Vaseline? Or...

[hogweed]

Totally fed up of the “bulb failure” message on the IPK, going round the back, jiggling the bulbs and it goes away again… everybody says stick a bit of Vaseline on it, but I haven’t got any.

Really silly question probably, but I have a big tin of lithium grease, and another one of copper anti-seize – can I use either of them :shrug:

[Rev Jules]

Totally fed up of the “bulb failure” message on the IPK, going round the back, jiggling the bulbs and it goes away again… everybody says stick a bit of Vaseline on it, but I haven’t got any.

Really silly question probably, but I have a big tin of lithium grease, and another one of copper anti-seize – can I use either of them :shrug:

Have tried KY Jelly?

Rev Jules.

[hogweed]

Have tried KY Jelly?

Rev Jules.

It's water-soluble, so I don't think so. Not that I know what KY jelly is, of course.

[Rev Jules]

It's water-soluble, so I don't think so. Not that I know what KY jelly is, of course.

Being a Rev, I don't know either, just heard about it from the nunnery??? LOL.

Rev Jules.

[Barrym028]

Don't use copper grease, it acts like a conductor and will short out if it comes in contact with terminals

[Barrym028]

Lithium grease should be ok, or if you really beat dax wax or cooking lard (I wouldn't use lard but if you are really stuck it might get u out of a hole)

[HarryM1BYT]

Nothing at all wrong with the other suggestions, but I use WD40. It easier to penetrate everywhere and leaves a thin film on the parts to protect them from rust or oxidisation of contacts.

I buy it by the gallon and its great for spraying on any metal parts (lathe) to protect from the likely rust, due to parts suffering from condensation in the workshop in winter.

[COLVERT]

Nothing at all wrong with the other suggestions, but I use WD40. It easier to penetrate everywhere and leaves a thin film on the parts to protect them from rust or oxidisation of contacts.

I buy it by the gallon and its great for spraying on any metal parts (lathe) to protect from the likely rust, due to parts suffering from condensation in the workshop in winter.

Well said Harry. :bowdown: All the other greases mentioned are insulators. WD 40 is not.
It cleans and protects the contacts from further corrosion.-----:D

[hogweed]

Thanks chaps – I always use WD40 for everything, but have seen it slagged off so many times (possibly not here) that I didn’t like to say. Okily dokily…

[murphyv310]

Hi.
Nothing wrong with WD40 for this type of work. Waxoyl is good too, a small brush and a dab around the bulb holder contacts works a treat.

[stevestrat]

Don't do what my mate did with his motorbike years ago, did all the electrics at the rear (tail light, indicators etc) with some kind of spray on electrical sealant, reassembled it and wondered why nothing worked!

[HarryM1BYT]

Hi.
Nothing wrong with WD40 for this type of work. Waxoyl is good too, a small brush and a dab around the bulb holder contacts works a treat.

Yep, anything which is thin enough to both protect the surface from oxidation and able to be pushed out the way to allow metal to metal contact.

The problem is that 12v is not a lot of voltage to overcome the the formation of oxides on the contact points. Oxide has a high resistance, much more than enough to stop such low voltage electrics from working. Stop the oxide forming and things are fine.

A good tip is to rub the soldered base contacts of a lamp on the side of a tyre, to remove the oxide layer before inserting it in its socket, with a spray of WD40 / vaseline or what ever to prevent it forming again.

[murphyv310]

A good tip is to rub the soldered base contacts of a lamp on the side of a tyre, to remove the oxide layer before inserting it in its socket.


Hi Harry.
One of the "old school" tips I've used for years and for me second nature that I even forget I'm doing it!

[hogweed]

A good tip is to rub the soldered base contacts of a lamp on the side of a tyre

Was a matchbox in my day. But then my day was a long time ago...

[peelaaa]

Yep, anything which is thin enough to both protect the surface from oxidation and able to be pushed out the way to allow metal to metal contact.

The problem is that 12v is not a lot of voltage to overcome the the formation of oxides on the contact points. Oxide has a high resistance, much more than enough to stop such low voltage electrics from working. Stop the oxide forming and things are fine.

A good tip is to rub the soldered base contacts of a lamp on the side of a tyre, to remove the oxide layer before inserting it in its socket, with a spray of WD40 / vaseline or what ever to prevent it forming again.

Thats it. Clean of the oxide layer on the contacts. You can scrape it off carefully with a small flat head screwdriver. I have done this on all types of electrical contacts, especially childrens toys when the batteries have leaked everywhere.

This solved my problem I had with the rear barke light constantly showing as blown, when infact it was just a dirty contact.

Our cars are getting on now, so its fairly normal for this to happen. Its' when the oxide creeps up the electrical cable you then have to worry big time. I had old alfas which were like this.

[freck]

The best tool for cleaning up contacts is a commutator cleaning brush like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fibreglass-Electrical-Contact-Abrasive-Cleaning-Brush-FibrePen-FibrePencil-/270467189983?hash=item3ef919ccdf:g:N2QAAOxy5jxSbOU G

They're great for cleaning off corrosion, then add a small smear of Vaseline (it's the nearest thing to proper contact grease) :D

[Stag>75]

Totally fed up of the “bulb failure” message on the IPK, going round the back, jiggling the bulbs and it goes away again…

I'm assuming you are talking about the number plate bulbs. If so then the problem is quite likely the join between the PCB and the copper bulb holders rather than between the bulb holders and the bulb. It was the problem on mine (I would jiggle the bulb and sometimes it would help) and soldering the 2 joints for each bulb cured that problem. Don't have to take the PCB off the car or anything but I don't know what the recommendation is in terms of removing the wires/ disconnecting the battery when doing the job.

[hogweed]

I'm assuming you are talking about the number plate bulbs.

Sorry, I should have been clearer - it's the rear clusters which are causing the problems. I've already been down the road of repairing the tracks on the number plate unit, and eventually replaced the PCB ;)