How Do I Clean the Terminals in a 7-Way Connector

Updated 08/04/2009 | Published 08/03/2009

Question:

Is there a wire brush to clean dirty pins and slots?

asked by: Jeff D

Expert Reply:

At this time we do not have a brush or other device specifically for cleaning the terminals in your 7-way connector. I have cleaned the connectors before and it can be quite a task with the limited space inside the connectors. You will need to be careful, especially on the vehicle side, not to short out two terminals and blow fuses or worse. Using a metal wire brush or liquid on the vehicle side would not be recommended. You could do so if you made sure all power is cut off at the connector and that no remaining wire bristles or liquid remains before restoring power. What I would do instead is use a plastic knife or a wooden Popsicle stick and modify it to fit into the terminals so I could scrape any road grime and oxidization off of the terminals, being careful not to bend or upset the terminals in any way.

You can also pick-up a spray can of electrical connector cleaner at an auto-parts store. Again, you need to be careful of using a liquid and shorting something, so disconnect the battery first. Spray down the connectors. Make sure that connector is dry before connecting the battery. Use a air hose or set it out to air-dry for a day.

Sometimes it is just easier to replace a connector if it is not working or giving spotty performance. I had a four pole that always gave me problems until I just cut the end off and rewired a new connector and never had a problem again. Oxidization can get into the metal and make any terminal a poor connector.

expert reply by: Robert G