E/O cord cleaning

T

Terp

Member
How do you clean your E/O cords? with a strong base or something? any special household chemicals? :)
Cheers Rasmus
 
Spray them out with WD40.
Beat on the female side of the connector with a hammer to tighten up the socket again. 2 of my E/Os have been in use since 1999 almost weekly and are still working. What E/Os really don't like is being sharply bent near a fitting. If you can avoid that, and treat them gently they can last forever.

Michael
 
michael_fisch said:
Spray them out with WD40.
Beat on the female side of the connector with a hammer to tighten up the socket again. 2 of my E/Os have been in use since 1999 almost weekly and are still working. What E/Os really don't like is being sharply bent near a fitting. If you can avoid that, and treat them gently they can last forever.
Michael
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Ok, sounds like an idea! mine seem to corrode really fast, maybe i have crap quality ones?
 
Use deoxit, there is d5, and pro gold,I use both, and then use shield as a protectant.

No corrosion in 2 years of diving every weekend.
 
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Terp said:
Ok, sounds like an idea! mine seem to corrode really fast, maybe i have crap quality ones?
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You are switching off the power before detaching the E/O underwater, aren't you?
Otherwise the resulting electrolosys will destroy the contacts quickly.

Michael
 
Terp said:
Can't as the lid dont have a switch.
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That is the problem. You either need the ability to shut off power to the cord, or buy a plug for the end of the cord, otherwise current will always flow between the contacts as long as they are wet or have not been washed in demineralized/sterile water, dried salt is also a good conductor of electricity.

Otherwise it's kind of like gassing up your car but never using a gascap - mileage sucks.

Michael
 
michael_fisch said:
That is the problem. You either need the ability to shut off power to the cord, or buy a plug for the end of the cord, otherwise current will always flow between the contacts as long as they are wet or have not been washed in demineralized/sterile water, dried salt is also a good conductor of electricity.

Otherwise it's kind of like gassing up your car but never using a gascap - mileage sucks.

Michael
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This is a common problem, people think that the E/O cord is a cable you can change underwater. It is not!
You should avoid as much as possible to not open och swich a E/O cord underwater. They are not made for that. Water is trapped in the plugs and will damage the contact surface.

If you need a cable that can be used underwater you should get this model, it is made for underwater use
http://wet-connect.com/images/il/2p-il-m-18-2-.75m-ext.jpg
 
erikradstrom said:
This is a common problem, people think that the E/O cord is a cable you can change underwater. It is not!
You should avoid as much as possible to not open och swich a E/O cord underwater. They are not made for that. Water is trapped in the plugs and will damage the contact surface.

If you need a cable that can be used underwater you should get this model, it is made for underwater use
http://wet-connect.com/images/il/2p-il-m-18-2-.75m-ext.jpg
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Hi Erik, I use those cords for my drysuit heating connector, they work well. BUT since the distance between the 2 gold plated rings is less than on E/Os leaving power applied ALL the Time while not connected UW will kill them even faster than E/Os.
Having power applied to any conductor when immersed in water IS A NO-GO, Electrolysis causes material to disappear from one contact which then plates the other contact.

Conclusion, either never disconnect the connection, or switch off the power on the battery side before disconnecting.

Michael
 
michael_fisch said:
That is the problem. You either need the ability to shut off power to the cord, or buy a plug for the end of the cord, otherwise current will always flow between the contacts as long as they are wet or have not been washed in demineralized/sterile water, dried salt is also a good conductor of electricity.

Otherwise it's kind of like gassing up your car but never using a gascap - mileage sucks.

Michael
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Easiest fix is sell your battery tank in the Bay and buy a battery tank with outputs that are internally switched in the tank.

Michael
 
michael_fisch said:
Hi Erik, I use those cords for my drysuit heating connector, they work well. BUT since the distance between the 2 gold plated rings is less than on E/Os leaving power applied ALL the Time while not connected UW will kill them even faster than E/Os.
Having power applied to any conductor when immersed in water IS A NO-GO, Electrolysis causes material to disappear from one contact which then plates the other contact.

Conclusion, either never disconnect the connection, or switch off the power on the battery side before disconnecting.

Michael
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Of course, but that is a whole other problem. You should never use a canister without switch if you plan to have it disconnected.
I use my E/O cords in fresh water changing lightheads, but I would never do it in salt unless it was a must.
 
Here's a different question. How bad is it to have the load end (the one receiving the power) unplugged in salt water. I'm talking about the situation where you might use a single battery canister for both light and suit heater. Even if you turn off the battery before switching, the other end of the connection will be open. It won't be subject to electrolysis, but it can't be very good. There are dummy plugs, but I just wondered how important they are.
 
kwinter said:
Here's a different question. How bad is it to have the load end (the one receiving the power) unplugged in salt water. I'm talking about the situation where you might use a single battery canister for both light and suit heater. Even if you turn off the battery before switching, the other end of the connection will be open. It won't be subject to electrolysis, but it can't be very good. There are dummy plugs, but I just wondered how important they are.
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You should never switch the cable under water unless you really have to. Even if the power is off you will get water in the connection if you change it under water. When you turn the light or vest on the water in the connection will start to corrode the plugs.

E/O cords are not made for switching underwater.
 
erikradstrom said:
You should never switch the cable under water unless you really have to. Even if the power is off you will get water in the connection if you change it under water. When you turn the light or vest on the water in the connection will start to corrode the plugs.

E/O cords are not made for switching underwater.
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I don't have a problem diving in saltwater with no cable connected to my Drysuit heater (Subsea) connector. If the gold plating has been damaged you probably will have corrusion. If the gold plating is still OK there shouldn't be any posibility of damage since Aurum Oxide is really rare, and without applying power there is no electrolysis between similar metals.

Rinse it out with freshwater, and use an occasional squirt of WD40 or contact cleaner.

Michael
 
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