Help needed with Bongo 4

[Raindog]

Hi guys, new here. I have some problems with my old Bongo. The guitar had sat in storeage for a few years. I got it out recently and realised (embarrassingly)I had left a pair of 9v in the slots. I replaced the old batteries the other day and fired it up and it “seemed” fine. Went to play it today it was back in its case the whole time, and the new batteries were dead. I have just unscrewed the back plate, then the battery socket and gently eased it out. It appears that one of the batteries had released its alkaline a formed a blue crust under the copper tabs. Also the black and red wires came away, battery fluid must have weakened the joint. Thats not a big problem, as I can solder ok.

1. I plan de-solder the battery cannister and give it good clean out.
My questions are what are best cleaning products for this kind..i have wd40 contact cleaner. Is there something i should use for battery fluid before hitting with contact cleaner.

2. Also if its beyond repair, and the battery cannister is dead, where can I order a replacement part?

3. If I clean it and re-solder the wires and battery drain is still happening. What else would you normally check/do?

Going back a few years but I suspected that batteries seemed to drain faster than normal. Seemed like every time i took it band practice i would need. Probably why it went into went into storeage.
Its a beautifull playing and sounding guitar, I want to get it sorted.
Cheers
Steve

 

[danny-79]

Dead easy fix. It’s not worth the hassle a lot of the time trying to clean the box up once it’s been damaged


Gotoh BB-04W Double Battery Box 18V with Screws | eBay

That will sort you out (and use Duracell batts)

 

[nhbassguitar]

Let me add that WD-40 is not a contact cleaner. It's a water disperser. The only "off-label" use I've found it good for is lubricating cylinder locks, as long as no one's shot graphite powder into the lock beforehand.

If you want to clean contacts, use a product made for that purpose specifically, such as CAIG labs' DeoxIT D-series. But I totally agree with Danny; replace the battery box and the wires.

As for the quick-discharging problem, put an ammeter in series with one of the battery box leads and check for zero current flow when there's no plug in the output jack. The jack might be defective. You can also check current flow while there's a plug in the jack. Anything over a few milliamps would be cause for concern.

 

[Raindog]

Thanks. Very helpfull tips. The product I have is a ‘contact cleaner’ specifically for electronics by the WD-40 company WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner cheers Steve

 

[Raindog]

Cheers will order a new one

 

[nhbassguitar]

> The product I have is a ‘contact cleaner’ specifically for electronics
> by the WD-40 company WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner

So sorry. I did not know they made such a product.

 

[tbonesullivan]

If there is any battery "goo" in the guitar body, you can clean it using water, and some vinegar, which will react with the alkaline battery goop.

 

[danny-79]

If there is any battery "goo" in the guitar body, you can clean it using water, and some vinegar, which will react with the alkaline battery goop.

I’d of never of thought of using vinegar to counteract. Makes perfect sense though.

The batteries hadn’t leaked on mine it just had never been used so the terminals were breaking/making contact when I changed the batteries under further inspection one of the wires had gone fury and broken off.
I quick fixed it while waiting on the replacement arriving. (slide terminal out, solder, slide back in and give it a bend while at it). I suppose that would of been fine but for peace of mind. Just change the box. Cheap and easy enough to do.
As far as the batteries themselves go, always use Duracell (blue band are best) and change them every couple of years needed or not.

 

[N4860]

As mentioned above, try some vinegar. I had a used Bongo 6 last year that had some battery issues. I looked in the battery cavity and it looked like 1 of the 9v batteries had previously leaked and there was blue stuff all over the battery contacts. I soaked a q-tip in some vinegar and dabbed the contact and let it sit with the vinegar on it for a few minutes and then used a dry q-tip and it came off pretty easy and that fixed my battery problem.