How to clean the Pins on the LTT connector of the housing

Hello There.

I have a DX200 Sea&Sea Housing.

I notice that on the TLL connector from the Housing the pins are little rusty I have no idea how water got in there, and sometimes the strobe doesn’t work.

Is any one have any special technique? Or do any one knows how to clean the Pins?

Appreciate your help

Thank you,

Is any one have any special technique? Or do any one knows how to clean the Pins?

i used toothbrush and brushed gently the salt out. There is also a spray for cleaning electrical contacts.

If you have corrosion on the outer of the connector then not too bad, if the pins themselves are corroded (like green) then I would seriously look at replacing the whole socket.

Once the pins are corroded they will do three things -

Poor contact.

Become abrasive to the mating connector

Trap salt to enable the whole cycle to kick off over again

One of the problems is that the pins are bronze with a thin flash of gold to promote good contact - the gold will not tarnish. Once the pin is green the gold is gone and you have the above problems kicking in and they will tarnish to some extent even in air.

So depending on how bad it looks in there you may need to replace it long term.

Paul C

If you have corrosion on the outer of the connector then not too bad, if the pins themselves are corroded (like green) then I would seriously look at replacing the whole socket.

 

Once the pins are corroded they will do three things -

 

Poor contact.

Become abrasive to the mating connector

Trap salt to enable the whole cycle to kick off over again

 

One of the problems is that the pins are bronze with a thin flash of gold to promote good contact - the gold will not tarnish. Once the pin is green the gold is gone and you have the above problems kicking in and they will tarnish to some extent even in air.

 

So depending on how bad it looks in there you may need to replace it long term.

 

Paul C

Thaks paul

They are not green, they look like oxidant dark red looks like if the color melt and form a spot around the pins socket. I was wondering if I can use vinegar do you know if is any solution to clean them I just don’t want to damage other parts

I am attach a diagram of how looks inside the Housing Socket

Thanks

i used toothbrush and brushed gently the salt out. There is also a spray for cleaning electrical contacts.

I've always wondered about the contact cleaner spray.

safe for use on the port?

Personally I would be happy to use contact cleaner spray. I would however probably go at it with a cotton bud rather than spraying it about the place and hoping it will do magic. Just spray some on a tin lid or into a bottle cap and use that to wet the cotton bud.

Most switches are 90% plastic parts and the spray will not mess them up at all.

Same goes for that residue at the bottom of your socket - at a guess it must be somewhat conductive if it is leaking current and messing up the switching signals.

Again I would use a cotton bud, ideally soaked in the above cleaner spray - avoid any abrasives that will mess the gold flashing on the pins, but you need to clean out all of that stuff at the bottom of the socket.

FWIW by day I am an electronics design engineer so have used this stuff off and on for 25 years.

Paul C

Personally I would be happy to use contact cleaner spray. I would however probably go at it with a cotton bud rather than spraying it about the place and hoping it will do magic. Just spray some on a tin lid or into a bottle cap and use that to wet the cotton bud.

 

Most switches are 90% plastic parts and the spray will not mess them up at all.

 

Same goes for that residue at the bottom of your socket - at a guess it must be somewhat conductive if it is leaking current and messing up the switching signals.

 

Again I would use a cotton bud, ideally soaked in the above cleaner spray - avoid any abrasives that will mess the gold flashing on the pins, but you need to clean out all of that stuff at the bottom of the socket.

 

FWIW by day I am an electronics design engineer so have used this stuff off and on for 25 years.

 

Paul C

Hi Paul

I agree, once the gold layer is gone the problem is recurring. I've always wondered how EO wet connectors (as used in many older, non-TTL flashes) didn't seem to suffer similar problems. As wet connectors they are regularly exposed to salt water yet sem to provide a very reliable connection for years. I use them for video-out connectrs on several uw video systems with no problems after hundreds of hours of use.

Yes, I have also wondered a bit about those wet connectors - even some being used at quite high potentials (12V) where I would have expected all sorts of electro inspired chemistry to be kicking off, especially in salt water.

Presumably the pin spacing is quite big.

Maybe they can get away with really plating up the pins with a heavy gold coating?

Paul C

Personally I would be happy to use contact cleaner spray. I would however probably go at it with a cotton bud rather than spraying it about the place and hoping it will do magic. Just spray some on a tin lid or into a bottle cap and use that to wet the cotton bud.

 

Most switches are 90% plastic parts and the spray will not mess them up at all.

 

Same goes for that residue at the bottom of your socket - at a guess it must be somewhat conductive if it is leaking current and messing up the switching signals.

 

Again I would use a cotton bud, ideally soaked in the above cleaner spray - avoid any abrasives that will mess the gold flashing on the pins, but you need to clean out all of that stuff at the bottom of the socket.

 

FWIW by day I am an electronics design engineer so have used this stuff off and on for 25 years.

 

Paul C

Is any brand for contact cleaner spray that you recommend? or I can use peaty much any thing that is out ion the market?

Nope they will be all pretty much similar. Bottom line is that in this case they are just aiding the mechanical cleaning action of the cotton bud. I would expect to see most of the crud come out attached to the end of the cotton bud.

Seeing that you are in the US just wander down to Fry's or Radio shack or even a PC hardware store and see what's on the shelf

Paul C

Nope they will be all pretty much similar. Bottom line is that in this case they are just aiding the mechanical cleaning action of the cotton bud. I would expect to see most of the crud come out attached to the end of the cotton bud.

 

Seeing that you are in the US just wander down to Fry's or Radio shack or even a PC hardware store and see what's on the shelf

 

Paul C

Thank you Paul, and tank you all for the suggestions