How to restore gold finger contacts?

wwenze · 21st September 2010, 09:19 AM

Got a few ram modules and expansion cards with worn out connectors that doesn't connect >90% of the time. Some of the pins are so worn out there isn't much gold left.

I've tried rubber eraser, alcohol, and household bleach using H2O2 with q-tip to wipe the connector. Slight improvement, not by much.

Any idea to restore the connector to decent reliability? Not asking for perfection, able to be detected after say 3 resittings is good enough.

How about if I put a thin layer of solder then file it down to size? The solder may break off and get stuck in the slot and fry etc though.

firechief · 24th September 2010, 05:33 PM

Are you sure its not the motherboard connector?

Frank Berry · 24th September 2010, 06:05 PM

I've read that when the expansion card has gold contacts and the motherboard connector doesn't, it can cause connectivity issues.
I would not use solder to build up the connector. It will cause nothing but trouble in the future.
Using an eraser on the board was a bad choice. You probably "erased" the gold plating.
If you have access to some DeOxit, I'd try it.

multisync · 24th September 2010, 06:45 PM

I don't know how many times in my past life I was faced with a similar situation, board was cleaned, but nobody thought about the backplane, as metioned above. What worked for me for the backplane/motherbard is a piece of paper folded 2-3 times then soaked in rubing alcohol then pushed in the backplane and moved back and forth once or twice. If the contacts were gold they would never have to be cleaned, gold never tarnishes. It's the stuff they mix it with that does.

ArtG · 25th September 2010, 01:14 AM

"Gold contacts" doesn't necessarily equate to "quality contacts". The problem that I saw with network RJ-45 connectors was that most of the components supplied by other than "brand name" companies had insufficient gold plating on the contacts. After being disconnected and reconnected a number of times, the gold rubbed through to the base metal, causing intermittent errors in high speed networks. It's true that gold doesn't have to be cleaned, since it doesn't tarnish, however, it must be on the substrate or base metal to a sufficient depth to keep it from tarnishing.
I see the same problem with audio connectors. It seems as if every supplier offers "gold plated" connectors in nearly every configuration, but it's very rare that the depth of the gold plating is specified. I have discarded dozens of them with the plating worn off in a very short time. I'll stick with nickel plated audio connectors, as they seem to hold up well over a long time period.

Andersonix · 3rd November 2010, 08:46 PM

Perhaps you can bend/deform the springy part of the connector to add pressure?

amp-guy · 3rd November 2010, 09:47 PM

If Caig labs deoxit wont clean it up you are likley SOL

21st September 2010, 09:19 AM	#1
wwenze diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2008	How to restore gold finger contacts? Got a few ram modules and expansion cards with worn out connectors that doesn't connect >90% of the time. Some of the pins are so worn out there isn't much gold left. I've tried rubber eraser, alcohol, and household bleach using H2O2 with q-tip to wipe the connector. Slight improvement, not by much. Any idea to restore the connector to decent reliability? Not asking for perfection, able to be detected after say 3 resittings is good enough. How about if I put a thin layer of solder then file it down to size? The solder may break off and get stuck in the slot and fry etc though.

24th September 2010, 06:05 PM	#3
Frank Berry diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Midland, Michigan	I've read that when the expansion card has gold contacts and the motherboard connector doesn't, it can cause connectivity issues. I would not use solder to build up the connector. It will cause nothing but trouble in the future. Using an eraser on the board was a bad choice. You probably "erased" the gold plating. If you have access to some DeOxit, I'd try it. __________________ Frank

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24th September 2010, 05:33 PM	#2
firechief diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Near Seattle Wa	Are you sure its not the motherboard connector?

24th September 2010, 06:45 PM	#4
multisync diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Carp	I don't know how many times in my past life I was faced with a similar situation, board was cleaned, but nobody thought about the backplane, as metioned above. What worked for me for the backplane/motherbard is a piece of paper folded 2-3 times then soaked in rubing alcohol then pushed in the backplane and moved back and forth once or twice. If the contacts were gold they would never have to be cleaned, gold never tarnishes. It's the stuff they mix it with that does.

25th September 2010, 01:14 AM	#5
ArtG diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central PA	"Gold contacts" doesn't necessarily equate to "quality contacts". The problem that I saw with network RJ-45 connectors was that most of the components supplied by other than "brand name" companies had insufficient gold plating on the contacts. After being disconnected and reconnected a number of times, the gold rubbed through to the base metal, causing intermittent errors in high speed networks. It's true that gold doesn't have to be cleaned, since it doesn't tarnish, however, it must be on the substrate or base metal to a sufficient depth to keep it from tarnishing. I see the same problem with audio connectors. It seems as if every supplier offers "gold plated" connectors in nearly every configuration, but it's very rare that the depth of the gold plating is specified. I have discarded dozens of them with the plating worn off in a very short time. I'll stick with nickel plated audio connectors, as they seem to hold up well over a long time period.

3rd November 2010, 08:46 PM	#6
Andersonix diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Silicon Valley	Perhaps you can bend/deform the springy part of the connector to add pressure?

3rd November 2010, 09:47 PM	#7
amp-guy diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: utah	If Caig labs deoxit wont clean it up you are likley SOL