Contact Cleaners: Is Aerosol or Liquid the Right Choice?

/in /by

Electrical contact cleaners come in different forms, two of the most popular of which are aerosol and pure liquid. Although both types of formulations are capable of delivering the same level of cleaning power, there are often extenuating circumstances that make aerosol contact cleaners a better option than liquid contact cleaners, or vice versa. In this entry, we look at how aerosol contact cleaner compares to liquid contact cleaner based on five important considerations.

  1. Means of Dispersal

Because it emits cleaner at a steady rate of speed in particles of the same size, aerosol form is ideal for cleaning operations in which cleaner must be applied evenly to the contact area. Liquid form can be used to achieve a similar effect when it is placed spray bottles, but aerosol offers the gold standard when it comes to dispersing cleaner evenly across a small surface area.

  1. Evaporation Rate

Because aerosol emits a fine spray of evenly sized particles, it generally delivers a faster evaporation rate than liquid cleaner. However, there are also cases when liquid form dries faster than aerosol form because it is formulated to have an exceptionally high evaporation rate. Therefore, aerosols and liquids can demonstrate equal effectiveness in terms of evaporation.

  1. Cleaner Residue

Because cleaner residue attracts dirt and grime to electrical contacts and thus requires the contact cleaning process to be performed at greater frequency, always choose a cleaner that’s residue-free. Liquid form may leave more excess cleaner on electrical contacts than aerosol form, but as long as it evaporates quickly and is residue-free, this shouldn’t pose a problem.

  1. Cleaner Flammability

Because electrical contacts transmit current throughout the equipment’s circuits, users are generally recommended to choose a cleaner that has a low flashpoint or no flashpoint. This is especially the case when it comes to cleaning contacts in equipment that remains energized as it is cleaned. Concerning flammability, aerosol form and liquid form can be equally efficacious.

  1. Range of Application

Electrical contacts are often surrounded by rubber wire coatings and plastic wire harnesses. Consequently, it’s important to identify contact cleaners that don’t chemically react with these materials. With this concern, the main issue is how cleaner is formulated, not how it disperses. Aerosol form and liquid form can be formulated to offer the same range of application.

Contact Us About Contact Cleaners
Ecolink supplies new generation contact cleaners that have a better safety profile than earlier generations of contact cleaner. For example, our ECC (A) contact cleaner contains no 1,1,1 trichloroethane or HCFC-141b which makes it an excellent replacement for cleaners that use toxic CFC-113 and 1,1,1 trichloroethane to complete the cleaning operation. We also have the capability to create custom contact cleaner that meets unique contact cleaning requirements.

For assistance choosing the best cleaner for your needs, contact us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. If you know what you need, and you are ready to make a purchase, place your order from the convenience of our online store. We look forward to supplying you with high-quality, eco friendly contact cleaners in the form that serves you best.