cleaning out the crusties

[mickeytopher]

Does anyone have a good way to clean out the crusties from trailer light hookup from my tow vehicle? It's pretty oxidized in one of the female parts

 

[Douggro]

Electrical contact cleaner and compressed air, perhaps a old soft toothbrush to get in the slots. There is also a deoxidizing cleaner for electrical/electronics that you can find through various sources you could try. Just don't insert screwdrivers or other hard tools in the pin openings as this can enlarge them and cause fitment issues.

 

[daschnoz]

Crusties in the female parts... are you sure you have the right forum?

 

[J Starsky]

Shoot a little carb cleaner in there, wipe out. No carb cleaner, go get a can =) If you gotta scrub, I like a toothbrush or reach in with a tiny dental pick and scrap away - but don't shove stuff in there like our Doug says above. Careful that contact cleaner you buy is safe for plastics or rubber (wire housing). Is this a 7 pin you're working with?

You don't want crusties on your male or female connectors at all.

 

[xxxapache]

.22 caliber bore brush, followed by a rinse with carb cleaner or electrical contact cleaner, then topped off with a spray of white grease.

 

[JT2]

Go to a good hardware store, then find the housewares section. You want a small "spout brush", specially designed for spouts on coffee pots etc., but also handy for cramming into those socket receptacles. Also, carb cleaner or brake cleaner at the same time. Alternatively, rip a piece of fine sandpaper, roll it to a small size and buff or ream each port.
Job done, lights work. ( Been there, done that. Frequently!)
/JT

 

[bob barnes]

Shoot a little carb cleaner in there, wipe out. No carb cleaner, go get a can =) If you gotta scrub, I like a toothbrush or reach in with a tiny dental pick and scrap away - but don't shove stuff in there like our Doug says above. Careful that contact cleaner you buy is safe for plastics or rubber (wire housing). Is this a 7 pin you're working with?

You don't want crusties on your male or female connectors at all.

everyone should have carb cleaner want to start a stalled motor spray a dab in the carb or take the spark plug out it will run on that stuff but don't do that. I had a float leak in my 4 wheeler I sprayed a dab in the carb week later leak gone!! Cant beat that stuff!1

 

[Mausinn]

Many good solutions here already. All I can add is that after you have it cleaned up, use a bit of electrical contact grease to keep things un-crustied.

https://www.amazon.com/Tow-Ready-11755-Electrical-Contact/dp/B001446LP4

 

[mickeytopher]

Quick update:
Before we went camping I tried to clean out that one connector that was giving me trouble. Turns out the there was nothing left in there so I was driving with one tail light.