Is there a product that will safely clean the commutator surfaces on loco engines without “gumming up the works”. Maybe something that can be sprayed on the motor contacts with the shell off and then run around the track to clean it?
The eraser on a #2 pencil is the best for this.
I can tell you what I have done on several occasions. I put a couple of electrical leads on the engine set the power low and use a pencil eraser to clean the armature it does improve the preformance of the engine and there not overly abrasive to the brass contact area, the brushes will take care of there self if they have a clean contact area. Hope this helps. Joey
Some of the spray electrical/electronic contact cleaners work. The one sold at Radio Shack has a mineral oil in the “mix” that is designed to delay/prevent the contacts from oxidizing again. My concern would be the possibility of that collecting fuzzies and dirt where you don’t want them. Running the motor frequently may be the best answer to the problem … back to the basement! Wife I am on a mission to prevent OXIDATION!!
Yeah … that will work!!
Will
#2 pencil eraser does wonders.
If you need something “extra cleaned”, use the white eraser that you see on some ball point pens. It’s harder and will scrub it more.
Mark in Utah
Find a Snap-On tool man and get some “Flex Stone”. It looks something like an old fiber board nail file. It is made to clean electrical contacts and commutators.
After burnishing any surface that is an electrical contact point, always clean it with contact cleaner to remove any residue left by the burnishing. The residue, if left on the surface, will promote arcing and will cause the surface to deteriorate much faster.
For relay contacts, clean by putting a white business card between the contacts, hold the contacts closed on the card, and rotate the card back and forth. Move to a clean spot on the card and repeat until you see no more residue left on the card. Do not pull the card out from between the contacts with any pressure on it as that will leave small whisps of the card on the contacts which will promote arcing.
Use the pencil eraser, and clean with a Q-Tip with a bit of alcohol afterwards. Do NOT use anything like acetone, lacquer thinner, goo gone, or any other stronger solvent. You’ll damage the motor windings and short the whole thing out.
Do NOT put any kind of oil on the commutator. It’ll burn to carbon when running the motor and really gum up the works bad.
Don’t forget to check the springs on the brushes, as well as the condition of the brushes. Too much spring tension will load down the motor. Too little tension will screw up the electrical contact and actually cause MORE burning on the commutator.
I’ve got to get some brushes and especially some new springs myself.
Mark in Utah
#2 Pencil works the best.
Nick
I just use a Peco track cleaner block - don’t rub too hard for obvious reasons. Sometimes just a wipe with a clean tissue is enough to clean the gunge off, especially if it’s due to over-oiling. Hope this is of help!
i know it sounds weird but I have a 0-4-0 that runs against my other trains so i hook it up to 2 of my gp 38 high nose and drang the 0-4-0 around the track and it really cleans the crap out of the track just plain friction on the track and the two gp’s have no problem pulling the little guy around with him at full power either