In article , "William Sommerwerck" wrote:
wrote in message
...

I have a 37-year old H/K Citation 11 preamp. The sliding audio
equalizers, volume and balance controls are silicone loaded. There is
a warning label inside the unit that says because they are silicone
loaded, not to use commercial cleaners on them. Can I use DeoxIT
D5 to clean them? After 37 years, how much silicone is left in these?
Any other suggestions?

My guess -- and it's only a guess -- is that the silicone loading is
"external", not "internal". That is, the silicone lubricant is for the body
of the slider, not for the contact between the slider and the carbon track.
(Does that make any sense?) You wouldn't want to get silicone lubricant onto
the track. *

harman/kardon was worried that the careless application of a commercial
cleaner would not only clean the track, but flush away the silicone.
Silicone lubricants are chemically stable, so unless you've repeatedly
rammed the controls up and down in an adjustment frenzy, most of the
original should still be present.

I'd dismantle the unit and look closely at the pots, to see exactly where
the silicone is, and how best to apply the cleaner to the carbon track
without hitting the silicone. In other words, I would not squirt cleaner
into them promiscuously.

I've never used Caig's FaderLube spray, but -- as I like their other
products -- I see no reason not to take Chuck's recommendation.

* This is not always the case. Rupert Neve used (and probably still does)
conductive-plastic tracks. These required the precise application of a small
amount of lubricant (probably silicone-based -- I don't remember).

I would think there is no silicone on the elements, just the rails.
It should be possible to carefully only do the elements, but these cheap
spray cans often have a mind of their own. I would use something like a toothpick.
I have used thick silicone oil thats was made for arm damping on the rails.
The only other thing to use is white grease.

greg