Deodorizing cheap eBay cables - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 01:34:54 pm
content: Greetings,I bought some 40-way "Arduino"/breadboard male-to-male squid cable type thing from eBay. They work admirably from an electrical and mechanical standpoint, but they smell quite strongly, and it's not a pleasant smell at all -- the smell is sort of solventy, maybe reminiscent of duct tape? I'm terrible at describing smells.Anyhoo, has anyone struck this in the past and had success somehow washing away the smell? I haven't tried anything yet.

author: orbiter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 01:39:21 pm
content: A bit of lemon juice on a cloth... Normally gets rid of all sorts of smells.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 01:41:56 pm
content: Interesting idea. Immediately after posting, I realised how odd it was for me to post without having even tried anything, so I gave it a once over with isopropyl, and running water. The smell seems to have been attenuated somewhat, but not completely removed. I will certainly try lemon juice as well, and report back.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 02:55:07 pm
content: I call that smell "Chinese tire shop". Washing won't get rid of it, at least not completely, since the problem is plasticizer migrating out from the insulation and plastic.The best method I have found is to leave the item outside in the sun for a few days, or as long as it takes. Maybe it's the combination of heat and UV.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 03:01:32 pm
content: Maybe, or maybe notHave had the same, it was sealed in a PE bag on arrival. The smell vanished automagically after a few weeks without any special handling.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 04:38:17 pm
content: on some gear I bought from ebay, the smoke smell was too much. I asked around and one idea was to buy a bag of kitty litter, put the unit in a plastic bag with it and tie the bag. let it sit there for a few days like that. the KL should absorb the odor.if its in the plastic and not the surface then it will take a long time for it to finally clear. I threw away many china 'new' cables that had color coming off in your hands as well as the bad smell. I didn't want that crap in my house so I just threw it away. if its not worth the hassle I don't even bother, but for an old HP supply, it was worth it. for jumper cables, not worth it.I try to ask if there are smells before I buy items on ebay but many sellers seem to have no sense at all or just simply lie ;(

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 04:43:51 pm
content: I once bought a one of these cheap desoldering stations which combined smoke smell and extremely annoying rubber smell. I tried isopropyl which helped for the smoke smell on the case, but the rubber smell on the hose needed weeks to vanish.

author: volthaus
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 06, 2015, 11:52:15 pm
content: 'Off Gassing' is a word I have heard tossed around in relation to the fumes from drying paint and preserved woods. Can't be good for you to breath that. Sitting it somewhere outside for a few days would have to help.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 12:31:26 am
content: Possibly, vacuum chamber and warmth (not to exceed temp rating of the wire).It worked if your cold trap smells of concentrated Chinese Tire Shop.Tim

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 07:03:53 am
content: Leave it outside in the sun on a nice sunny day. (Not too many days, that stuff isn't usually UV stable)Warmth and light will accelerate out gassing. Alcohol tends to remove excess pasticizer from cables as you have found.

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 09:25:17 am
content: I am not normally an aluminium foil hat guy but I have some concerns about plasticisers especially from dubious sources, outside for a while, a bit of heat/sun and some good ventilation in your lab seem basic precautions

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 09:28:22 am
content: Quote from: rs20 on July 06, 2015, 01:34:54 pmI bought some of those cables a while back and they absolutely stink, though the smell has faded a bit now. I'm always a little concerned that the stinky plasticisers leaching out of the cable probably aren't ideal to be in contact with skin.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 10:05:29 am
content: It seems to be a typical habbit of Chinese soft plastics. Chinese UTP/USB cables (are there others?) and so on, do the same.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 10:30:41 am
content: Thanks everyone! It's very far from hot and sunny here in Australia at the moment, but I will be sure to keep it somewhere warm when the opportunity arises!

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 07:14:05 pm
content: I once bought some walking shoes that, while made in China, were not cheap knock off garbage. They were a fairly well respected brand. I don't know what they did wrong making these particular shoes but they stunk badly. Yeah, chinese tire shop is a good description.I put them back in the box intending to return them, but of course I forgot until long past the return period. A year later they still smelled horrible. I hung them out on the balcony over the summer and finally most of the smell went away. Then I sold them on ebay and at least got back about 2/3 what I paid for them.