[GreenKeys] Little Army Patch panel: Cable color codes?

Mon May 9 10:11:16 EDT 2005

When I was working at Greenville VOA, we used Brasso to clean
the patch cord plugs, and to the best of my knowledge, we never
had any problems.  One of the techs in charge was "responsible" for
this cleaning project, that he did on a very regular basis, and it may
have actually been on the maintenance routine, I just can't remember.

I do recall, tho, that he was very meticulous on making sure the
plugs were absolutely clean of any Brasso, before he put the
patch cords back in service.

73
Sheldon
WA4MZZ

Bob Camp wrote:

> Hi
>
> Any time you get into chemicals and electronics you cross a boundary.
> You go from an area that people know a lot about (electronics) into
> an area of black magic (chemistry). I say this from experience gained
> from many years as an Electrical Engineer married to a Chemist (yes
> it should be capitalized ....).
>
> Trust this only as the data from the side of the family that looks at
> this as black magic.
>
> When used to clean electronics stuff like Brasso or silver polish may
> not quite do what you want to do. They definitely will get the part
> nice and shiny. They have all sorts of good gunk in them to make sure
> this happens. This stuff is pretty aggressive in most cases.
>
> The whole problem is with what happens next. We rarely are working on
> parts with nice smooth crack free surfaces. When the polish gets down
> into the cracks in the part it is very tough to get out. Since the
> material is still chemically active this can cause problems. Cleaning
> the part very well with water or something like it.
>
> The next problem is that the surface of the metal is now *very*
> clean. It's going to oxidize in a hurry in this state. Unless you
> really enjoy cleaning contacts this is not a real good situation. The
> answer is to put something on the surface to protect it from
> oxidization. Oil is one possibility, silicone products are another
> way to go.
>
> There are an ocean of products out there that are set up to either
> clean well or protect well. I have yet to find one that really does
> both jobs well.
>
>      Enjoy!
>
>          Bob Camp
>          KB8TQ
>
> On May 7, 2005, at 11:34 PM, Don Robert House wrote:
>
> > Hi Roy,
> >
> > I have been very busy getting my computer back on line.
> >
> > The best way to clean plugs is with a plug cleaning machine like
> > the one I have at the museum.  They have not been made for many
> > years however, as the industry now nickel plates the plugs.  The
> > two conductor plugs used on the 63C1 loop switchboard are actually
> > TIP-SLEEVE
> > as there is no RING.  If you totally disassemble a 310 Plug you
> > will see why the terms are used.  There is a tip, a ring, and the
> > outer sleeve.
> >
> > Get ahold of some white cotton shoe laces for athletic shoes.  Tie
> > one end to something stationary.  Stick the dirty plug in a can of
> > paste metal polish or a dish of BRASSO.  Then wrap the shoe lace
> > around the plug once and hold onto the end of the lacing.  Run the
> > plug back and forth until all of the tarnish is off the plug.  You
> > should keep running the plug back and forth until the plug is
> > totally clean of tarnish and polish.
> >
> > Don KC9HMJ since April 18, 2005 ;-)
> >
> > Bell System retired.  1966-1996
> >
> >
> > On May 6, 2005, at 3:12 PM, Roy Morgan wrote:
> >
> >
> >> At 05:44 PM 5/2/2005, Roy Morgan wrote:
> >>
> >>>> 2) A little wooden box with 5 rows of 6 jacks
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> This thing turns out to be:
> >>>  - AT&T Telephone Test Board 392-2301
> >>> or:
> >>>  - 63C1 Telephone Loop Switchboard
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> Greenkeyers,
> >>
> >> I have had a success scanning the tiny label inside the cover of
> >> this thing: again it has four rows of four jacks: four normalled
> >> circuits each with two looping jacks and one set jack, and four
> >> separate "MISC" jacks for whatever else. I'd be glad to send to
> >> anyone the image of the label which tells about the circuits, the
> >> patch cord, and the terminal assignments.
> >>
> >>  I may not get to hook it up for a little while, but it looks like
> >> this little jack panel will be very useful for patching a modest
> >> number of loop things to other things, and provide for plenty of
> >> flexibility.
> >>
> >> Now to find some more of those nice WE cloth covered patch cables
> >> with Tip and Ring plugs like PL-055's.  (I have just a few so far.)
> >>
> >> Does anyone have suggestions about cleaning/restoring those patch
> >> cables?
> >> - washing machine?
> >> - bucket with dainty fabric cleaner or Woolite?
> >>
> >> Roy
> >>
> >> - Roy Morgan, K1LKY since 1959 - Keep 'em Glowing!
> >> 7130 Panorama Drive, Derwood MD 20855
> >> Home: 301-330-8828 Cell 301-928-7794
> >> Work: Voice: 301-975-3254,  Fax: 301-948-6213
> >> roy.morgan at nist.gov --
> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >
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