Brake cleaner for electrical connections?

[ItWasJustHere]

Just wanted to know if it is safe to use brake cleaner on electrical connections? I understand that there is a purpose made cleaner for electrical components but if it's 11pm and you need to be able to get to work in the morning like my situation last night, sometimes you have to use what you have.

I read on the can it specifically says not to spray it on plastic, but I seem to remember my dad using brake cleaner on everything and never having any issues with it.

Also I realize how flammable brake cleaner is so I know not to fill a connection full of cleaner and jam the connection together before letting it evaporate.

Any input would be appreciated. Maybe some ideas for other common cleaners that would be acceptable for electrical parts?

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I would not use brake clean for connectors!!!
Also if get heated it creates deadly fumes!!!!!
If there is short, and you used brake clean, you know what will happen...
http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

 

[MoonRise]

The 'usual' brake cleaner sprays now are either (old-school) 1-1-1 tri-cloroethane or the new low-VOC formulas of acetone spray or a mix of solvents (methanol, methylene chloride, and others).

Neither are good for plastics (usually), hence the warning/note not to get the sprays on plastic.

Go get a couple of cans of electrical contact cleaner and have them on hand. Right tool for the job and all that.

Also, a bit depends on just how cruddy the contacts are. Plain old 90% isopropyl alcohol (again, have some on hand or hit the 24 hour pharmacy) on a Q-tip works to get some grease/crud off IF you can get the swap in there to rub. Tiny multi-socket/multi-pin connectors rely on the solvent and the spray jet to get the crud off/out though.

 

[omr]

different brands have different levels of acetone so it's hard to so you cant ever use brake clean on plastic but i try to never get brake clean on any thing plastic ..

 

[omr]

guess i should have hit refresh before posting ...lol

 

[VWandDodge]

IDEAL Cleaning Electrical Switch and Contact Cleaner

Permatex 24378 Non-Flammable Electrical Contact Cleaner

 

[csp]

Also if get heated it creates deadly fumes!!!!!

That only applies to chlorinated brake cleaner. You can't hardly find it on a store shelf anymore, though that doesn't mean it's not in peoples garages/shops.

 

[moto367]

I've also started using 90% isopropyl alcohol more. Chlorinated or not, brake clean is some nasty stuff. Since I have kids now, I've become a little more aware of what I'm using. Paranoid I guess.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

If it's cold to the touch it's poison very much.

 

[econoaddict]

That only applies to chlorinated brake cleaner. You can't hardly find it on a store shelf anymore, though that doesn't mean it's not in peoples garages/shops.

Around our neck of the woods you can find it in every parts house in town.
When we order a case we have to specify non-chlorinated or we get the chlorinated stuff.

 

[Zengineer]

The chlorinated stuff is usually perchloroethylene... which coincidentally is what dry cleaners use to remove stains from fabric. Great stuff for a ton of applications... but plastics aren't one!

 

[theoldwizard1]

I've also started using 90% isopropyl alcohol more.

+1 !

On vehicles, I coat all connects with silicone dielectric grease. An once of prevention ...

 

[diesel research]

The 'usual' brake cleaner sprays now are either (old-school) 1-1-1 tri-cloroethane or the new low-VOC formulas of acetone spray or a mix of solvents (methanol, methylene chloride, and others).

Neither are good for plastics (usually), hence the warning/note not to get the sprays on plastic.

Go get a couple of cans of electrical contact cleaner and have them on hand. Right tool for the job and all that.

Also, a bit depends on just how cruddy the contacts are. Plain old 90% isopropyl alcohol (again, have some on hand or hit the 24 hour pharmacy) on a Q-tip works to get some grease/crud off IF you can get the swap in there to rub. Tiny multi-socket/multi-pin connectors rely on the solvent and the spray jet to get the crud off/out though.

I would not use "contact cleaner" on an electrical connector.

I HAVE melted plastic with it, regardless the fact it claims to be safe for some plastics. 11pm is the wrong time to find a melted connector.

Oh, and btw, the can of electrical cleaner I have, not only states "not for use on modern plastics" but also states the main ingredient is in fact "trichloroethylene"

 

[MoonRise]

diesel,

Good points and yet again a reminder to RTFM, or in this case RTFL (L for "label")!

(I think the cans of 'contact cleaner' I have say something along the lines of 'safe for plastics', but you really do need to read the labels and warnings and ingredients before just using stuff.)

 

[Rickenbackerman]

I've been doing work on tube bass and guitar amps for about 15 years. The absolute BEST products for contact cleaning I've found are made by Caig Labs. They sell several different products for regular connections, high temp connections (vacuum tube pins), potentiometers, pot lube and more. The regular connection stuff you want comes in a red can and is called DeOxit D5. You can get it at grainger or mcmaster but around here they sell little cans at radio shack.

 

[DHCrocks]

I use CRC electronic cleaner and dielectric grease. If I run out I'll use a product called corrosion block which is great at cleaning and protecting electronic parts as well as any metal. It's a multipurpose lubricant, use anywhere you'd use WD40 but with better performance and longetivity.