I just got a NOS tilt mercury switch for my glove box...It works but worked sporadically... turns out in the switch are contacts similar to a light bulb (soldiered on..) Would WD-40 sprayed in the wire to the soldier joints be best or is there a better chemical out there ..Thanks for the info
Ive used it on a head light switch that stoped working in the middle of the night. It hasnt had any issues for like five years now. But i think that light switch was helpiing me, cause when i went for the wd-40 i found that a bolt came out of the third member and all the oil had flung out.
if i remember correctly, "wd" stands for water displacement. Seems like a good use to me. though i usually prefer a little electrical contact grease/paste on contacts.
I used it on a 50 year old turn signal switch that would not flash the right rear at times, 2 years later, still working great. Good for a wet dist cap and to keep moisture off just about anything Brad
WD-40 is highly flammable. Those that have used it without catching fire are lucky. Please use contact spray or a product made for electrical connections.
I do not have a vested intrest,,,, a pal of mine who works for a major US defense contractor in black ops turned me on to this stuff a few years back,,,these products do seem to perform... a bit pricey http://www.all-spec.com/products/Cleaners_and_Aerosols%7CCleaning_Supplies%7CCLN-00/
WD-40 won't fix a bad solder joint. It may clean a dirty set of contacts, or lubricate a sticky switch, but it won't do magic.
Now this might sound like BS but I have a bad elbow and used to get shots in the joint, hurt like hell. An old ceiling plasterer told me cut the end out of sock , put WD40 on on your elbow, rub it in, put the sock on it so you don't get WD40 all over your clothing, etc. Probably 15 years ago I tried it, haven't had to get a shot in the joint since, I'm telling you it workes for me.
WD 40 is magic, Like windex, It is very flammable, when we were kids we would put the red nozzle in it and shoot it like napalm, goes about 5 feet of flame, I wouldn't suggest it but that's what it does. I think I would use the dielectric spray stuff, I would not want the napalm thing going on at my light socket.
FYI Electrical contact cleaner is the same thing as brake cleaner. But usually a big can of brake cleaner is the same or cheaper than a small can of contact cleaner
Ever notice you get an oily taste in your mouth when you get WD 40 on your skin. Seems to me its going right thru your skin and might not be that good for you. Maybe not a problem, but you never know.
Electrical contact cleaner leaves no residue. Spray lubes do, and crap (dust, ect) will stick to it. But no spray will fix a crappy joint. Re-solder it.
I'm the guy that uses it on his elbow, I checked with my Doc. and he didn't seem too worried about absorbing it, he said look at all the old silicon boobs that broke ,hell they are still alive. One strange thing, I seem to slide a lot further when I play ball ?
Try rubbing 3x virgin olive oil on your arm, buy a bottle, it is not cheap, but it works well, you can put some fresh mint leaves in it, smells nice, you can put it on your salad as well. I don't think it will work for spraying on moisture so well, then again it might work good for that too. Bon Appetit.
This is from Wikipedia:"The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus get into crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then itself diffuses away. These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, extricating stuck screws and bolts, and preventing rust are common usages. The product also may be useful in displacing moisture. " I know some older men that use it for their aches and pains caused by arthritis. They say it works wonders.
WD 40 or olive oil and a copper wrist band, if you have a back ache put a strip of 18 gauge copper wire in your belt loop with your belt, has to be a full circle, try it, it really does work, not 100% but does have an affect.
not to beat ya up,,,, but be very careful using brake cleaner as contact cleaner,,, a lot of the plastics in and around the electrical parts will melt, with all due respect ... brake clean and contact cleaner are not the same
WD-40 used to work as a flame thrower when the propellant was propane. Now it's CO2 and not only it doesn't throw flames, it puts the lighter out. I know cause a guy at work used to enjoy hiding behind a wall and as I walked up he would shoot a big fireball at me. The last time he tried it it just went click and then he couldn't even get his lighter to work because the CO2 is heavy and layed in the mechanism. Rats - no more excitment at work, I might as well retire. He got fired anyway.
WD-40 is a petroleum based product that is highly flammible, which may make it unsafe for use on electrial connections. Almost as important is that petroleum is a natural deteriorate of the coating on wires, and other non-metal surfaces. They make plenty of items to stop oxidization of the connections. De-ox, anti-ox. Im not saying it cant be used, im just saying keep that in mind.
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