best Regards, Chris
 
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Online T3sl4co1l

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2019, 12:01:24 am »
Brake cleaner is likely to dissolve out, or swell, all kinds of plastics used in electronics.  Do not use it.

Tim
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electronic design, from concept to prototype.
Bringing a project to life?  Send me a message!
 
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Online splin

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2019, 12:26:25 am »
In UK servisol contact cleaner is the one my electronics colleagues recommend.

Just don't use it on your Lambretta's switches - a few weeks later and the plastic on every switch snaps.

How naive was I thinking that a mere chemical spray could improve on decades of highly finessed Italian vehicle electrics design! Even in the seventies they had bulb failure monitoring long before the advent of computerised management systems - when it eventually dawned on you that the headlight had become almost bright enough to see where you were going, you knew that your tail light had blown.  70mpb (miles per bulb) was a good metric :-DD
 
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Offline maginnovision

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2019, 01:21:03 am »
Brake cleaner is likely to dissolve out, or swell, all kinds of plastics used in electronics.  Do not use it.

Tim

Usually pretty bad around paints used on plastics as well.
 

Offline amyk

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2019, 01:37:48 am »
It depends on what exactly you mean by "brake cleaner"; some are chlorocarbons, and those definitely can dissolve plastic, while others (often known as the "highly flammable" type) are hydrocarbons.
 

Offline xavier60

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2019, 03:43:31 am »
I have been using mineral turpentine for years as a solvent without damaging anything so far.
Some contact treatments are PAO based. Because I have PAO oil at hand for air-con work, I have been using it successfully in Pots and switches for many years also. 
HP 54645A dso, Fluke 87V dmm,  Agilent U8002A psu,  FY6600 function gen,  Brymen BM857S, HAKKO FM-204, New! HAKKO FX-971.
 
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Online Zero999

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2019, 10:30:29 am »
It depends on what exactly you mean by "brake cleaner"; some are chlorocarbons, and those definitely can dissolve plastic, while others (often known as the "highly flammable" type) are hydrocarbons.
I thought chlorocarbons were banned.

Anyway, where I work we routinely use brake cleaner and have never had any problems with it attacking plastics. The stuff we use is not as harsh as acetone or IPA and has trouble cleaning some types of permanent marker.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2019, 03:31:49 pm by Zero999 »
 
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Offline tooki

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2019, 01:42:21 pm »
Kontakt Chemie 60.
Beware that Kontakt 60 is corrosive, and is not intended to be left on!

The manufacturer instructs one to rinse away the Kontakt 60 with solvent (like their Kontakt WL) and then apply Kontakt 61 for protection.

They do say that in “many cases” the Kontakt 60 can be left in place, but I’d never consider doing that on anything but large contacts (like in mains switches). The web is littered with stories of Kontakt 60 eating through PCB traces, etc.
 

Offline tooki

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2019, 01:55:25 pm »
It depends on what exactly you mean by "brake cleaner"; some are chlorocarbons, and those definitely can dissolve plastic, while others (often known as the "highly flammable" type) are hydrocarbons.
I thought chlorocarbons were banned.
You're thinking of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). Chlorocarbons (aka organochlorides) are a huge group of compounds with many widely used members, including PVC, dry cleaning solvents, etc.

CFCs are still being widely manufactured as precursor materials for other products. They just can’t be sold for refrigerant and propellant applications any more.
 

Offline bson

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2019, 04:41:34 am »
Brake cleaner is likely to dissolve out, or swell, all kinds of plastics used in electronics.  Do not use it.
Yup, that's what taught me not to store used brake cleaner in old milk jugs while I procrastinate disposing of it properly...
 
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Online Zero999

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2019, 07:55:48 am »
Here's a link to the brake cleaner, I use where I work. I haven't had any problems with it attacking plastics, rubber or paintwork. It's fairly gentle, compared to what others here say about brake cleaner.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/holts-aerosol-brake-cleaner-600ml/1396g
« Last Edit: October 16, 2019, 09:11:57 am by Zero999 »
 

Online T3sl4co1l

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2019, 08:23:00 am »
Looks to be basically pressurized canned paint thinner.  Not as aggressive as chlorinated solvents or some ethers, but still not recommended for free use around electronics.

Tim
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electronic design, from concept to prototype.
Bringing a project to life?  Send me a message!
 

Offline m3vuv

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2019, 08:11:26 am »
ive used petrol lighter fluid on wafer switches before,it seems to work well!
 

Online Zero999

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2019, 09:22:52 am »
Looks to be basically pressurized canned paint thinner.  Not as aggressive as chlorinated solvents or some ethers, but still not recommended for free use around electronics.

Tim
I've not had any problems with it. It doesn't even attack polystyrene foam, which is generally the first thing to dissolve.
 

Online T3sl4co1l

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #18 on: October 18, 2019, 09:45:05 am »
Hm, that's interesting!

Well, as they say for fabric products -- do a spot test.  Be careful; if it works, it works. :)

Tim
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electronic design, from concept to prototype.
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Offline OldEE

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Re: Deoxit and Brake Cleaner
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2019, 01:57:04 pm »
Deoxit in addition to being an effective cleaner is also a good corrosion inhibitor.  Check out the Applied Science video for more information.

The video used the concentrated form of Deoxit Red so how effective the diluted spray version works is unknown.


« Last Edit: October 18, 2019, 01:59:04 pm by OldEE »
 


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