Has anyone ever seen this before? This is the second time that I have come across this.
https://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc361/loumaffei/551%20KSU/P1010148.jpg https://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc361/loumaffei/551%20KSU/P1010150.jpg I don't know where the leakage came from other than possibly what I believe to be a mercury-wetted relay on the component side of the card.
This card was stored in a box in my workshop for about 5 years. When I opened it up this is what I found. Oddly enough the card still works.
Lou
See
this topic . It was never determined what the cause was, but was found harmless.
Bill, you are scaring me. Do you also remember what you had for breakfast in 1972?
The
only reason I still remember that post from five years ago is because it was a total mystery, which always bugged me. Otherwise, the only way I can remember what I had for breakfast
this morning is to check my shirt.
Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.
Naw, memory isn't that great. I just kind of remembered something about it and did a search on "leaking" in the 1A2 category.
Bill,
Thanks. That answers the question about the mystery goo.
Lou
Cold Case File #34: The Case of the Mysterious Green Goop
I think I finally have an explanation for this, and it only took five years.
When I first read the original thread, I was partial to the external water leak theory, causing the copper to corrode and turn green. But after re-reading all the posts in the original thread, and then adding in godfather's post today, a new theory emerges. This is crazy [big surprise], but please bear with me.
One piece of info popped up several times: The green goo is sticky but flowable, kind of like melted plastic. And kind of like the protective green coating on the boards, when it is first put on and before it sets up. This is clue #1.
Here is clue #2: Years ago, I tossed a handful of plastic fishing worms into the bottom of a plastic tackle box. A week or so later, I opened the box to discover that the worms had appeared to melt right into the box. Closer inspection revealed that the worms hadn't melted, the box had. The area of the box that was in contact with the worms was sticky and flowable. It never hardened back up. Years later, I found out why: Some plastics [in this case the worms] contain "plasticizers" that can migrate into other plastics during prolonged contact. Some plastics don't like some plasticizers, and they will be permanently changed and can even become semi-liquid.
Here's the theory: One or more parts on the board contained plasticizers that, over time, reacted with the coating on the board and altered it, making it "flowable" again. The effect is more or less permanent, and the stuff never actually re-hardens. This may only happen on certain boards with certain components, as you all know there were many different versions of 400 cards. That would explain why it doesn't happen all the time. It probably takes decades to happen, which is why Western Electric was never aware/concerned about it.
So, does anybody buy this, or should I book myself a room on the farm?
Jim
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Cooking up theories in a secure undisclosed location.
It is obscure,vague and filled with conflicting data. I'll buy it!!!
"It is obscure,vague and filled with conflicting data."
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Jim, what John O. is saying is "You Should Be Working For the Government! At least a SENATOR!
John, that would be scary. The country is enough trouble already...
As far as my theory goes, I won't dispute the obscure and vague part, but I don't think my theory conflicts with the facts. Godfather already took down his pics, but in his second pic, the puddles of green goop were surrounding the plastic capacitors on the board. That is what got me going...
Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.
Hmmm, I wondered if it had something to do with the Green coating. Hadn't thought about the plasticizer issue, but that kinda makes sense.
Jim,
Please excuse my feeble attempt at humor. I'm sitting in the woods in northern Wisconsin starring at the remnants of an 18 inch snowstorm (13 remaining).
John, it's all good - I wasn't miffed at all, I was just worried that you found a "fatal flaw" in my theory...
Lou, thanks for posting the new link to your pics! Your second pic is crucial for my theory, I just hope everyone takes the time to look at it.
Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.