Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/07/26

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Contact cleaner
From: lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin)
Date: Wed Jul 26 15:48:33 2006
References: <200607262108.k6QL8Ir1006983@server1.waverley.reid.org>

On Jul 26, 2006, at 5:08 PM, lug-request@leica-users.org wrote:

>> Be careful with contact cleaner.  I had some that gave an
>> immediate fix to
>> the problem, but was corrosive enough to eat away at the contacts.
>> Long
>> term use needs to be examined carefully.
>>

Take it from an old radio ham, the type of cleaner to use is the type 
sold at Radio Shack and other electrical outlets specifically to clean 
electrical switch and tuner contacts. It is non corrosive to the metals 
usually used in electrical contacts and contains a conductive lubricant 
to ease switch action. It is usually sold in an aerosol spray with an 
extended nozzle to get into tiny spaces. If you are using it near a 
plastic or polycarbonate camera body, test it on an inconspicuous spot 
to see if it mars the finish. Pencil erasers and fiberglass wicks are 
good for an emergency cleaning but they contain abrasives that will 
eventually wear the contact. That being said, I always carried a pencil 
type typewriter eraser in my camera case to clean battery contacts. 
Most batteries exude a substance over time which coats contacts and 
eventually raises the electrical resistance.

Larry Z


Replies: Reply from jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] Re: Contact cleaner)