Corrosion is stealthy

Corrosion, like rust, is slow oxidation over time. So, all of a sudden, enough corrosion builds up to affect a circuit’s functionality. Another problem is that corrosion can conceal itself very well. Sometimes, if a wire’s insulation is corrupted, a wire will corrode from the inside out, making it difficult to pinpoint visually.

The following are some examples of corrosion:

The brass wire on the left is good, but the brass wire on the right suffers from oxidation, which impedes electron flow.

This wire corroded from the inside out. The insulation was corrupted and corrosion set in. This could be very difficult to find visually.

This battery terminal illustrates corrosive build up.

This terminal has a fare about of corrosion, adding unneeded resistance. Since this terminal is tucked away in a connector, it could be very difficult to find visually.