Cleaning Power Strips

Darth_Tater · 09/03/2018, 04:04 PM

I recently removed a few power strips that were inside my aquarium stand with the sump. They're completely coated in salt. I was thinking if I rinse them really well (say with the tub faucet) and then let them dry for a good long time (like a couple weeks) they should be good to go again. If they don't seem to dry on their own I guess I could blow them out with the air compressor.

Anyone know of any reason this would be a bad idea? Thanks!

Misled · 09/03/2018, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth_Tater

Anyone know of any reason this would be a bad idea? Thanks!

Never rinse them in water. You won't get it all out, no matter how hard you try. If you have the knowledge, take them apart, dust them with a dry paint brush, then wipe them off with a damp rag. When you put them back, put them in a place it won't happen.

Or just replace them. It'll cost you ten bucks. Better than your house burning down.

Misled · 09/03/2018, 04:11 PM

And BTW, who let you out!!!

Darth_Tater · 09/03/2018, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misled

Or just replace them. It'll cost you ten bucks. Better than your house burning down.

I suppose this is a pretty good point. All you people with your logic...

It's a good thing this forum is here. I tend to try things without thinking them through all the way.

Misled · 09/03/2018, 04:22 PM

All you need is a little moisture on the parts that the plug goes into. When you put a plug in it, the moisture , (or even corrosion), will create heat. The connection will just get worse over time.

Darth_Tater · 09/04/2018, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misled

And BTW, who let you out!!!

I occasionally like to pretend I'm one of the "normals." I'm not very good at pretending though.

der_wille_zur_macht · 09/04/2018, 09:19 AM

I like the idea of disassembling to clean. You'd get a good look at the internals and you'd be able to wipe the contacts down with a bit of dielectric grease to preserve them and prevent corrosion.

That said I fully agree with misled's suggestion. First, buy a new one. Second - and more important - locate it somewhere that this won't happen again.

Darth_Tater · 09/04/2018, 09:24 AM

Yeah, they've already been replaced and all electrical connections were moved to a cabinet that has no liquid in it. I actually replaced them with individually switchable plugs designed for use in an audio equipment rack. Labeled them and everything. So much better!

A couple of the salty power strips were decent ones. Maybe I'll tear them apart and see if they're worth cleaning up.

der_wille_zur_macht · 09/04/2018, 09:27 AM

I'd do it just for "practice" even if you toss them after. Plus as a diagnostic to determine if the salt creep made it inside.

But it sounds like you solved the problem. Which is good. We all act like we are afraid of things like algae outbreaks or a coral not growing fast enough, when what we should really be worried about is safety, which is often overlooked on the forums. It's one thing to have an ugly tank, it's another matter to burn your house down.

09/03/2018, 04:04 PM	#1
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Cleaning Power Strips I recently removed a few power strips that were inside my aquarium stand with the sump. They're completely coated in salt. I was thinking if I rinse them really well (say with the tub faucet) and then let them dry for a good long time (like a couple weeks) they should be good to go again. If they don't seem to dry on their own I guess I could blow them out with the air compressor. Anyone know of any reason this would be a bad idea? Thanks! __________________ It's probably in your best interest to ignore most of my advice.

09/03/2018, 04:11 PM	#3
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	And BTW, who let you out!!! __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

09/03/2018, 04:22 PM	#5
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	All you need is a little moisture on the parts that the plug goes into. When you put a plug in it, the moisture , (or even corrosion), will create heat. The connection will just get worse over time. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

09/04/2018, 09:19 AM	#7
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	I like the idea of disassembling to clean. You'd get a good look at the internals and you'd be able to wipe the contacts down with a bit of dielectric grease to preserve them and prevent corrosion. That said I fully agree with misled's suggestion. First, buy a new one. Second - and more important - locate it somewhere that this won't happen again. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

09/04/2018, 09:24 AM	#8
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Yeah, they've already been replaced and all electrical connections were moved to a cabinet that has no liquid in it. I actually replaced them with individually switchable plugs designed for use in an audio equipment rack. Labeled them and everything. So much better! A couple of the salty power strips were decent ones. Maybe I'll tear them apart and see if they're worth cleaning up. __________________ It's probably in your best interest to ignore most of my advice.

09/04/2018, 09:27 AM	#9
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	I'd do it just for "practice" even if you toss them after. Plus as a diagnostic to determine if the salt creep made it inside. But it sounds like you solved the problem. Which is good. We all act like we are afraid of things like algae outbreaks or a coral not growing fast enough, when what we should really be worried about is safety, which is often overlooked on the forums. It's one thing to have an ugly tank, it's another matter to burn your house down. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)