# Bad experiance with No-Ox on Peco switch points



## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

Apparently I used too much of this stuff, and/or didn't wipe enough of it off the rails and the switch points. Coming back after a few years of non use, when I actually tried to run an engine, it didn't. Anywhere on the layout.
I went around and wiped down the rails more then once then used a old 'track eraser' (unknown if it was a actual pencil eraser or what) the engine finally moved until it got to the first switch point where it stopped.

The track is Peco. All, or most of the 'points' seem to be affective.

My initial solution was to use spray "tuner cleaner" (as it use to be called when it was actually used to clean mechanical TV tuners from the 70's and before). I will add this was NOT any material that has any 'lube' in it, just pure, no residue cleaner.

It mostly worked, but I still have a few points that are intermittent.

Any other suggestions to help recover from this nightmare?


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## Virgil (Aug 20, 2021)

Videobruce,

On the rare occasions I have a turnout that causes a real problem I turn to my trusty modelling Glass Fibre pen to run accross the rails if all else fails.

Mind you it does then require a quick vacuum afterwards as tiny shards of glass can be left behind invisible to the naked eye.

Virgil


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

gee that's too bad ... i've used no-ox for seven years with no ill effects ... go figure ?


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

Othewr than the points, my test unit didn't run anywherer until I wiped down the railhead & used a 'track eraser' to finish the job. And even then, it still is intermittent.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

a few years of non use might have something to do with that


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

The layout is still under construction, this is the 1st time I ran anything on it. The blocks in the yard aren't wired yet. It was my understanding that No-Ox was suppose to prevent this.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

no-ox prevents oxidation / corrosion on the rail head , but does not prevent contaminants from the air from settling on the railhead, nor is it meant to be a replacement for loose joiners or a lack of feeders


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

wvgca said:


> no-ox prevents oxidation / corrosion on the rail head , but does not prevent contaminants from the air from settling on the railhead, nor is it meant to be a replacement for loose joiners or a lack of feeders


All new track and soldered feeders and whatever does settle on the track, it's very little, it's a finished room in the basement with a ceiling.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

videobruce said:


> Apparently I used too much of this stuff, and/or didn't wipe enough of it off the rails and the switch points. Coming back after a few years of non use, when I actually tried to run an engine, it didn't. Anywhere on the layout.
> I went around and wiped down the rails more then once then used a old 'track eraser' (unknown if it was a actual pencil eraser or what) the engine finally moved until it got to the first switch point where it stopped.
> 
> The track is Peco. All, or most of the 'points' seem to be affective.
> ...


You might use some emery paper folded around an X-acto knife blade, as a cleaning tool. Run it back and forth against the back of the point rail. If your Peco turnouts are "Insulfrogs", with the brown plastic frogs, they are "current routing" meaning the points act as an electrical switch, so if they're dirty, nothing runs through the turnout. Peco also uses a tiny metal tab, attached to the bottom end of each point rail, which slides under the stock rail when the points are thrown. This tab can be cleaned with a little scraping with an X-acto knife tip. Some modelers elect to dispense with the power routing feature by adding feed wires to both routes, out beyond the frog.

BTW that "Track Eraser" may e a "Brite Boy" brand track cleaning block. It looks like a large pencil eraser, but has grit embedded in it to polish dirt off the rails. 

NOTE: Some of that (not so) "good" old-fashioned "Tuner Cleaner" contained carbon tetrachloride, which won't do your track any good, and is very toxic to people.
The newer stuff, like WD-40 contact cleaner, does not have the Carbon Tet. That stuff was banned many years ago because of its toxicity. 

Good Luck;


Traction Fan 🙂


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

As I understand it from other modelers, a _very_ little bit goes a long way and _must_ be thoroughly wiped off after application.

I've never used the stuff, but I used to use a product called De-Oxit for my recording studio jacks and plugs. That was amazing stuff.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

It doesn't matter what you did to protect and preserve it, track that has been sitting unused for years is covered with crud and corroded. No Ox _inhibits_ corrosion, specifically that caused by microarcing between metal wheels and the rais, but it doesn't prevemt it entirely. Use some MEK or alcohol and a rag and remove every trace of gunk from the rails. Then go back over it with No-Ox and you should be good to go.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

traction fan said:


> If your Peco turnouts are "Insulfrogs", with the brown plastic frogs, they are "current routing" meaning the points act as an electrical switch, so if they're dirty, nothing runs through the turnout. Peco also uses a tiny metal tab, attached to the bottom end of each point rail, which slides under the stock rail when the points are thrown.


They are not plastic, but solid metal "Electrofrogs".
Isn't the point of contact the flat tips of the points against the outer stock rail?


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

I will cast a second vote for the de-oxit products. Not cheap though. Use sparingly too.
De-oxit #5 (red label) is the one to get for trains & track. Primarily designed for use on sealed and semi sealed rotary style potentiomers and surface cleaning. No need to clean it off after application. A little goes a very long way.

The blue label one is only used for fader/slider carbon type potentiometers. Cleans & lubes them.
The gold label is used as a protectant to coat previously cleaned jack and plug type connections that don't get plugged and unplugged repeatedly.

I am not a fan of any type of no-ox. Too messy and must then be removed. I cant be bothered with that much effort for minimal return.
WD-40 is not a cleaner. While it does have minimal lubricative qualities, not worth it in my opinion. It was primarily designed for moisture displacement. Worked great on my old 1975 Ford truck distributor cap-lol.
For me, Good ole 91% isopropyl alcohol is the cheap and effective way to go for cleaning crud from wheels and track. 99% can be had from Amazon but, that stuff is wicked!

Track erasers: I finally found some now rare ink type erasers at Hobby Lobby. 2 for $3 American. Half the size of the beloved brite boys and such. Half the amount of grit in them and, softer as well. I like em.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

kilowatt62 said:


> De-oxit #5 (red label) is the one to get for trains & track. Primarily designed for use on sealed and semi sealed rotary style potentiomers and surface cleaning. No need to clean it off after application.
> *I am not a fan of any type of no-ox. Too messy and must then be removed. I cant be bothered with that much effort for minimal return.*


I wish I knew that before all of this.

AFAIC; No-Ox should be labeled No-contact.  About as bad as car wax, 2 step process, the 2nd part kills you.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

Is De-oxit #5 only a spray? If so, how does one apply it, kinda hard ti spray rails w/o a ton of waste?




__





DeoxIT D5S-6 Maximum Strength Contact Cleaner - 5 oz Aerosol Can at SkyGeek.com


DeoxIT® D5S-6 Maximum Strength Contact Cleaner - 5 oz Aerosol Can - Visit and view our entire SkyGeek, Electrical, Contact Cleaner, section at SkyGeek!




skygeek.com




(that was the cheapest I found, the list price is $20)


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

videobruce said:


> Is De-oxit #5 only a spray? If so, how does one apply it, kinda hard ti spray rails w/o a ton of waste?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Bruce, 
Honestly, I haven't been to their website in quite awhile. I do recall that they had a tube version of the product. 
Keep looking price wise. Spray can version Can be had for $15 to $16 retail. 
If thats what you end up with, spray some on a small rag and wipe the rails. You would do that with the tube type as well.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

That link was $13.70 + shipping.
It's just that the cost per ounce is very high, higher since it's in a aerosol can (you are paying for the propellant).


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

videobruce said:


> They are not plastic, but solid metal "Electrofrogs".
> Isn't the point of contact the flat tips of the points against the outer stock rail?


videobruce;

I have used Insulfrogs, and the new Unifrogs, but not Electrofrogs, so I don't no any specifics about that model. Yes, the point rail-to-stock rail contact is part of the electrical distribution on many model turnouts, but since that contact is only as good as the pressure holding the two rails to each other, (and the cleanliness of the two mating surfaces) there are usually some form of additional contacts as well. 

Traction Fan 🙂


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