What product to clean fish finder contacts?

[jkust]

Hi all, I went to use my el cheapo Bottom Line Fish finder recently and only a few dots and dashes show up on the screen. I am pretty sure all the contacts on the back of the screen and the cord prongs are corroding and/or dirty. It is new this season but I think it sat for a long time in the Cabela's bargain cave. Is there a standard household chemical that will clean the contacts. Maybe wd-40 or some other common product.

Thanks

 

[relstabw]

Re: What product to clean fish finder contacts?

WD-40 may work but my first choice would be CRC electrical contact cleaner.Cleans and leaves no residue.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What product to clean fish finder contacts?

Before you use anything just pull off and re-seat the connector a few times.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: What product to clean fish finder contacts?

Had the same situation on my Minn Kota Powerdrive.
For the male ends I used a wire brush on my dremel.
For the female ends I sprayed CRC electronics cleaner and then put a short piece of 18 ga stranded copper wire (with the end stripped to expose the wires) in my cordless drill and spun it inside the connectors.
Works pretty good.

 

[j_martin]

Re: What product to clean fish finder contacts?

An ordinary pencil eraser makes a pretty good contact surface cleaner. Wash off any eraser dust with liquid contact cleaner or high test isopropyl alcohol. (91% minimum, 99% preferred) If it's gold plated, just use a liquid contact cleaner. Don't use anything abrasive. It's soft and only a few millionths of an inch thick.

hope it helps
John