fixed my window switch

#1

If your power window is running real slow or the switch is getting intermittent and a problem...try cleaning the contacts.

I removed the switch this weekend and after you remove it from the arm rest there are four little screws that you can take it apart.

I used a dremel with a brush attachment to clean and buff the contact points on the two metal "things" that came out and used a long skinny dremel brush to get to the contact points inside the plastic switch body and it's like brand new again.

#2

did it really fix running slow? i would figure the motor brushes where getting weak. Ill give it a shot though, its kinda annoying to wait for my windows to open and close

#3

odie wrote:If your power window is running real slow or the switch is getting intermittent and a problem...try cleaning the contacts.

Covered in this post.

#4

well, it seemed faster

maybe just the fact that it works good now got me all excited. Anyway, the contacts did have some noticable build-up on the tips.

cleaning the contact made a big difference for me. The hardest part about cleaning it the contacts that are fixed into the switch body. But a small rotary cupped brush fit right down into the housing and buffed the points right up.

I don't know if the motor power goes thru the switch or if the switch just operates a relay allowing a larger power wire to feed to the motor (like a starter). If the window motor power goes thru the switch, then yes, I would say that dirty contacts increase the electrical resistance and would indeed slow the motor down some.

#5

I moved this to the Gen 1 Maxima forum as it is not LD specific. Not a big deal one way or the other, but I have to justify my existence some how.

#6

The issue with cleaning the contacts (at least in my experience) is that once you clean them once, they burn over again and stop working or go intermittent again.

I pulled my original console switches in the 83 and cleaned them. They worked a couple times and stopped. You can get them to go if you really work at it but...

Did the same with the pass. window (3,4 maybe 5 times) with the same result. When I was driving the car often I would do it every so often so my pass. could use the window.

I also did this when I got my 81 wagon - with the same outcome. I am now using a switch Al gave me that has never been opened/cleaned and it works perfectly.

I hope you don't have this happen. I don't understand why it does (did), but I was not happy about it.

#7

Switch contacts are not a monolithic material -- they are coated. Once the contact material is worn (burned) through, you can polish the base metal all you want, but it will not hold up: the contact coating is gone.

#8

asavage wrote:Switch contacts are not a monolithic material -- they are coated. Once the contact material is worn (burned) through, you can polish the base metal all you want, but it will not hold up: the contact coating is gone.

That's the explaination I have been looking for. I was thinking it was probably something like that.

#9

In the old days, the contact material was a thick pad that you could see was spot-welded to the contact arm. Switches have gotten a lot cheaper in the last thirty years

Obtaining a decent switch in the sub-20a range is getting difficult outside of industrial channels: the crap you can actually buy retail is only designed to get your money out of your pocket and maybe the equipment out of the warranty period, nothing more.

#10

I agree, switches are definitely not as long lasting as the older models and i find that the newer switches switches are never rated for anything close to what they are rated to do under continuous duty.

A industrial supply/electrical supply company is definitely the way to go.

#11

interesting about the contacts wearing out. I wonder if there is anyway to re-coat them? or what you would use? what about some kinda dielectic (is that the right term?) grease.

my bad on the LD28 posting

I guess I was already on that page and just clicked post new topic

#12

i dont think dilectric grease would work, its nonconductive

#13

the only way i can think of recoating the switch is probably dipping it in copper, or whatever the special metal is, which is probably an alloy, cause copper is kinda weak when it comes to arcing between contacts, using electroplating.

#14

I grease any contact that slides (most rocker and all rotary switches slide). The type of grease isn't all that important until you get up to a couple hundred volts.

Copper is a decent, conductor (and, more importantly, it's cheaper than silver and gold, which are both excellent conductors) but copper wears quickly when used as a current circuit interrupter materal. Tungsten is a good contact material, but is relatively expensive. I don't know what's commonly in use these days.

#15

mabye i should grease sliding contactors

i never did that, but itd be a good way to stop all the arcing and corrosion

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