stunthanger.com
Electric Stunt => Gettin all AMP'ed up! => Topic started by: Dennis Toth on April 26, 2022, 07:39:27 PM
-
Anyone have a simple way of cleaning deans plugs? I never cleaned any of my battery plugs but started thinking that it might be a good thing to know how one should do. Any method that you guys have used?
Best, DennisT
-
Just some WD40 on a Q-tip and do them one at a time.
-
I know an old Air Force trick to clean male parts of the connector (also good for credit card chips) is to use a simple pencil eraser to polish the surface. How do we get to the female part of the deans plug? Is there a contact cleaner that would work?
Best, DennisT
-
I use contact cleaner aerosol. Common product used to clean electronics
I’d be hesitant to use anything containing oil, like WD 40
-
https://www.wd40.com/products/contact-cleaner/
-
MM, Jim,
Thanks for the information on the contact cleaner, I was able to get a can at our local ACE hardware. I also got a G.U.M. bridge brush at Walgreens Drugs (used to clean under/between teeth and dental bridges), it fits nicely into the female Deans connector. I think when I soldered the Deans connector to the battery some of the flux got on the other side of the plug and caused the charging problem. All clean now.
UPDATE: I tried a few tests and found that just cleaning with the contact cleaner didn't get things totally clean. I needed to use an Xacto keyhole blade to scrap and clean off the contact surface, also found a YouTube video on loosening very tight deans plugs. It helped to allow smoother connection after the scrapping and reclean with the contact cleaner. I then did several connection tests in my watt meter and the ESC in the ship, all was fine each time.
Thanks, DennisT
-
Dennis,
Over time, the little spark you get when making the connection between the male and female connectors will lead to some material transfer; it generally accumulates on the the male side. I normally just use dope thinner and a q-tip to clean both connectors and occasionally lightly sand the tips of the male connector.
I use flux when soldering my leads and you have to make sure to clean any residual flux off the plug; sometimes it will work its way into the connector prongs or socket. I also make sure to insert the plug being soldered into its counterpart (i.e. male or female as the case might be). This keeps the tabs from moving during soldering thus making sure that the plug will slide in and out more easily when making the connection. I have been using Deans for about 15 years or so without any problems but I have had to replace the male plugs on a few of the ESC on planes which have a lot of flights (oldest: 1500 flights, youngest 3 fights). Generally, the female plugs on batteries last the life of the battery so they do not need replacement.
Good luck,
Teo