Storage and conservation of cartridge media

Yep you were right. It's the fire retardant in the plastic that oxidizes. I found MR Clean magic eraser and mild bleach (Clorox pens) work very well. I'd say just do a test on the back or the bottom of your console to see if eitehr have an effect.

 

I'm just gonna jump in here and point you in the direction of the guys over at English Amiga Boards.. They've been investigating a solution for the oxidisation of plastics, and have even got an industrial chemist (!) among thier ranks.

Long story short..

Problem: Oxidisation of Bromine in plastics causes discolouration.

Solution: Removal of oxygen from bromine. Use Hydrogen Peroxide solution to replace the oxygen with hydrogen - restoring plastic to its original composition.

Very interesting reading here..

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=37808&page=6

and here..

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=458725#post458725

Look out for the posts by Merlin, tonyyeb and ZetrO.

And a wee piccy results they are achieving.. (I'm sure they won't mind the direct link)

 

i'm diplomed in industrial chemistry too

in any case the case with the snes is different since the yellowing in that case it's on THE SURFACE while on the snes case IT'S ON THE WHOLE PLASTIC BODY (parts not exposed to the light too and the plastic's inside too).

that means that if you use h2O2 on a yellowed snes the results won't be the same. still worth a try tought

BTW be careful with hydrogen peroxide! you can get hurt with it.

 

It looks like they are getting very good results from using the H202. The biggest issue I have is where do I get 30% H2O2. I live in a small town in Virginia so I don't have access to a chemical store. If anyone has any information or what commercial products are actually 30% H2O2.

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

i think You can find it in shops that sells products for swimming pools, and in some big distro shoping markets. maybe you can try in shops that sells paint too.

here is not too hard to find it.

PS if you are unsure/scared of using those chemicals i can give some suggestions on how to handle them.

 

i will as soon as i have a few free time.

 

So in short some real basic suggestions on how to handle Oxygen Peroxide (H2O2) and chemicals in genere.

First of all, it's important to understand that chemicals can be dangerous, so people playing around when you are using them, pets, little children ecc, are better not to be present when yuo are handling them.

H2O2 is used a disinfectant in very low concentration, and is basically harmless. But since we are going to use it in high concentration, we have to be careful.

The suggestions here will be "over-careful" with this i mean that *Me PERSONALLY* would not follow them. I consider the rubber gloves to be more than enough.

Rubber gloves are a really nice protection for your hands, and i suggest you to use them JUST MAKE SURE THEY ARE RUBBER GLOVES. Those mono-use latex ones are not suitable!

Concentrated H2O2 can cause real burns to your skin and blisters. For what concerns your eyes, there should be almost no risk, but in any case you can buy cheap plastic protection goggles. Since i doubt you have suitable dresses resistant to chemicals, just dress with something with long sleeves and long pants (this in case you would spill it on yourself) that can be easily taken off.

In case you spill it on yourself, washing fast under fast running water, and rubbing the skin with strenght and rubber should be a great help. But this WON'T HAPPEN IF YOU ARE CAREFUL.

Being over-scared is useless and potentialy worse. Just be relaxed and careful and nothing can EVER go wrong.

So another IMPORTANT thing to consider is using JUST the amount of chemicals you NEED. IE, in the link that was given for "cleaning" the keyboard parts they used an outrageous amount of chemical.

The main rule is: the little you use, the little mess you can do. Surely spilling on your pants a glass of h2o2 is not the same as spilling 2 liters, right?

Also, meddle with this process when you have the time and you are sober minded; as i stated using rubber gloves is a good idea, but if you are too distracted you might recover your piece with bare hands...

After you take back the plastic you have cleaned using gloves or another tool like Steel pincers, wash them carefully in water and let them dry. after washing them they are obviously not harmful anymore (H2O2 is a percentage dissolved in water)

If you want to trash the H2O2 you have used and doesn't want anymore, it's better NOT to throw it directly in your pipes or bathtub since it might damage the painting of it and maybe pipes too. The best is to throw the little you have used (i stated to use AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, always) in a big basket of water and then after it being wastly diluted throwing it away.

last reccomendation, is to do the process being careful of not leaking the solution on the floor or furniture since h202 can damage it easily (expecially marble).

So far i can't think of anything else, if anyone have questions, please post them here so that i can help and answer.

karsten

PS i might have overlooked something, so ask! i wrote this in a hurry

 

Just a heads up for you guys...

To all potential 'users' you may wanna refer to this Material Safety Data Sheet, before you read / try Karstens so called "basic suggestions"

http://www.h2o2.com/intro/FMC_MSDS_40_to_60.pdf

 

or you ca use this official Nintendo Product

http://cgi.ebay.it/Nintendo-NES-Kit-di-Pulizia-Console-giochi-CLEANING-KIT_W0QQitemZ200260396876QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200260396876&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A758%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting

 

That's just a cartridge cleaner. It won't do anything to faded console cases...

 

Ok, we had a forum member at gamescollection.it who tried with a 36% solution on a yellowed SNES for hours. No results.
He think that it may be due to the fact that old computers are made of ABS 7801 and the SNES of PST 7801.

So, no results at all.

 

Don't know if it helps but I have had a few Genesis carts batteries go but on me, but luckily there are batteries that come with the tabs soldered into them.

 

When offering advice on using chemicals, you might want a disclaimer on the bottom just to protect yourself.

IE:

Anything you try with chemicals using these guidelines is at your own risk and without liability of the poster. This information is intended to inform you of the process and risks, not as an absolute guide or as any guarantee of success. Should you use these guidelines, you do so with the understanding that other research should be conducted in addition to these guidelines before conducting any activities, and that these guidelines are intended for informational purposes only. The poster will not be held liable or responsible for any accidents or injuries either to property or person as a result of the use of these guidelines.

 

what you said, brother!

 

So the actual inside of the SNES turns yellow too?? I didn't know that.

What sucks is if anyone remembers the old SNES tank sim I mentioned I saw at an Army unit when I was a kid, it was yellow/brown on the bottom. Years ago I saw a similair looking SNES at a friends house and was like WHOMG THERE IT IS! Nope. I didn't know SNES turned yellow till I started hitting yard sales. Mine and my girlfriends are still normal, but her brother had fun coloring hers with Sharpie which were still trying to remove...