NES Console & Cartridge Cleaning

[Tighe]

I'm thinking maybe it's just where you're getting the connectors from? And if you got it over 10 years ago, perhaps these days they are better?

That is fine and all, the point I am trying to make which every one seems to dismiss is the awesomeness of deoxit, even the cheap radio shack version. You won't need to replace connectors, and it won't re-oxidize any time soon. I would even say it will last longer than a replacement connector.

Will some body else please give it a try?!

It takes a few minutes for deoxit to do its stuff, but it is crazy awesome!

 

[cwales]

That is fine and all, the point I am trying to make which every one seems to dismiss is the awesomeness of deoxit, even the cheap radio shack version. You won't need to replace connectors, and it won't re-oxidize any time soon. I would even say it will last longer than a replacement connector.

Will some body else please give it a try?!

It takes a few minutes for deoxit to do its stuff, but it is crazy awesome!

I'm going to get some to try on problem carts that rubbing alcohol won't fix because I do run into some contacts that are too oxidized. But I still feel better sending people away with new pins instead of some I've cleaned.

 

[Mattroid]

That is fine and all, the point I am trying to make which every one seems to dismiss is the awesomeness of deoxit, even the cheap radio shack version.

Will some body else please give it a try?!

RetroHacker agrees with you right above your post

I don't think anyone is dismissing it, but you know how people here like to argue, so I think your comment that new connectors are worthless (doesn't matter if that's what you said or not ) sparked a little flame and it just went from there, especially since that's what a lot of people here do - just buy new connectors.

 

[RetroHacker]

I'm going to get some to try on problem carts that rubbing alcohol won't fix because I do run into some contacts that are too oxidized.

Another thing I've found that helps on corroded/damaged contacts on games is Weiman's cooktop cleaner. It's a mild abrasive, and contains some other acids that tend to clean up corrosion. Don't scrub hard with it, and don't use it games with good contacts - you WILL take the gold plating off. I dab a little on, let it sit for a bit, then clean it off with a q-tip dipped in alcohol. It'll take the corrosion off, and it's just abrasive enough to get some of the really nasty crud off. But again, you have to be careful with it. It's great on the cheaply made Sega Genesis games (most of those don't have gold plated contacts) where the fingers are corroded.

DeoxIT is probably a better choice though - it's actually meant for this kind of thing.

But I still feel better sending people away with new pins instead of some I've cleaned.

Agreed. That's my biggest thing. Since I'm fixing machines for other people, I want to be sure that it's going to work right. And while I'm positive that DeoxIT will work on some connectors, I've seen some really, really nasty ones. DeoxIT is a great cleaner, but it's not the be-all end-all, and it doesn't fix everything. Most of these edge connectors are just really, really beat.

-Ian

 

[Tighe]

RetroHacker agrees with you right above your post

I don't think anyone is dismissing it, but you know how people here like to argue, so I think your comment that new connectors are worthless (doesn't matter if that's what you said or not ) sparked a little flame and it just went from there, especially since that's what a lot of people here do - just buy new connectors.

I wasn't trying to flame anyone, just sharing my experience. It took one connector ruin some carts and I wasn't about to try that again.

And I discovered deoxit when I was fixing my Galaga and found it to be amazing stuff!

 

[mitchschaft]

I use Simple Green and a magic erase to clean the carts. You gotta get that special tool to take the cart apart first, though.

 

[cwales]

I wasn't trying to flame anyone, just sharing my experience. It took one connector ruin some carts and I wasn't about to try that again.

And I discovered deoxit when I was fixing my Galaga and found it to be amazing stuff!

It really does sound like you got a bad connector though. But I do appreciate the tip on this stuff, I ordered some and I have a small stack of worth-something-games I am looking forward to trying it on. I have a badly corroded Earthbound here somewhere I didn't want to try anything too rough on.

 

[Tighe]

It really does sound like you got a bad connector though. But I do appreciate the tip on this stuff, I ordered some and I have a small stack of worth-something-games I am looking forward to trying it on. I have a badly corroded Earthbound here somewhere I didn't want to try anything too rough on.

Well try it on a cart and put it in the system while the cart is stillwet and you will see how great it is!

 

[cwales]

Another thing I've found that helps on corroded/damaged contacts on games is Weiman's cooktop cleaner. It's a mild abrasive, and contains some other acids that tend to clean up corrosion. Don't scrub hard with it, and don't use it games with good contacts - you WILL take the gold plating off. I dab a little on, let it sit for a bit, then clean it off with a q-tip dipped in alcohol. It'll take the corrosion off, and it's just abrasive enough to get some of the really nasty crud off. But again, you have to be careful with it. It's great on the cheaply made Sega Genesis games (most of those don't have gold plated contacts) where the fingers are corroded.

DeoxIT is probably a better choice though - it's actually meant for this kind of thing.
-Ian

Is this the stuff?

http://www.weiman.com/products/smooth/spray.php

 

[RetroHacker]

Is this the stuff?

http://www.weiman.com/products/smooth/spray.php

Not the spray - just the regular cleaner:
http://www.weiman.com/products/smooth/cleaner.php

You can get it at the grocery store, Wal-Mart, etc.

-Ian

 

[Tighe]

Here is a guy using deoxit on a pot:

 

[SpiffWilkie]

Scream at me if you will, but with really old carts that haven't been cleaned in forever, I use a couple swipes of extremely fine sandpaper, 2000 grit or so.

 

[RetroHacker]

Scream at me if you will, but with really old carts that haven't been cleaned in forever, I use a couple swipes of extremely fine sandpaper, 2000 grit or so.

Scream! Yell! Don't do that!!!!

The gold plating on a Nintendo cartridge is like any gold plating - it's microns thick. Using sandpaper will grind it off, exposing the base metals (usually, gold is plated over a similarly thick nickel plating, then on copper/tin). None of the base metals are as good at resisting corrosion or conducting electricity as well as gold. Sure, it'll work now, but once the underlying layers start to corrode, it won't work, then you're back to cleaning/sanding/whatever.

You're trying to *clean* contacts. Not grind them off. Alcohol, and deoxit are both safe for the gold plating. The cooktop cleaner is a very, very mild abrasive - and it'll take some off, which is why you have to be real careful with it, and it should be used only when the cartridge is really bad. But sandpaper is a sure way to destroy things. Sure, 2000 grit is pretty fine, but still, it's a lot harsher than cooktop cleaner.

One trick that I've used is to use smooth computer/copy paper to burnish the contacts. Computer paper is mildly abrasive too, but it's gentler than the sandpaper. A little alcohol on computer paper is a good way to burnish/clean contacts while doing minimal damage.

-Ian

 

[RetroHacker]

Here is a guy using deoxit on a pot:

Wow. I had no idea how to follow the directions on the back of the can. So glad that someone took the time to make a freaking YouTube video of it. Are there also instructions on how to make toast? I can't for the life me figure that one out. Clearly it needs to be videotaped. What about breathing? That's pretty hard too.

Seriously, what is it with YouTube videos lately? Does everyone need this much handholding? I'm seeing this kind of stuff all over the place, not just here. I'll be glad when this fad is over. Or, am I just the only one that would much rather read a description of a procedure, rather than look at some grainy Flash video? Back before YouTube, when someone wanted to share something they built, they'd write up a description, and take a couple of pictures. It was very informative, and frequently people took pictures inside, and documented how it came to be. But now, someone makes something cool and just posts a 2 minute video describing it, while they attempt to hold the camera level and speak loudly enough to be heard over the background noise.

Sorry - not directed at you, Tighe, just YouTube in general. Yeah, there's some good stuff on there (which is why I have Flash installed on one machine, anyway), but by and large, it's a lot of crap. The internet was a lot nicer when it people didn't have an easy way to post video. It's just a cop-out - so much easier to aim a camcorder at something than it is to document it or think about it.

</youtube rant>

But seriously, yeah, DeoxIT is pretty great stuff. I used it on the receiver I use on my computer setup. It worked great for a couple months, but now it's back to being scratchy on the input selector switch. That one might just be too worn for DeoxIT to do any good. I'll have to take it apart again. But, at the same time, it fixed the volume control completely, as well as several of the other controls. The selector is an open frame switch with exposed contacts. I'm sure that lends itself to dirt getting in there more easily.

-Ian

 

[Mattroid]

Wow. I had no idea how to follow the directions on the back of the can. So glad that someone took the time to make a freaking YouTube video of it. Are there also instructions on how to make toast?

Yes, yes there is. The one thing I could never understand was, once you get the toast, where does the bread go?

The internet was a lot nicer when it people didn't have an easy way to post video.

You sir, are misguided. Now that it's easier for people to post videos of other people hurting themselves and cats doing stupid hilarious shit, the internet is a much better place!

 

[Tighe]

Scream! Yell! Don't do that!!!!

The gold plating on a Nintendo cartridge is like any gold plating - it's microns thick. Using sandpaper will grind it off, exposing the base metals (usually, gold is plated over a similarly thick nickel plating, then on copper/tin). None of the base metals are as good at resisting corrosion or conducting electricity as well as gold. Sure, it'll work now, but once the underlying layers start to corrode, it won't work, then you're back to cleaning/sanding/whatever.

You're trying to *clean* contacts. Not grind them off. Alcohol, and deoxit are both safe for the gold plating. The cooktop cleaner is a very, very mild abrasive - and it'll take some off, which is why you have to be real careful with it, and it should be used only when the cartridge is really bad. But sandpaper is a sure way to destroy things. Sure, 2000 grit is pretty fine, but still, it's a lot harsher than cooktop cleaner.

One trick that I've used is to use smooth computer/copy paper to burnish the contacts. Computer paper is mildly abrasive too, but it's gentler than the sandpaper. A little alcohol on computer paper is a good way to burnish/clean contacts while doing minimal damage.

-Ian

I used to use a eraser to clean contacts, infact I still use an eraser to clean the pins on chips. I probably is mildly abrasive, Nintendo recommended I do that back in the 80's. Before they sold the cleaning kit.

 

[Tighe]

Wow. I had no idea how to follow the directions on the back of the can. So glad that someone took the time to make a freaking YouTube video of it. Are there also instructions on how to make toast? I can't for the life me figure that one out. Clearly it needs to be videotaped. What about breathing? That's pretty hard too.

Seriously, what is it with YouTube videos lately? Does everyone need this much handholding? I'm seeing this kind of stuff all over the place, not just here. I'll be glad when this fad is over. Or, am I just the only one that would much rather read a description of a procedure, rather than look at some grainy Flash video? Back before YouTube, when someone wanted to share something they built, they'd write up a description, and take a couple of pictures. It was very informative, and frequently people took pictures inside, and documented how it came to be. But now, someone makes something cool and just posts a 2 minute video describing it, while they attempt to hold the camera level and speak loudly enough to be heard over the background noise.

Sorry - not directed at you, Tighe, just YouTube in general. Yeah, there's some good stuff on there (which is why I have Flash installed on one machine, anyway), but by and large, it's a lot of crap. The internet was a lot nicer when it people didn't have an easy way to post video. It's just a cop-out - so much easier to aim a camcorder at something than it is to document it or think about it.

</youtube rant>

But seriously, yeah, DeoxIT is pretty great stuff. I used it on the receiver I use on my computer setup. It worked great for a couple months, but now it's back to being scratchy on the input selector switch. That one might just be too worn for DeoxIT to do any good. I'll have to take it apart again. But, at the same time, it fixed the volume control completely, as well as several of the other controls. The selector is an open frame switch with exposed contacts. I'm sure that lends itself to dirt getting in there more easily.

-Ian

I just wanted to show how effective deoxIT is for anyone who doubts its power.

 

[mhanlen1]

I've had the same NES for years now... and all I did was take it apart and clean it. I also take apart and clean every single game I buy. I use an old rag and some no abrasive metal cleaner, and it gets the pins all nice and shiny. The stuff I use is called Mr. Metal.

Also pick up a set of game bits off ebay, so you can open your games.

 

[metahugh]

Scream at me if you will, but with really old carts that haven't been cleaned in forever, I use a couple swipes of extremely fine sandpaper, 2000 grit or so.

I don't know if I would have admitted that in a public forum

 

[mhanlen1]

I don't know if I would have admitted that in a public forum

I bought a few games from a game store a year or so ago, and they used sandpaper on all their games. It's pretty irritating and a game store should know better.