Removing battery acid from contacts

[alienjesus]

Hi all,

I made the fatal mistake of leaving some batteries in my Neo Geo Pocket for too long, and one of them has leaked. The battery acid has all dried on and there are some signs on corrosion.

I'm hoping I can clean it up and carry on as normal. What would be the best way to deal with it?

[emwearz]

I have always used white vinegar it has always worked.

[bmoc]

I have always used white vinegar it has always worked.

I'll second that.

[Ghudda]

Yeah, as everyone else had said, I've always been told to vinegar is the best common solution for cleaning up and stopping corrosion. Which reminds me that I need to buy some vinegar to keep around for exactly this.

[alienjesus]

How to you guys apply it to the contcts? Just a cotton bud?

[bmoc]

When possible, I disassemble the device enough to get the contacts out and soak them until they stop fizzing in the vinegar. Then I scrub them with an old toothbrush. If I can't get the contacts out, I use either a rag or cotton swab (whichever would work best). I'd still scrub the contacts with a toothbrush if possible.

[CRTGAMER]

Hopefully the corrosion is not as bad as a 70s era portable game I found.

Repair Portable Game Battery Contacts Guide
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=862087#p862087

Just filling the rotted hole with solder would not work either, the battery contact has no "flux stick" capability since it is so badly deteriorated and appears a dull iron color. However, the back side of the contact still has its copper finish which offers a good solder surface.

[s8n]

i use white vinegar and squeezed lemon , i fully submerse the suspect in a bowl for an hour or more it depends how bad it is.

[Anapan]

I use vinegar as well, but I use a metal toothbrush. Probably overkill.

[TSTR]

clean it like a grill