Differences in Contact Cleaners (1 Viewer)

[Jeff O.]

I know a number of people have recommended regular cleaning of connectors. I have heard Caig pro gold mentioned as a good one. However, I have a couple of questions. If I go to Parts Express there are a number of different formulations that appear to do very similar things, Deoxit, Pro gold and R5. Are there specific applications/recommendations for each of these and what works best for audio connections? If you read the info, it sounds like they all do the same thing. I used to use this stuff called Tweak (I think) and it worked great, but if you got it on plastic, it eventually destroyed it. Are any of the above more forgiving when you have connectors with plastic around?

Jeff

 

[Chu Gai]

It really depends upon how they're formulated with regards to the solvents used. As far as attacking plastic, well that certainly depends on the type of plastic as some will be intert and others may be soluble in the solvent formulations used. It would be my tendency to 'trust' the one's that have some history of audio use and seeing as how you're not going to use that stuff every day, it should last you quite a few years.

 

[Valerie Brown]

Hi Jeff,
I use Caig's ProGold G5 and it works very well and is safe for plastics (and the enviroment ) Here's an article from Caig
online regarding the ProGold line. It's a field test written by a gentleman from "Mix Magazine".
http://support.caig.com/faq.php?article=31
If you have a lot of oxidation, you may need to use the more potent G100s.
I bought the ProGold line because it seem to cover more metal groups.
The Caig website has all types of info.
www.caig.com
Hope this helps!

 

[Lee Scoggins]

If I go to Parts Express there are a number of different formulations that appear to do very similar things, Deoxit, Pro gold and R5. Are there specific applications/recommendations for each of these and what works best for audio connections?

Jeff,
Go to Caig's website - it does a good job of explaining the differences.
I love ProGold and use it almost every week. It makes a substantial improvement in my system's sound.
Highly recommended
Also use Flitz metal polich on your AC cords. This works very well.

 

[Terence C]

Sorry if this is kind of long....
After you clean your contacts,you could also try
Stabilant 22a.
It's a contact enhancer.
Sounds like Voodoo at first but it is realy an "initially non-conductive block polymer that under the effect of a electrical field in a very narrow gap between metal contacts, becomes conductive. The electric field gradient at which this occurs is such that the material will remain non-conductive between adjacent contacts in a multiple pin environment. Thus, when applied to electromechanical contacts, Stabilant 22 provides the connection reliability of a soldered joint without bonding the contact surfaces together."
It's manufactured by D. W. Electrochemicals Ltd. in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Originally sold by Sumiko as Tweek. (No longer sold by Sumiko).
Developed and tested by/for Canadian Airforce in F18's
and other military equipment and now used in NATO. Can be used for any electro-mechanical contact.
I've even seen my local grocery store use it on the electric contacts on their bar code laser scanners.
You apply once and only once ...lasts forever.
I use it on all my contacts. I apply it on speaker wires before crimping banana plugs on. Apply to Banana plugs and 5-way binding posts. RCA and XLR connectors both male and female ends. The pins on my turntable cartridge. Everywhere.
You can even treat your pre-amp input switches (if you have mechanical ones) Its not cross conductive between adjacent conductive metals.
Check out their web site here
They used to deal only with retailers but it looks like you may be able to order direct. Either way, If you e-mail Betty Gorden - Marketing Manager, she can provide the nearest retailer.
D. W. Electrochemicals Ltd.
3-97 Newkirk Road (North)
Richmond Hill, ON L4C-3G4, CANADA
Phone: (905) 508-7500
Fax: (905) 508-7502
E-Mail: [email protected]
I buy the 15ml Stabilant 22a service kit. $40 CDN the last time I bought one. I've only had 2 bottles in 10 years.
The stuff really lasts.
And no, I do not have any affiliation with them (other than being Canadian)...I just like their stuff.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Terence,

I will vouch for Tweek. I used it in the 90s and it works well. I wondered where this stuff went. Great background story also.

I prefer Caig slightly due to more effectiveness and lower cost.

 

[Terence C]

Lee,
I like it primarily because it becomes highly conductive in the presence or an electric current.
I've never had an intermitant connection since I've used Stabilant 22.
You can also use it on computer RAM modules or any connection inside your computer case.
I also use XLO's TPC cleaner to clean connectors before treating them with Stabilant 22.
I've never used ProGold, although I know some people who do and swear by it.
There is also a cool little devise you can get from the audio magizine Link Removed called the Clean Jack.
It is a porous plastic plug with male RCA on one end and Female RCA on the other. You apply cleaner to it and insert it appropriately into interconnect and equipment jacks and twist it a few times. Voila! Clean Jack.
Just more options to keep in mind.

 

[Jeff O.]

Thanks for all of the great replies you guys. I went to Caig's website and got a lot of information (don't know why I didn' think of that before). I guess I was mainly looking for a contact enhancer (like Tweek). Like I said, I used to swear by the stuff, it made especially big differences to me in antenna and video connections. I am glad to hear that it is still available. As far as Caig's stuff, from their website it appears that R5 and Deoxit are the exact same thing and that the ProGold is more of a contact enhancer and less of a cleaner than either of those.

Thanks again-Jeff