What and how to clean contacts? Why, in general, do we need processing, protection and lubrication of contacts? We will answer these and other questions in this short article.

It just so happened that the electrical system is a little deprived of attention from car owners and they remember it only when either the next lamp has gone into the world of forever extinct things, or when at the most inopportune moment the starter does not respond to turning the ignition key.

It is also worth noting that due to faulty wiring, most car fires happen and this happens instantly and unpredictably.

Therefore, the electrical system, like all other vehicle systems, requires regular maintenance.

Moreover, in our time, this procedure is even more important than before. This is due to two reasons:

• cars have become literally crammed with electronics
• application of engine management systems

Well, the first reason is clear - the more wires, the more possible problems.

And why does the engine management system require increased attention?

This is due to the use of lower voltage in the engine control wiring and the use of pulse signals.

The point is that the higher the voltage, the lower the losses.

And what do we get? Previously, only 12V was used in the electrical equipment of cars, or, on some, 24V. And now the ECU works mainly with a voltage of only 5V, and some sensors even with millivolts.

Ignition systems have become more powerful and are no longer controlled by a banal closing / opening of contacts, but by pulses of a certain duration, set by the control unit.

All these low-current circuits must always have a minimum and constant resistance, and they work in constant temperature changes among the oily and dusty air under the hood. Condensation, puddles on the roads, constant vibration and corrosion inevitably make their own adjustments to the system.

I can say with confidence that the lion's share of all problems in the engine management system is related precisely to the condition of the wiring.

And the weakest link in this chain are all kinds of contacts and connecting blocks.

How to clean and protect contacts?

All contacts sooner or later begin to corrode and become covered with nasty oxides, disrupting the system.

Therefore, the question logically arises - with what and how to clean the contacts?

It is highly undesirable to clean the contacts mechanically. And in modern systems, you can’t really get close to them. Folk methods with an eraser, soda and the like do not give the desired result. And the application of these ancient methods in the 21st century I consider the fight against windmills.

As a radio mechanic, I have long been using modern chemistry in solving these problems. The same chemistry has successfully burst into the automotive industry.

From practice, as for me, two such means deserve special attention.

Grease for electrical contacts

One of them is Contact 61.

And the second is Liqui Moly Electronic-Spray

It is a product for cleaning, lubricating and protecting all kinds of electrical contacts, both low voltage and high voltage.

The price tag of these funds is not quite budgetary - 200ml costs us 180-200 UAH. (about 8 American money). But it's worth it, believe me. Moreover, it will last you for a very, very long time.

One treatment is enough for at least a year, so one hour of time spent once will give you confidence for the whole year that at the most crucial moment the contacts in the wiring will not let you down.

There is very little information on the Internet and other sources about Liqui Moly Electronic-Spray. Therefore, it is reasonable for many to have certain questions. One of the main ones is whether this tool conducts current and will there be short circuits and leakage currents?

I have been using it for a long time and I can say that it is quite the opposite, it prevents stray currents, current leakage, contact heating, sparking, as it improves contact by filling microscopic cracks and roughness on the contacts.

I find application for it wherever possible - car radio contacts, connectors of various sensors, limit switches, battery terminals, lamp contacts, adapter connectors, switches and switches, ignition system, etc. And that's just in the car! And in everyday life and repair of all kinds of equipment, there are no less applications.

There was a case with a VAZ car. The man asked to see where the turn signals had disappeared from his car. He spent the whole day looking for a problem, already replaced the steering column switches, but the problem was not solved.

I just processed the alarm button in five minutes with such a tool and returned the blinking look to the car. Even without replacing the button!

This spray is very easy to use. If the contacts are not very dirty, then we spray quite a bit on the contacts and connect the connector in place. If the contacts are dirty, then we also puff and wait until the violent reaction ends with the release of foam and connect everything back. If the contacts are very dirty, then we puff, wait 10-15 minutes, remove the muddy dirt with rags or compressed air and repeat the treatment again. But the latter option is extremely rare and usually everything is cleared the first time.

There are products separately for cleaning, separately for lubrication and separately for protection and moisture displacement. For example, the Contact series has a lot of them, sharpened for a specific task. Kontakt U - rosin and flux cleaner, Kontakt S - contact cleaner from oxides and sulfur compounds, KONTAKT 60 - anti-corrosion protection of contacts, etc.

But KONTAKT 61 and Liqui Moly Electronic-Spray products are positioned as universal. So to say, a budget option.

Their price and properties are almost the same, so decide for yourself what to choose.

Attention! Be careful and always be aware of your actions. This article is about a universal contact protection agent with a light cleaning effect! On sale there are means specifically for cleaning contacts. Either out of ignorance, or negligence, but the sellers do not warn that after the contact cleaner, the contacts must be protected with a contact protector !!! Otherwise, the contacts "turn green" and the treated surfaces are literally corroded. Including the board in the engine control unit. The car becomes unusable and requires expensive repairs. There are not many such cases. Be careful! I mentioned this in the video at the end of this article.

How to clean contacts

First of all, I advise you to process the knock sensor connector and the connectors of other low-voltage sensors.

Attention! I do not advise processing the oxygen sensor connector in this way! The reasons are stated in the article about

Battery terminals.

It is worth noting that for the terminals there is a special lubricant in Liqui Moly "Batterie-Pol-Fett" tubes. But I only use the spray.

Wiring harness connector

And, of course, the connector of the ECU itself

You also need to pay attention to temperature sensors - air and coolant, contacts of the camshaft position sensor, generator and starter. Well, definitely

Separately, I would like to dwell on the elements of the ignition system.

The processing of contacts of high-voltage wires and ignition coils must be performed one of the first. Both for prevention, and if dips and twitches appear on your car when you sharply press the gas pedal. The thing is that if there are problems in the ignition system, then they will manifest themselves precisely during hard pedaling. This is due to the fact that the breakdown voltage is influenced by several factors, and one of them is pressure.

At idle, the pressure in the cylinders is not high, and at the moment the throttle is opened, it increases sharply, increasing the breakdown voltage at the spark plug electrodes. And if there is a defect in the ignition system, then it will definitely show its influence at this very moment. We will talk about this in one of the next articles.

So, one of these defects is often a slightly increased contact resistance in high-voltage wires and, especially, in low-voltage connectors of ignition coils. Moreover, a conventional multimeter will not show this.

And very often, cleaning and protecting contacts helps to correct the situation. Delov for three minutes, and the result for the better will be 100%!

Moreover, if the car is more than three years old, then this procedure is simply mandatory.

First of all, we process the low-voltage contacts of the ignition coil. Remove the pad and apply the spray

Next, lubricate the high voltage contacts. To do this, it is not necessary to pour the cleaner into the coil leads themselves, but it is enough to apply the agent to the BB wire, put it on the coil terminal and twist it back and forth slightly. It is also necessary to hold the wire with the contact up so that the spray penetrates deeper - into the junction of the tip with the wire itself.

We do the same on the other end of the wire.

I advise you to do this procedure even on new wires and coils.

The same applies to other contacts and connectors. If you put a new sensor or connect a new car radio, be sure to spray the contacts. After all, the main task of these tools is not only to clean, but also to create a microscopic protective film on the contacts. This film protects the contact from moisture and air, preventing oxides and corrosion.

And do not forget about the mounting blocks of fuses and relays. Pulled out the relay, processed the connector and put it back in. Nothing tricky

After these simple procedures, you will definitely notice that the behavior of the car has changed for the better! And the engine management system, electrical equipment and ignition system will work easier, which will result in an increased resource of the entire engine as a whole.

Here is a video about processing and protecting contacts

Peace and smooth roads to all!!!

A car, like any technological invention of man, can be said to be stuffed with electronics. In modern cars, with the press of a single button, you can simultaneously raise all the windows and lock the doors, all the headlights come into operation due to electronic impulses flowing through the wires, the wires come from the battery, and this list can be continued for a very long time. But due to various circumstances, wire connections can fail. In some, this is corrosion, in others, oxidation, in others, short circuits due to moisture getting into the contact, etc.

However, there is an excellent way out - this is a lubricant for contacts, which can prevent all destructive processes or stop them.

The main causes of contact problems

There is more than one reason for a car's contacts to be faulty or not working properly.

However, there are three most common cases when a breakdown occurs:

1. Corrosion (or rust) - this trouble happens most often, so contact grease should always be in your trunk. This malfunction is mainly due to weather conditions such as dampness, cold or rain. Indeed, in this case, the humidity of the air rises greatly, and the condensate settles not only on the surface of the car, the internal parts are also subject to water settling, contacts are no exception. And if the weather is wet for a long time, sooner or later rust will begin to appear, interfering with the normal functioning of electronics and breakdowns.
2. Oxidation - the terminals on the battery are most susceptible to this factor. Many drivers have encountered a problem when, behind the abundant growth of an incomprehensible white coating on the battery terminals and its case, the contacts themselves are not visible at all. There can be a lot of reasons for this factor: electrolyte leakage, erroneous shorting of battery cells, breakage of the battery case, etc. In this case, a specialized lubricant will also be your salvation.
3. A short circuit is also a fairly common phenomenon in the electronic circuit of a car. Short circuits occur for the same reason that is described in the first paragraph - humidity. Everything is very simple, water gets on the joints or contact surfaces, then when current passes through them, they are shorted. This can lead to some pretty serious problems with the machine, but to avoid them, there is a lubricant that prevents water from moving to the bare parts of the wire.

Is it possible to prevent trouble with contacts

Naturally, every driver loves his car, and take care of it as best he can. However, even for the most clean owner, the space and details under the hood cannot be sterile clean, not the right environment after all.

Of course, you can try to clean the contacts of the car every week. Clean each wire joint with sandpaper, remove all moisture, etc. You can try to seal the cracks in the soot compartment so that as little moisture and dust as possible gets there, but still this is not an option. You will either have to spend half your life doing these activities, or measure yourself and live on. But there is another choice that does not involve endless sitting in the garage, excludes attempts at sealing and so on, and this article is about it.

Ways to "treat" these "diseases"

If you notice that some device in your car is intermittent or has stopped working at all, whether it is a headlight that has gone out or the system does not respond when the lock is pressed, it is worth thinking that something is wrong.

Your next step will be to find out the reasons, most likely the problem lies in the malfunction of the contacts. So, for example, if you notice a white coating on the battery, which was mentioned above, you will have to act radically. First you need to clean the device from clogging. Distilled water is suitable for this, a sufficient amount of it and a little rag will help to cope with oxidation. Further, the terminals and the device itself must be thoroughly dried, and then the time comes when contact grease enters the battle. It is enough just to put it on the surface of the wires and terminals, it will penetrate into all the right places, cover the vulnerable parts and prevent the metal from oxidizing.

In the case of rust and excess moisture, which causes short circuits, there is a slightly different type of remedy, it is aimed precisely at protecting the vulnerable surfaces of the wires from moisture, thereby protecting these places from destructive reactions.

But if the wire in the car has rusted, it will first need to be thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper and only after that proceed with applying the protective mixture.

After the use of such chemical materials as a special lubricant, the processes of corrosion and oxidation are suspended, since the contacts are covered with a special artificial film that does not interfere with the passage of current. In the case of short circuits, water simply cannot seep into the contact, since the lubricant has a finer molecular structure and does not allow water to penetrate into the intended gaps.

Scope of these funds

Similar lubricants are also used to protect door locks and hinges in cars. However, these details have a few more problems, but we will consider them all little by little.

• The first thing that affects hinges and locks is, of course, friction, because these elements must be opened and closed very often, while the internal mechanism is erased and there are problems with turning the locks with a key, as well as wear of the hinges. It is easy to avoid this trouble; it is enough when buying a car to immediately treat the vulnerabilities with the appropriate lubricant.
• The next problem concerns both locks and contacts, it was discussed above. We are talking about corrosion and oxidation, because like any other metal, locks and hinges can suffer from environmental factors and rust, for example. In this case, a lubricant is needed that prevents or stops these harmful processes.
• The third and last point, but not least, is the freezing of castles in winter. Everything happens in one night, when in the evening, a little sun shone on your car, it was crushed with snow that fell into the keyhole. At night, melted snow or other precipitation froze as the temperature dropped, and in the morning you can no longer open the car. In order to prevent this from happening, there is also its own frost-resistant lubricant, which does not allow water to freeze in the castle, and the incoming liquid will not be able to stay in it either.

Conclusion

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that the use of specialized lubricants for contacts and locks in a car is not only desirable, but in some cases even necessary. However, it is still worth being a little vigilant to notice the problem in the initial stages and be able to prevent it before it is too late.

Many motorists, when preparing their car for winter or carrying out scheduled maintenance, use lubricants to protect contacts. Below we will figure out for what purposes grease is used for electrical contacts in a car, and what effect it has. We will also briefly consider several popular analogues of these lubricants.

Where is it used?

The main area of ​​application for lubricants for contacts in a car is battery terminals. It is the electrical contacts of the battery that often become a problematic place in the wiring of a car. Given that the battery terminals are made of lead, and the contacts of the power wires can be iron, aluminum or copper, these elements are especially actively oxidized.

Excessive oxidation leads to two main negative consequences.

1. The contact patch between the terminal on the battery and the contact on the power wire is reduced. Due to the decrease in the cross section, this area begins to actively heat up. Local melting may form.
2. The battery loses its ability to deliver electricity in the amount necessary for the normal operation of the starter and the electrical equipment of the car in general. Sometimes this is erroneously interpreted by the wear of the battery itself. And the car owner buys a new battery, although it was enough just to clean and process the contacts.

Conductive grease is actively used by motorists when processing all detachable car wiring connections. There are frequent cases when, due to a broken contact in the wiring of an electrical appliance, the car completely fails, or its operational capabilities are seriously reduced. For example, outdoor lighting that fails at night due to oxidized wiring will make driving on public roads almost impossible (or extremely dangerous).

Principle of action and beneficial effect

Despite the fact that lubricants for electrical contacts from different manufacturers have different chemical compositions, the principle of their operation is approximately the same. Below are the main functions of lubricants:

• displacement of moisture;
• isolation from water and oxygen, which significantly reduces oxidative processes;
• protection against such a phenomenon as current leakage;
• decrease in contact resistance in the contact patch of the terminals;
• penetration into oxide and sulfide deposits, which stops corrosion processes and liquefies deposits on the contact surface.

That is, after treatment with such a lubricant, the oxidative processes in the contacts are greatly slowed down or stopped altogether. This significantly increases the reliability of the car wiring and extends the life of the terminals and contacts.

Lubricant Liqui Moly and its analogues

Let's look at a few popular lubricants used for automotive wiring contacts, starting with the most famous and suitable for this purpose.

1. Liqui Moly. The manufacturer produces conductive lubricants in two forms: an aerosol (Electronic Spray) and a gel (Batterie-Pol-Fett). Grease is more effective in the long run, as it is resistant to water washout and will only run off spontaneously when heated to 145°C. However, it is inconvenient to use grease for hard-to-reach places, since it must be applied by contact. Aerosols are well suited for quick treatment of contact surfaces, including hard-to-reach ones. But the effect of aerosols is short-lived. For effective protection, it will be necessary to process contacts at least once every 3 months.

1. Solid oil or lithol. These are traditional lubricants for battery terminals and other car contacts. They are not entirely suitable for such purposes, as they do not provide sufficiently reliable protection against oxidation and dry out rather quickly. Requires frequent updates. Used mainly by drivers of the old school.
2. graphite lubricant. The main drawback of this oxidation protection agent is the partial electrical conductivity and the low dripping temperature. Suitable for processing single contacts (battery, starter, generator). Lubrication of small, multi-pin chips can cause current leakage with associated electronics failure.

Contact lubricants are a good solution for those motorists who do not want to deal with wiring oxidation problems.

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For stable and reliable operation of electrical equipment in industrial, household appliances and cars, it is necessary to protect their electrical contacts from aggressive environments, prevent corrosion, oxidation and reduce the risk of short circuits.

One of the main tasks that have to be solved to increase the service life of electrical equipment is to maintain the operability of electrical contacts. One of the most common problems in this case is the disruption of connections and the destruction of contacts under the influence of moisture, high temperature, and aggressive environmental components.

To increase the reliability and stability in the operation of electrical appliances, it is necessary to protect terminals, relay contacts, batteries, sensors, plugs, sockets, connector blocks, prevent current leakage and completely block the possibility of chemical media and moisture from entering electrical contacts. For the tasks assigned, lubricants for electrical contacts are used.

Classification of lubricants for electrical contacts

Lubricants for electrical contacts are divided into electrically conductive and electrically insulating or dielectric.

Electrically conductive lubricants are special materials that are designed to reduce and stabilize the electrical resistance of contact joints made of metals or alloys.

The thickeners in the conductive grease give it a matrix structure that allows the grease to not spread over the surface. The cells of this matrix are filled with conductive filler particles, for example, graphite.

Electrically conductive lubricants are used to increase the stability and reliability of electrical systems, corrosion protection and reduce maintenance costs. The use of these materials makes it possible to increase the contact area of ​​the contact surfaces, to increase the current conductivity. This leads to a reduction in energy losses and an increase in the service life of the connections.

Electrical insulating lubricants- materials designed to prevent current leakage from electrical circuits and protect contacts from aggressive external factors.

These materials can simultaneously be used for processing rubber, plastic and metal surfaces, serve to stabilize the voltage and protect against short circuits.

The electrical insulating grease applied to the electrical connection prevents corrosion, protects against dirt, moisture and oxygen, and prolongs the overall life of the equipment.

Universal electrical insulating grease

The optimal solution to the problem of maintaining the operability of electrical contacts is.

It is designed for cars, industrial and household equipment. The composition of the material includes silicone fluid, an inorganic thickener and an additional additive package.

EFELE Dielectric Grease is a uniform thick white compound. It is well retained at the junction, does not drain, does not dry out during operation, retains its properties throughout the entire life of the equipment.

The main advantages of the material:

EFELE electrical insulating grease is fireproof, does not have a toxic and irritating effect on the human body when it comes into contact with the skin.

Examples of application of the material in the car

Scope of lubricant

Universal, suitable for use in all types of electrical contacts: detachable, one-piece, sliding and switching. It reliably protects battery terminals, relay contacts, sensors, plugs, sockets, electrical connectors, as well as high-voltage ignition wires.

Lubricant is used during the installation of contact connections operated by:

outdoors when exposed to climatic factors that affect the node;

with fluctuations in temperature and humidity;

in humid and maritime climate;

in underground premises without heating and ventilation, including mines, basements, soil;

in rooms where prolonged standing of water or frequent condensation of moisture on surfaces is possible.

How to properly apply lubricant to contacts?

Before using the lubricant, the contact surfaces must first be prepared: cleaned with a metal brush or sandpaper. Remove abrasive dust with a dry rag, brush or other means.

Lubricant must be applied to a fully assembled and cleaned contact in an even layer with a thickness of 2 mm or more. If necessary, excess material can be removed with a soft cloth or lint-free rag.

Grease for electrical contacts is produced in a metal aerosol can with a capacity of 210 ml and in a collapsible blister pack. Durable plastic dispensers are easy to use and transport. Through an elongated flexible nose, the material is easy to apply to electrical contacts, even in hard-to-reach places where the use of other compositions is difficult. Lubricant is packaged in dispensers weighing 15 grams.

reliably protects electric knots of cars and electric devices. The composition prevents moisture, chemically aggressive substances, oxygen from entering electrical contacts. It prevents the formation of corrosion and oxides, significantly reducing the risk of failure and increasing equipment reliability.

Electrical contacts are a connection of conductors through which current flows. They are widely used in all areas of human activity: industry, everyday life, automotive technology, etc.

Any electrical contacts heat up during operation. The heating temperature depends on how much current passes through them. With an increase in contact temperature, the likelihood of surface welding increases, and exposure to environmental factors can cause corrosion.

The most serious problems in the operation of electrical equipment are associated with a violation of the insulation of contacts.

Due to temperature changes, condensate forms on the surfaces of electrically conductive elements, which is an electrolytic mixture of moisture, acids, alkalis, salts and other aggressive media. As a result of the chemical reaction of condensate with conductors, an oxide film and corrosion are formed on electrical contacts, causing destruction of the contact and sparking in the circuit.

Current leaks, short circuits, fires are standard and unpleasant consequences of deformation of electrical contacts. These phenomena are dangerous both for the electrical devices themselves and for people nearby.

In order to ensure the long-term performance and safety of electrical equipment, it is necessary to use special lubricants that protect its electrically conductive elements from harmful external influences.

Dielectric lubricants form a strong protective layer on the contact surfaces, protecting them from negative influences and providing additional sealing of the elements.

In this article, we have compared several of the most popular and sought-after lubricants for electrical contacts and highlighted the best of them in terms of price / quality ratio.

Let's compare well-known electrical insulating lubricants

1 place

Grease for electrical contacts EFELE

Material based on silicone oil, thickened with special inorganic components and a reinforced additive package. It is used for lubrication and protection of electrical contacts, as well as their additional sealing in order to prevent the occurrence of electrical breakdowns and short circuits.

Quite versatile: suitable for servicing all types of industrial electrical equipment (high-voltage and standard), for protecting household electrical connections, as well as high-voltage auto components: battery terminals, etc.

EFELE is used for detachable and non-detachable, terminal and other electrical connections. Compatibility with plastics and elastomers allows this lubricant to be used in the maintenance of various relays, plugs, sensors, sockets and other devices made with plastic and/or rubber.

This grease operates in a wide temperature range (-40 to +160 °C), is not washed out by water, alkaline and slightly acidic solutions, and effectively prevents the formation of corrosion on electrical contacts.

Thanks to its thick consistency (NLGI-3 grade), it is perfectly retained in places of application. During operation, the composition does not dry out and retains its properties throughout the entire life of the equipment.

EFELE electrical insulating grease is fireproof, does not have a toxic and irritating effect on the human body when it comes into contact with the skin.

A set of excellent performance properties, versatility, low price and convenient packaging of EFELE electrical contact grease allows it to take the top line in our rating.

Molykote 111

2 place

Molykote 111

Silicone frost, heat and chemical resistant compound for lubrication, sealing and insulation of electrical components. It is also used in vacuum systems and drinking water supply systems.

Molykote 111 grease-sealant is not washed out by water, does not break down under the influence of chemically aggressive environments, low and high temperatures.

The material has high anti-corrosion properties and is compatible with most rubbers and plastics.

Molykote 111 compound has very high dielectric, protective and sealing properties, has a wide range of applications, which is not limited to electronics. However, the price of this material is quite high, which does not allow it to take first place.

Liqui Moly Electronic Spray

3 place

Liqui Moly Electronic Spray

Synthetic aerosol lubricant to prevent the formation of oxides and corrosion in vehicle electrical connectors.

The spray is excellent for working with cable distributors, plug connectors, relays, terminal connections, breaker, starter, ignition distributor, switches, fuses, generator, lamp bases, antennas.

It is applied to electrical contacts and protects them from the effects of negative environmental factors, thereby increasing the stability of the operation of the automotive electrical equipment of the car and increasing its service life.

Effectively protecting the metal from corrosion and oxidation, the product is gentle on other materials in automotive systems (in particular, the plastic from which the battery case is made).

In terms of its cost, the lubricant is comparable to EFELE, however, it is significantly inferior to it in terms of its set of properties and scope (mainly maintenance of car batteries). Liqui Moly Batterie-Pol-Fett in aerosol form is more expensive than the previous material from the same manufacturer and has a narrower specification, so it ranks last in the ranking.