Cleaning copper wire

Aug 21, 2005 25 Replies

The cable is underground, the splices are above ground. Sometimes wires get chewed by animals, more often corrosion and lightning damage.

I've used that type in more extreme environments. Probably should have used it here where it would fit, but right now I'm just trying to fix bad connections without re-doing everything like I probably should.

Some 120 vac for wall wart & motion detector lights, the rest 12 vdc for sensore & controls

I wasn't smart enough when I put it in, but it has been working for 25 years. It's really hard to do things right the first time, there are so many other constraints.

Stick a piece of red ScotchBrite in your front pocket. Works fine for cleaning bare copper wire

Gunner

try some vinegar its from a long time ago ,and if the diameter of the wire is not too thick automotive stores sell crimpable splices that when it is on solid you heat it up and it seals the repair from the elements its used vehicles all the time and the repair actually lasts longer than wire itself ,and in my opinion i always try to cut out the corroded parts til i get clean wires again and if its too short I just put in a piece of wire that is of the same spec and use 2 of those splicers and sometimes i just twist wire together too and use shrink wrap you can get it up to 1/4 inside diameter and once shrunk is better sealed than the original coating itself and better protected good luck

Try this as an experiment at home.

Heat a piece of your copper wire until dull red. Plunge it into an alcohol, like methanol, denatured ethanol, or even rubbing alcohol.

The hot wire exposed to the reducing environment will reduce the oxides back to the metalic state.

It has worked pretty good for me when I've needed to use this trick, but be aware that alcohol is flammable. Don't catch yourself on fire.

Dave

Same trick works by plunging the red hot wire in water. I used to clean cast copper bars that way. It would be hard on insulation, though.

Harold

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