If for some reason your banana plug connections or the banana jacks of the cable harness pods or deck plates. You can do any of these two methods:

Method #1:  Acquire any kind of limescale or calcium buildup, use a diluted (50-50) solution of Lime Away or CLR (calcium-lime-rust) cleaner and a pipe cleaner to remove the buildup:

1. Dip pipe cleaner folded in half in a diluted solution of Lime Away or CLR cleaner and twist into the socket
2. Clean thoroughly by rotating the pipe cleaner in the socket.
3. Flush with plenty of clean, fresh water (not pool water).
4. Use a clean, dry pipe cleaner to soak up excess water in the socket.
5. Finally, dab a small amount of dielectric grease into each hole and then work a banana plug in and out to get the grease into each banana jack.
6. Wipe the excess grease from the banana plug with a clean soft cloth.

Method #2: Acquire our “Strike Hold: Marine” contact cleaner in our Aqua Store and perform the following steps.

1. Spray onto the surface of the area that is showing corrosion
2. With a soft bristle brush or pipe cleaner, lightly scrub the area showing the corrosion around the banana plug connector and/or deck harness or plate jack.
3. Plug the connector into the deck harness or plate socket a few times.
4. Allow the contact cleaner to sit for a few minutes before wiping it away.  (You may wipe away excess that is not sitting on the corroded area.)

If the following methods do not prove fruitful, replacement banana plugs are available.  However, proper installation and testing are crucial to ensure a reliable fix.

Having us come out for a service call is the best way to resolve the issue. Our experts can replace the banana plugs, test the system for solid connections, and make sure everything is functioning perfectly. This not only ensures your timing system is meet-ready but also gives you peace of mind knowing your equipment won’t fail you when it matters most.

When you plug in a connector, you should feel some resistance – that’s those prongs doing their job, creating a secure, reliable connection for transmitting timing data. If your connector slides in too easily it’s usually a red flag that the prongs have either collapsed or broken, which means you’re not getting a crucial solid connection.

This might not seem like a big deal, but in the world of competitive swimming where every millisecond counts, a loose connection can mean missed touches, incorrect times, or system glitches right in the middle of your meet.

The good news is that fixing this issue is pretty straightforward – replacement banana plugs are readily available and easy to install. It’s much better to replace a loose connector than risk timing issues during your next competition.

Maintenance on banana plugs preserves the vital handshake between your timing equipment – when these connections get dirty or corroded, it’s like trying to have a conversation through a bad phone line. In the fast-paced world of swim meets, where every split second counts, a poor connection can mean missed times, false readings, or even complete system failures. Pool environments are particularly tough on these connectors – all that chlorine, humidity, and constant handling can create buildup that interferes with the electrical connection.

Regular maintenance helps banana plugs last longer, saving you money and hassle in the long run. Just a few minutes of preventive care can save hours of troubleshooting and potential meet delays.