Cleaning Animal Mess from J1772 Charging Cable/Port

General
1

This might be a bit outside the usual posts, but I’m looking for help with a strange problem.

My community has some shared EV charging stations, and when I went to plug in tonight, I realized the J1772 plug wasn’t seating properly. Upon inspection, I discovered it had been dipped in animal droppings.

I’ve informed management, but they won’t be able to address it until Tuesday at the earliest, so I’m planning to clean it myself.

My current idea is to disconnect the power, use pipe cleaners to get as much out as I can, and then use compressed air to remove any loose bits. Would that work, or are there other suggestions?

2

The J1772 standard has pilot and proximity wires, so it won’t be energized until it’s connected. It’s safe to clean without risk of shock.

You can start with soap and water to get most of it out, then use pipe cleaners or cotton swabs for detail cleaning. Finish up with isopropyl alcohol to sanitize, and let it dry completely. You might want to apply a contact cleaner or protectant like DeoxIT to prevent corrosion.

3

@emma
EV charger tech here—this is the correct approach!

4

@emma
Dude, are you okay? Your message reads like you might’ve been having a rough time typing it out!

5

chozen said:
@emma
Dude, are you okay? Your message reads like you might’ve been having a rough time typing it out!

Haha, fat fingers and a bad touchscreen—missed a few letters there.

6

@emma
Thumbs up! Solid advice.

7

This sounds like some angry gas car owner’s doing. Where else would someone even find this kind of stuff to dip the plug into?

8

abidemi said:
This sounds like some angry gas car owner’s doing. Where else would someone even find this kind of stuff to dip the plug into?

RFK probably has a stash in his glove box, just in case. :joy:

9

abidemi said:
This sounds like some angry gas car owner’s doing. Where else would someone even find this kind of stuff to dip the plug into?

There’s a grassy area near the chargers where people walk their dogs. So yeah, it’s all too accessible.

10

@Randy
Seriously?! So someone went out of their way just to mess with EV drivers. That’s wild :joy:

11

abidemi said:
@Randy
Seriously?! So someone went out of their way just to mess with EV drivers. That’s wild :joy:

Or they just lifted the plug, dipped it into whatever was already on the grass, and left it there.

12

Someone on Facebook suggested cleaning fluid—that might be worth a try.

13

Kenneth said:
Someone on Facebook suggested cleaning fluid—that might be worth a try.

Yeah, I just added some to my pickup order for tomorrow. Got cleaning fluid, pipe cleaners, compressed air, and gloves—no way I’m touching this mess bare-handed!

14

@Randy
Maybe add a face mask too. Spraying compressed air could send some of it flying back at you.

15

Jason said:
@Randy
Maybe add a face mask too. Spraying compressed air could send some of it flying back at you.

Compressed air will blast most of it back at you, so be ready!

16

@Randy
Good thinking.

17

If the charger isn’t powered, you could wash it with a bucket of water or a hose. Just make sure to let it dry out well.

Compressed air seems like a good choice for your car’s port.

18

You could also set it in the sun to dry it out after cleaning.

19

All done! I used my kid’s baby wipes to clean off the easy stuff, then pipe cleaners to reach the small spaces in the J1772 port. Finished up with electric contact cleaner on the contacts, and a final blast of compressed air.

Oh, and a generous spray of lavender hand sanitizer from Trader Joe’s to mask the lingering smell. Problem solved!

20

Don’t use compressed air—it’ll just blow the mess back at you. Rinse it out with a hose first, then clean and dry with something like mass airflow sensor cleaner.