Author Topic: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?  (Read 2767 times)

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Offline DTJTopic starter

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Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« on: July 29, 2019, 04:26:03 am »
I've got a job on that uses a little 2 pair jelly filled cable to connect to a bunch of sensors.

Anyone got experience with this stuff as to what's a good clean up solvent? Google has not been helpful.

I was thinking of trying methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) or some isopropyl alcohol.

Before I start out I thought I'd ask here as to what people have found works well.

Cheers.
 

Offline RobertHolcombe

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2019, 05:25:07 am »
Dielectric grease?

I'd just use some kind of mechanical removal to get rid of the bulk of it and then repeat with a clean rag + IPA
 

Offline DTJTopic starter

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2019, 07:10:24 am »
Dielectric grease?


Yeah its water blocking jelly. It looks like white runny grease.  It gets everywhere.

 

Online coppercone2

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2019, 10:53:11 am »
I hope you make a fare wage, that sounds fucking disgusting

your avatar is appropriate
 

Offline Zero999

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2019, 11:01:31 am »
You need to know what it is before agreeing to work with it, in case it's hazardous. My guess is it's simply petroleum jelly, which is harmless but it's good to check first. If this is the case, a mixture of white spirit and detergent will do the job.
 

Offline DTJTopic starter

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2019, 11:37:47 am »
Interestingly the data sheet says very little about the water blocking gel other than: "Filler Material:Water Resistant Flooding Compound"

https://www.garlandcables.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GARLAND_MCP2ISJFP150318.pdf

I can't find anything on their site either.

I've emailed asking for an MSDS on the gel.

 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2019, 01:12:47 pm »
I've worked on quite a few jelly filled cables in the past and often just used the lemon citrus scented hand wipes that I carry in the truck, they do a good job, smell nice and keep the mosquitoes away.

A Telstra mate once gave me a few cable cleaning satchels which were similar to the ones in the video below, these clearly show that they contain Alkylate Petroleum Distillate which I believe is Naptha.

   
 
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Offline DTJTopic starter

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2019, 08:12:35 am »
I ended up using plain old IPA to clean the cable. Wiped it first and then wiped with a rag dipped in IPA. It worked fine - lots of worry about nothing!

I was going to try the naptha but I only had a small tin of it.

It is horrible stuff though because it tends to creep out from under the cable sheath after a while.
 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2019, 08:44:35 am »
I had a fellow around on Tuesday from NBN Co to do a hook up and whilst he was playing in the pit I asked him what they were currently using, he said they just used rags and nothing else.

I watched him trace out and confirm the pair and then he did a fresh connection were they now place the scotch locked termination in a jelly filled junction box to help keep the moisture out.
 

Online tautech

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2019, 09:16:53 am »
I always presumed cable dielectric was some form of silicone grease and the great Wiki says:

Silicone grease is soluble in organic solvents such as toluene, xylene, mineral spirits, and chlorinated hydrocarbons. It is insoluble in methanol, ethanol, and water.
Avid Rabid Hobbyist.
Some stuff seen @ Siglent HQ cannot be shared.
 

Offline coromonadalix

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2019, 07:17:34 pm »
I worked on fiber optics cables, they had a filling powder in them, if it had an water contact, it turned into a jelly, we used 3m  cleaning pads to clean and dry them ...
 

Offline DTJTopic starter

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2019, 12:21:20 pm »
I had a fellow around on Tuesday from NBN Co to do a hook up and whilst he was playing in the pit I asked him what they were currently using, he said they just used rags and nothing else.

I watched him trace out and confirm the pair and then he did a fresh connection were they now place the scotch locked termination in a jelly filled junction box to help keep the moisture out.


I'm potting one end the cable into PU so I need to removed it unfortunately.


I watched an NBN tech in a pit a few months ago doing exactly what you say. Messy stuff.
 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2019, 01:34:17 pm »
I'm with Zero999 on the waterproofing compound being petroleum jelly or paraffin wax, and just to be clear the Naptha or Naphtha I made reference to is the same as Shellite which is readily available everywhere.
 

Offline DTJTopic starter

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Re: Jelly filled cable - cleaning solvent?
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2019, 01:19:03 am »
..................just to be clear the Naptha or Naphtha I made reference to is the same as Shellite which is readily available everywhere.

I might have to get some, its probably useful for other jobs.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?q=Shellite&redirectFrom=Any
 


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