I have started to remove some of the electrical stuff off the raptor which has, of course, left connectors open to the air. The air being inside an unheated garage that does allow a little condensation to form. They will be in this environment for some time, months if not years (ho hum), so what's the best way of protecting them from corrosion/furring up?
Next time you fill up at your local garage, grab a handful of plastic gloves they provide, cut the fingers off and use some electrical tape to secure the finger over your connector. Surgical style gloves do the same job. Andy
Ive used thermal paste before. Works well. The stuff you use for CPU's on PC's. I had a tube of it and thought 'why not'. Its basically a conductive grease.
Might be a different stuff you used but normal thermal paste is non conductive so it doesn't short out the motherboards.
this all day long. Ford used to use it by the drum to cure all sorts of electrical gremlins due to connector vagueness.
Thanks guys... thinking about it a little more, protecting the connections from corrosion whilst they are apart is the half of it. You also don't want it to dry to a film that is then unable to be pushed off terminals, & prevent electrical conductivity, when the connection is finally remade. And for some reason dielectric grease seems to me to be the better option.
Its not always possible, but personally I've found: Take one section of the bike apart to fix, Fix it Reassemble the section now fixed This reduces the number parts being lost, the order of reassembly being "erroneous" and stops the job becoming an unmanageable ball ache. It also means if you want to ride the bike for a while, you can get it into shape reasonably quickly. Or -god forbid- if you decide to sell it you can, but in boxes its worth 50 pence. I'm more keen to get back to the "fixing" too, as I can see the progress clearly as the back climbs out of its rusty unloved grave. We're all different, and this is not perhaps the most efficient way to fettle bikes. But for me it is the most practical!
I hear you but unfortunately the work requires a strip down to the bare frame/wheels/engine for it's complete resto.
As others have said Dielectric grease every single time. Yoiu don't need to smother it on. just apply a thin film across the pins of each connector or over any terminal fitting. Don't be tempted to use vaseline as it's not really that effective. I also use Dielectric grease on the network connectors of my outdoor cameras which protects them from any damp, condensation or moisture. 5 years later and zero issues.
Well, judging by the quality, neatness & thoroughness of your work on the 'popcorn' thread, in addition to your self confessed OCD, I don't think I can take that as anything but a gold plated recommendation
From experience, don't use any spray/grease that's an insulator, WD, ACF etc....It's Good for washing moisture out, then cleaning with Isopropanol Alcohol, but ultimately it's non conductive. Switch cleaner or electrical contact cleaner is your friend.
