FF terminal cleaning

whats the best way to clean the terminals on the FF head, power cord and transducer cord, ive sprayed them down with water after each salt water use but they are now green and the head went out on me yesterday on the water, thanks cameron

I use this and it works..

http://www.polywater.com/typefd.html

This is cheaper and should work too:

http://www.reliablepaper.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=125-02130&Click=671

I have had good luck cleaning stuff in general with dollar store CLR.  I just let stuff soak in it.  Remember when it comes to cables if they get too badly corroded and you try to clean them and don't get it all, the corrosion will increase your resistance and cause to not work as well or need more power to over come the resistance.

Sonny, are those product effective against heavily corroded connections?

For electrical connections, prevention is the best strategy.  Dielectric greases offers good protection.

If you can't revive your unit after cleaning, try trimming back some of the terminal on the battery side, like 3-5 inches worth.  I've had corrosion creep up the wire causing a complete failure due to resistive IR drop across the corroded part of the cable.  This was before I started using dielectic grease.  Trimming it back to good wire was the only way I was able to get it to work again.  Note that the "head" side of the wires are usually more protected with only the pins exposed and these can just be cleaned up on the surface.

-Allen

thanks guys, alan where can i find dielectric grease, cameron

thanks guys, alan where can i find dielectric grease, cameron

It's available in some form or another at many hardware stores.  I know for sure that West Marine also carries it.

-Allen

I used some little round files to get the green stuff off the pins on mine (fine steel wool and a pair of skinny tweezers will work too) but that didn't fix it. I ended up cutting the wires back as Allen said, redoing all the battery connections and replacing the fuse holder before I got it to work. The key for me was getting an electrical meter so I could tell what was conducting and what wasn't. Then I coated everything with dielectric compound so I won't have to do it again. I hope.

Sonny, are those product effective against heavily corroded connections?
-Allen

I don't have any "heavily corroded connections" to try on yet.  I use this product because my last company was using it to clean electrical contacts in manufacturing floor.

well problem solved, terminal broke on power cable, now gotta order new one, oh well, will take better care of this one, cameron

Cam any parts store carries the die-electric grease. I get mine at Napa Parts stores. Marine west ahs I am sure but it might be cheaper and more readily available to you at a parts store. Craig. I use the grease liberally on both parts of the connections at the FF and the battery. This will prevent salt corrosion. If you are fresh water it wont corrode so much

Don't forget to put some on your VHF radio, cell phone, etc, connectors too.