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Thread: ALD probes corroding

  1. #1
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    ALD probes corroding

    So I’ve had two ALD modules and a number of probes for them for several years now. They have been through (and detected) several leaks, but tonight as I was doing some routine maintenance I discovered that all of the probes are corroding and two of them corroding very badly. One so badly that it no longer senses a wet paper towel placed under it and the other still triggered when I tested it, but it’s so badly corroded that I’m not sure I trust it any longer. The other three show signs of corrosion, but aren’t nearly as bad as these two.

    I realize that salt water is corrosive and I’ve tried wipe down the probes with fresh water and dry them after a leak, but I expected more from these $30 probes.

    Is this a common issue or is it possible that I got a bad batch? They were all purchased at the around the same time.

    Here’s a picture of one of the particularly bad ones.


  2. #2
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    Perhaps hit it with some electrical contact cleaner (available at home depot or similar).

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Perhaps hit it with some electrical contact cleaner (available at home depot or similar).

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    There’s no contact left to clean. The metal has corroded away completely on that one. The others have some metal left, but still holes where the metal is gone.

  4. #4
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    The one in the picture isn't salvageable, but cleaning the others will get rid of the rust forming and prevent them from getting worse and no longer functioning.

    Salt is highly corrosive and I assume they use tin which is resistant to oxidizing, but once it starts it will spread unless properly cleaned. This can be mitigated by immediately cleaning with contact cleaner when exposed to a corroding agent and theoretically (I have not tried this on a leak sensor) you could apply a light film of anti-oxidizing paste (they sell this in the electrical section of home depots) as a precautionary measure.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  5. #5
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    I had to throw one away last week as well. The pads really should be gold plated.

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