anthonymurray•2mo agoMost Upvoted

Finally got a Yashica Electro 35 light meter working again

I had a GSN sitting on my shelf for 6 months with the dead pod syndrome and tried the trick of cleaning the pad switch contacts with 91% isopropyl. It actually fired up on the first try after that, anyone else have that work or did I just get lucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

mark_thomas1mo ago

Read somewhere that the lower alcohol content in 91% actually evaporates slower, which gives it more time to break down the oxidation on the contact pads. The 99% stuff dries so fast it might not get deep enough into the corrosion. Also heard that the Electro 35's switch contacts have this weird coating that higher proof isopropyl can actually damage over time, making them worse. Sounds like you lucked out and maybe the slower cleaning action is the real trick all along.

wyatt_green312mo ago

Jumped straight into this thread because 91% isopropyl actually worked on your first try? That’s wild. I always thought you had to use a higher proof like 99% to really clean those contacts without leaving any residue. I’ve got two GSNs I gave up on last year after multiple rounds of cleaning with contact cleaner and still nothing. Maybe I should give the 91% a shot just to see if I’m missing something obvious. Never would have guessed that lower alcohol content could make a difference with dead pod syndrome.

the_andrew2mo ago

Wait, hold on. You mean you tried the 91% stuff, the kind I use to clean my glasses, and it actually worked? I've been buying the 99% isopropyl this whole time like a sucker, scrubbing those contacts until my fingers hurt. That's crazy if the cheap stuff is all you need.