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Author Topic: Oil on electrical parts  (Read 4239 times)

Bob Faulkner

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Oil on electrical parts
« on: January 25, 2018, 05:02:53 PM »

-sigh-

The US Postal Service has scored another F-   They were an F+ till this recent issue.  By the way, where I live, our area may or may not have postal deliveries (or pickups) a couple of times a week.  Many times, we receive mail not addressed to us.

With that said, I received a couple of plug adapters (20amp to 15amp) to do some bench testing using 20amp plugs on a 15 amp circuit (don't worry, I never pull more than 2 amps).  The adapters were in a padded envelope... which was inside of a US Postal Service plastic bag that said "We Care"... this was because the contents of the padded envelope, as well as the padded envelope were covered (and dripping) in what smells like and feels like sesame seed oil.  It was as if my package had been dropped in a 10 gallon bucket of oil, and then immediately pulled out and delivered to my house.  I'm sure glad the US Postal Service "cares" about my packages.

The plug adapters look ok (though, they are covered in oil); is there a way to "boil" off the oil?  Or, could it be luck that sesame oil is possibly non-conductive? 


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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2018, 05:14:07 PM »

-sigh-

The US Postal Service has scored another F-   They were an F+ till this recent issue.  By the way, where I live, our area may or may not have postal deliveries (or pickups) a couple of times a week.  Many times, we receive mail not addressed to us.

With that said, I received a couple of plug adapters (20amp to 15amp) to do some bench testing using 20amp plugs on a 15 amp circuit (don't worry, I never pull more than 2 amps).  The adapters were in a padded envelope... which was inside of a US Postal Service plastic bag that said "We Care"... this was because the contents of the padded envelope, as well as the padded envelope were covered (and dripping) in what smells like and feels like sesame seed oil.  It was as if my package had been dropped in a 10 gallon bucket of oil, and then immediately pulled out and delivered to my house.  I'm sure glad the US Postal Service "cares" about my packages.

The plug adapters look ok (though, they are covered in oil); is there a way to "boil" off the oil?  Or, could it be luck that sesame oil is possibly non-conductive?

Denatured alcohol.  Soak them for a few minutes and blow out with compressed air. 
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Bob Faulkner

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2018, 05:17:27 PM »

Denatured alcohol.  Soak them for a few minutes and blow out with compressed air. 
Thanks Tim.  I'll give that a try.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2018, 05:22:13 PM »

Thanks Tim.  I'll give that a try.

You might also try a citrus-based de-greaser.
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2018, 06:56:48 PM »

Once upon a time it was not uncommon for telcom and Mil-Spec connectors to have oil applied to them.  Kept corrosion and contact fretting at bay.
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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2018, 08:21:32 PM »

not the worst thing that could happen... just degrease it.

JR
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Bob Faulkner

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2018, 09:54:55 PM »

Thanks for the replies.  I considered a degreaser, but wasn't sure how the chemicals would react to the plastic/rubber plug as well as the spades.

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Lee Douglas

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2018, 09:59:56 PM »

Dawn dish washing detergent seems get oils out of a lot of things.  Perhaps disassembling them and washing/soaking them followed by thorough drying might do the trick.  Possible a long very low temperature bake, to insure everything is dry and not prone to rusting.
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2018, 11:26:32 PM »

There was a time not so long ago when aqueous washing of electronics was common.  Often with a surfactant (soap).  The only issue we had to watch for was things like switches and connectors with traps that couldn't be effectively rinsed out.  Or electrolytic caps or batteries that weren't sealed.  Shouldn't be a problem for electrical connectors as long as you can get at all the areas and rinse well.
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David Allred

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2018, 08:47:35 AM »

"Plastics-safe" contact cleaner?  I like your boil idea.  I would think a minimal film would protect all the materials.  Tap-hot might be enough.
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Tom Burgess

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2018, 02:56:04 PM »

Simple Green, perhaps?
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2018, 03:53:32 PM »

Tap-hot might be enough.
The Stoelting cleaner I bought during my time at Dolby had the water at 80C and the dryer section would peel your skin off, over 120C.  I know electrical connectors aren't soldered like circuit boards but the plastics used ought to be good in boiling water.
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GenePink

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2018, 02:00:19 AM »

Wait until the wife isn't home, dishwasher, top rack only. The bottom rack is reserved for brake shoes.

Gene
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Bob Faulkner

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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2018, 07:38:54 AM »

Thanks for all the suggestions!  I ended up cleaning it with denatured alcohol and blowing it out (suggestion from Tim McCulloch); worked great.  A de-greaser (most any kind...?) would have worked, but actually had nothing available at that time (this has been remedied since then).





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Re: Oil on electrical parts
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2018, 07:38:54 AM »


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