Restoring electrical conductivity to oxidized contacts? (water damage repair??)

[tobrien]

hey y'all, I'm trying to repair a currently dead EDC for a detective who's a friend of mine at the department I work at. Anyways, the light is semi-old but he asked me to try my hand at bringing it back to life.

It appears the light may have gotten submerged or come into contact with water at some point, as the LED module's positive end battery contact (basically the part where the tab on the AA touches the LED module chip behind the actual circuitry, etc.) looks corroded/oxidized (is corrosion the same thing as oxidation?).

so my question is this: how can I either cheaply resurface the contact or perhaps de-oxidize it?

I don't want to throw much money at this light, because it's may be dead anyways, but it'd be great if I could get it working for my buddy.

P.S.: I hope this is the correct subforum for this question. I figured the regulars on this particular subforum would be more versed in this issue of conductivity/electrical contacts. 🙂

Thanks guys!

 

[Papuga]

I have had wonderful success with De-Oxit red. This will breakdown most corrosion and will normally not harm the flashlight or the electronics. If you get the kit, you get De-Oxit red and gold along with some brushes and applicators to clean your electronics.

After you have cleaned the device with red, apply a coating of gold. This will greatly improve conductivity and condition the contacts.

As crazy as it sounds, you can completely submerge the electronic module in DENATURED alcohol. Let it soak for several hours, let dry, then perform the deoxit treatment. Do not use isopropyl alcohol as it contains 30% water. I have used this technique several times with cell phones that went for a swim, with 95% success.

Water/corrosion is insidious and can be fatal to electronics.

Good luck.

- Ciao

 

[tobrien]

I have had wonderful success with De-Oxit red. This will breakdown most corrosion and will normally not harm the flashlight or the electronics. If you get the kit, you get De-Oxit red and gold along with some brushes and applicators to clean your electronics.

After you have cleaned the device with red, apply a coating of gold. This will greatly improve conductivity and condition the contacts.

As crazy as it sounds, you can completely submerge the electronic module in DENATURED alcohol. Let it soak for several hours, let dry, then perform the deoxit treatment. Do not use isopropyl alcohol as it contains 30% water. I have used this technique several times with cell phones that went for a swim, with 95% success.

Water/corrosion is insidious and can be fatal to electronics.

Good luck.

- Ciao

thank you so much! coincidentally, I had been eyeing the De-Oxit/Deoxit stuff, but just to be clear, is hCAIG DeOxIT D100 Power Booster Metal Electric Connection Cleaner, Enhancer, and Lubricant, what you're recommending I use?

and the gold coating stuff is this?: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003D8EA7A/?tag=cpf0b6-20 (DeoxIT® GOLD Liquid, squeeze tube 100% solution 2 ml)

I didn't know that denatured alcohol worked, too!

Thanks a lot man for the informative response. I love how people on CPF know their stuff!

 

[Mr Happy]

Don't worry about submerging electronics in deionized/distilled water. It won't hurt, and it is actually essential to immediately wash items in this way if you happen to drop them in the sea or even lake water. (But remove any batteries first.)

Isopropyl alcohol does not always contain water. The product I buy (for cleaning electronic circuit boards) is 99.9% pure.

But it seems like De-Oxit is the best choice for restoration in this case.

 

[VegasF6]

This is probably the kit you want:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104746

 

[Papuga]

Don't worry about submerging electronics in deionized/distilled water. It won't hurt, and it is actually essential to immediately wash items in this way if you happen to drop them in the sea or even lake water. (But remove any batteries first.)

Isopropyl alcohol does not always contain water. The product I buy (for cleaning electronic circuit boards) is 99.9% pure.

But it seems like De-Oxit is the best choice for restoration in this case.

Mr. Happy, you are right about pure isopropyl alcohol, but the stuff bought in drug stores is usually 70/30, only the professional stuff is 99% pure. When I took a master technicians class for cell phones we learned the following for a submerged phone:

1. Remove the battery
2. Open the phone, if possible.
3. Soak the phone in alcohol.
4. Dry completely
5. Phone saved

Usually works. In a pinch, I have instructed customers that just gave their phone a bath to soak the phone in an alcoholic drink, preferably vodka. Expensive but functional.

Distilled water also woks, but not commonly on hand in most homes.

 

[tobrien]

sooooooooo.. I bought and used some of that red-colored DEOXIT stuff and I swear it works like magic! I'm hooked on using that stuff now. it legit made the corrosion and stuff go away almost instantly!! how does it work??

also, it looks like the switch module itself is bunk. the LED chip, driver, etc. all work fine I found out in my testing and cleaning, but the switch hardly works at all.

that switch stuff being said, where is a good place to pick up a pack of QUALITY/solid switches that will perform well and aren't cheapy feeling? I know DX has those 16mm ones, which I have a few of, but they're not great build quality and I doubt they have any long-term reliability. what would y'all suggest?