Charred center post with Cobra genesis?

[Richard75]

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced blackened/burned/charred-looking stains on the nuts around the center post, where you trap the wire? I ran about three tanks through my Cobra before deciding to rebuild it, and saw the stains and am just wondering if I'm doing something wrong? I've also been using the Richman genesis, without this problem. Does anyone know the material of the nuts on the Cobra? They truthfully look like aluminum, but I can't be sure. I tried scrubbing them away, but to no avail - that's why I say it seems charred.

The weird thing is, it's stained where the wire doesn't even tough, and the worst is actually at the bottom, where the nut hits the insulator. Of course, the wire doesn't touch anywhere besides where it's trapped, so is this is a common (albeit ugly looking) thing, or did I make a boo-boo somehow?

 

[Thrasher]

they are brass, and it sounds like something tarnished/or stained the metal.i have a couple cobras and dont have this on the nuts but if i pull the center screw there are spots like that on it. either that or you had a weird short/arc somehow.

 

[Richard75]

they are brass, and it sounds like something tarnished/or stained the metal.i have a couple cobras and dont have this on the nuts but if i pull the center screw there are spots like that on it. either that or you had a weird short/arc somehow.

I don't think they're brass... unless they're chrome plated or something. The center post is brass, but the nuts are an almost shiny white. I pulled out my Brasso and rubbed a small dab on to see if it would clean it off, but it doesn't appear to be polishable.

Obviously this doesn't affect performance, but for the price of the Cobra, I wouldn't mind keeping it looking nice and sexy.