Corrosion on Battery clips

[AndyTravis]

Two Yamaha basses in my stable currently, both 16/17 years old, both have what looks like verdigris on the contacts.

I reckon I know the answer.

But cleaning with brasso won't damage the connection will it?

Also, anyone knowbof a reliable contact for Yamaha spares?

[T-Bay]

Fine emery or scotchbrite to get rid of the corrosion then brasso (or better still autosol) to clean them up will work a treat. Can't help with the spares, sorry.

[AndyTravis]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1502915183' post='3354405']
Fine emery or scotchbrite to get rid of the corrosion then brasso (or better still autosol) to clean them up will work a treat. Can't help with the spares, sorry.
[/quote]

Yeah ace - will attack with aplomb Tomorrow.

Will talk to my mate who's a yammy dealer - don't know why I didn't think to ask him.

[dyerseve]

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1502915725' post='3354409']


Yeah ace - will attack with aplomb Tomorrow.

Will talk to my mate who's a yammy dealer - don't know why I didn't think to ask him.
[/quote]

Yamaha have excellent supplies of spares for instruments of all ages. If you contact them directly they will put you in touch with a stockist but be warned they aren't cheap. Think my replacement battery case with lie for my TRB5II was about £25.

[AndyTravis]

This is a battery door for a BEX4C, the newly acquired BBG4Sii (catchy name) needs a lot of attention and uses the same clip cover so while I'm getting the hardware solved...this will work, enough of the retaining clip remains so it's purely cosmetic/for peace of mind.

[Dudgeman]

Vinegar and a swab/cotton bud will neutralise the damage caused by battery acid..(That horrible blue residue) I use 5 percent white vinegar...It won't damage the contacts... Well it didn't on my Sennheiser In ear receivers..(Stupidly left the batteries in them for 3 months post gig...idiot...idiot..idiot..).

You can polish the contacts carefully after if you wish, but removing the residue allowed the contacts to work again. be careful on circuit boards and don't panic if it fizzes on the contacts..that's the chemical reaction..it also cleaned up the residue from the plastics a treat...

I think there are youtube vids available for doing this...

[Osiris]

[quote name='Dudgeman' timestamp='1504444113' post='3364868']
Vinegar and a swab/cotton bud will neutralise the damage caused by battery acid..(That horrible blue residue) I use 5 percent white vinegar...It won't damage the contacts... Well it didn't on my Sennheiser In ear receivers..(Stupidly left the batteries in them for 3 months post gig...idiot...idiot..idiot..).

You can polish the contacts carefully after if you wish, but removing the residue allowed the contacts to work again. be careful on circuit boards and don't panic if it fizzes on the contacts..that's the chemical reaction..it also cleaned up the residue from the plastics a treat...

I think there are youtube vids available for doing this...
[/quote]

I had a battery leak in in the transmitter of my wireless system a couple of years ago and managed to get it cleaned up using this method.
I used a bottle of supermarket own brand white vinegar that only cost a few pence and some cotton buds. The acidity of the vinegar neutralises the alkalinity of the residue and breaks it down. Keep applying the vinegar until the gunk has gone.

I don't know if it's essential but I then cleaned up the affected area using a cotton bud with a tiny amount of deionised water. Obviously if you do this you need to make sure everything is is bone dry again before using it - I used the wife's hair dryer to blow warm (not hot) air into the unit for a minute or 2.

Other than that I didn't use anything else on the contacts and although there looks to be a tiny bit of pitting on them, the unit itself has worked perfectly ever since.