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any way to prevent carbon build-up in the power window switches?

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ok, it's that time again... the power window switches are getting dirty and my windows are starting to slow down or not work at all...

 

time for a carbon cleaning, again...

 

why do I have to do this every year? I've been scraping them really good and even using the good electrical contact cleaner on them...

 

isn't there some kind of goop I can put on the rocker connectors in the switch to inhibit the formation of carbon on them so I don't have to worry about cleaning these things for another 20 years?

 

 

--Spiffy

a mellow resistor?

 

That will make the windows go slower.

 

You could probably rig up a relay for the switches so they don't have to carry the motor current.

 

GD

what about using a thin layer of dielectric grease? or would that just give it a medium to make some nice mud?

Dielectric is non-conductive, so can be used on open circuits without possibility of a short. In this case, the problem is the arcing going on between the contacts just as they close. I think dielectric would just make the problem worse if anything. You could install a capacitor to take the hit each time the button is pressed - rather like a condensor on older style point distributors. It's there to prevent arcing and pitting of the points.... you would likely need a seperate cap for each set of points - at least that seems the easiest way to do it. Probably have to take each switch to peices and do some interesting surgery to get it to work..... a relay would probably be simpler. Giving the points less current (and thus less arcing, less carbon, less maintenance) seems the easiest method to me.

 

GD

Wiring up a relay though would prevent the auto function on the switch from stopping. It works based on how much current is going through the switch to know when to stop. Current gets too high, it stops.

really? i know nothing about these switches, ive only recently started hearing that they are a problem..

 

ive been assuming my windows were slow, and all four different speeds, because of carbon buildup in the motors. fortunately, i havent tried to remedy THAT yet, as it would appear that would be a lark.

 

i read a post from i think loyale2.7turbo that said something about replacing the power window relay under the passenger seat with a bosch one.. whats with this relay he was talking about? they arent relayed already?

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