Cleaning and storing your cartridges (methods, etc.)

[e_brugal]

then what's the best way to clean them?

[sheep2001]

Plenty of threads discussing this one already - I favour Isopropyl Alcohol and a/some/many Q-Tip(s)

[Oobgarm]

Plenty of threads discussing this one already - I favour Isopropyl Alcohol and a/some/many Q-Tip(s)

I worked at Funcoland for many years during the time they cart cart-based systems, and this is what I always have stood by.

We got some NASTY stuff in too - but this did the job. Simple and easy.

[e_brugal]

Plenty of threads discussing this one already - I favour Isopropyl Alcohol and a/some/many Q-Tip(s)

I worked at Funcoland for many years during the time they cart cart-based systems, and this is what I always have stood by.

We got some NASTY stuff in too - but this did the job. Simple and easy.

i will try that then

[Pepe_el_mago]

What about my case? I already removed the gold plating from my games using brasso , im storing the ina a place with no humidity in the cases i made using cardboard and liquid silicone..am i screwed? Are my games destined to die?

[wiggy]

Carts are pretty robust, bearing in mind people have stored them in dusty attics and cellars, sometimes for decades, and they usually still work fine after a clean up, I would say, a well ventilated room at ambient temperature, there isn't going to be much to worry about.

This.  The only carts I've ever been unable to salvage were a handful of N64 carts which belonged to my ex-girlfriend's little brother (like 9-10 years old).  He didn't blow on his carts, he LICKED the contacts every time he played them, regardless of whether they worked without do so or not.  These carts were so corroded that many of the leads to the contacts had been severed as a result.  I suppose I could have saved them by reconnecting the traces with some Kynar wire or something, but this was in the late 90's when these carts were worth very little and simply replacing Mario 64, Star Fox, and the like would have cost about 5 bucks a pop to replace.  Still, ick.  I almost gasped when I opened the first one

Well, I have no scientific proof, but I would store then with the opening down, to minimize the amount of dust that can settle in there

Again, this.

Plenty of threads discussing this one already - I favour Isopropyl Alcohol and a/some/many Q-Tip(s)

Um, again, this. 

I also like to use Magic Eraser for "deep" cleaning.  I.e. shit that a Q-tip and Iso simply will NOT remove.  It's about the equivalent of 2500-3000 grit sandpaper, but without the grit.  I've tested using a perfectly clean cart and there is virtually nothing left behind on the Magic Eraser afterward, which means that it's removing virtually none of the contact material. 

What about my case? I already removed the gold plating from my games using brasso , im storing the ina a place with no humidity in the cases i made using cardboard and liquid silicone..am i screwed? Are my games destined to die?

Like I said before, I would add a thin coat of dielectric grease or even WD-40.  Both will repel water and won't evaporate.  The problem with your games now is that there's little to protect the contacts against corrosion, so even the water in the air will eventually cause some corrosion without adding something to protect them.  You're not screwed, you'll just need to take extra care henceforth

[Arseen]

... my ex-girlfriend's little brother (like 9-10 years old).  He didn't blow on his carts, he LICKED the contacts every time he played them...

Well that is one way of enjoying the games...

[Pepe_el_mago]

I was thinking of applying dielectric grease but i read that it is not conductive and abbrassive, meaning that in time it could prevent the signal from reaching the nes...i also read that dielectric grease attracts dust and that could also blur the signal..,i was thinking puttin my games in a close place (closet) with products that resuce humidity, what do you think?

[Pepe_el_mago]

What about using wd40? I read in other thread it prevents moisture? Will it help to coat the pins i used brasso on with wd40?

[Ozzy_98]

It'd gum up pretty quickly. And WD40 seems to attract dust and dirt. 

One thing I never see people talk about that I do, is use Armor All on the cart.  Besides cleaning and giving it a shine, it protects from UV.

[e_brugal]

Someone talk about using armor all in controllers in another thread, but I use them too in cartridge after a good cleaning,  well is not armor all brand but is the same but it comes with silicone added and stay longer than armor all

[Pepe_el_mago]

So wd40 is not recommended? What says wiggy the cleaning guru?

[Ozzy_98]

The problems with WD40 are a few.  First, its actually a kind of harsh cleaner, and can eat into small contacts.  If you've already sanded them down, you'll risk holes in them. It'll also eat at the PCB, and make a mess.

There's two other problems though besides it's harshness.  One is how it works.  It has what amounts to a emulsifiers that allow the water to mix with the oil and run off, that's how it displaces water.  Also means you can TRAP water in the oil for a while too, so make sure you dry it first if using it in enclosed areas.  If the oil\water mix doesn't run off, you've made things worse.

Biggest issue though is when it dries the oils it leaves behind are gummy.  They stay gummy for a long time; anyone who's used WD-40 in the winder to free a switch will tell you how they ruined a switch.  In warm, dry air, it's not as bad, but you'll have a gummy dust magnet for a while.

Best way to protect them, dry packs inside cart boxes.  Bitboxes would have less air flow than UGC, and will still have room for a drypack in the manual slot.

[wiggy]

I was thinking of applying dielectric grease but i read that it is not conductive and abbrassive, meaning that in time it could prevent the signal from reaching the nes...i also read that dielectric grease attracts dust and that could also blur the signal..,i was thinking puttin my games in a close place (closet) with products that resuce humidity, what do you think?

You don't want something that is actually conductive, only that promotes conductivity otherwise you'll end up with short circuits.  Dielectric grease promotes conductivity.

Of course it attracts dust.  Anything in a liquid-like state will   But the simple solution is to keep it away from dust

I would use it, in your situation, as a means by which to more safely store them.  If it's a game that you play very frequently (like more than twice a month), then I would just make sure to keep it clean and dry.  I suggested the grease as more of a long-term storage solution.  I would clean the cart with isopropyl before use after long-term storage, then reapply the grease before putting back into storage.  Sure, it seems like a lot of work, but you should see the trouble people go through in order to keep their record collections in tip-top shape.  Makes this look like nothing.  I'm sure Larry can chime in on this one as well

[Pepe_el_mago]

what about WD40? will it protect thecartridges?

I was thinking just leaving the games as they are, protected inside the boxes and storing them with a little silica bag inside each box. Willl that be enough to prevent corrotion?

And do you think rust and corroton are contagious? If i put a corroded game in my system and then a clean one, will it pass to the clean one?
thank you!