Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
What to use to clean old, dirty pots?
Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab?
TIA Norm |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
WD40 is the universal cure.
"Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
"Craig Hart" wrote in message ... | WD40 is the universal cure. Replaced by or followed by tuner cleaner. WD40 is rather nasty. There is/was a version of tuner cleaner that screwed on the thread of the pot to force the stuff inside. N |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
I have previously used a product called Lubra Clean with very good results.
Requires access to the physical opening on the side of the control assemblies to allow one to put the cleaning materials inside. I normally used a small screwdriver or a snapped off wooden "Q-Tip" to apply the Lubra Clean to the slider or wiper assemblies. "Ross Herbert" wrote in message ... On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 23:37:46 GMT, "Norm Dresner" wrote: Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm Oh no! Not this old chestnut again........... There was a thread on this subject back in August so just search for WD40 in this group. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Hi Norm,
Please don't use WD40. It has it's place but not here. WD40 it leaves behind an oily resudue....and it smells bad. Not the nicest thing to smell in a house. I would use a fiberglass brush (looks like a retractable pen) and some contact cleaner (MG Chemicals). No residue it left behind. Most of the cleaning can be done with the fiberglass brush alone. I recommend using this because a metal brush will leave scratches and gouges on whatever you're cleaning. The fiberglass brush doesn't. Of you'd rather not open up the pots and use the brush, then just spray the contact cleaner inside. Dan "Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
"Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm All you need is here, www.caig.com Used in the pro audio world where clean pots are essential. Dave W. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
"Dave Walsh" wrote in message
... "Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm All you need is here, www.caig.com Used in the pro audio world where clean pots are essential. Dave W. I'll look for it when I get to the local "electronics" store but I'll never visit the website again -- I have a "thing" about people who feel that they have to play their music on my computer. BTW, back in the '70s IIRC there was a product called (something like) Cramolin. What ever happened to it? The EPA? Thanks for the suggestion anyway Norm |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
"Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... "Dave Walsh" wrote in message ... "Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm All you need is here, www.caig.com Used in the pro audio world where clean pots are essential. Dave W. I'll look for it when I get to the local "electronics" store but I'll never visit the website again -- I have a "thing" about people who feel that they have to play their music on my computer. BTW, back in the '70s IIRC there was a product called (something like) Cramolin. What ever happened to it? The EPA? Thanks for the suggestion anyway Norm Cramolin is now DeOxit. Caig is the US source. Still the best that I have found. Leonard |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
WD40 is the universal cure.
"Norm Dresner" wrote in message ... Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm WD40 is a wax disssolved in a mixture of solvents. It will eventually dissolved the resistive material inside many pots...thus permanently destroying the part. Hint: WD40 IS NOT A LUBRICANT. IT IS A WATER-DISPLACER ("WD"...GET IT) designed for corosion protection of ferous metals. WD40 IS USELESS AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR ANY OTHER APPLICATION. Go to an electronics store and purchase a can of spray-on contact cleaner (with or without lubricant for pots). There are at least dozens of different brand names. webpa |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
WD40 is a wax disssolved in a mixture of solvents. It will eventually
dissolved the resistive material inside many pots...thus permanently destroying the part. This has always been a unsubstantiated rumor in my opinion, others can disagree, mostly people that have never even used WD40, just read about the problems and relaying the rumors that have little fact. I'll tell my experience. Way back in 1978 when I started in the business we used WD40, never ever hurt a thing, then used commercial tunerwash, never hurt a thing, then when CFCs were taken out of tunerwash it was suddenly very risky to use because it would desolve certain plastics ruining parts. We went back to WD40 which I still use today although rarely do pots come into the picture with newer equipment. So in summary, I've cleaned many thousand pots and tuners with WD40 and I'd recommend it. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
WD40 is a wax disssolved in a mixture of solvents. It will eventually
dissolved the resistive material inside many pots...thus permanently destroying the part. This has always been a unsubstantiated rumor in my opinion, others can disagree, mostly people that have never even used WD40, just read about the problems and relaying the rumors that have little fact. I'll tell my experience. Way back in 1978 when I started in the business we used WD40, never ever hurt a thing, then used commercial tunerwash, never hurt a thing, then when CFCs were taken out of tunerwash it was suddenly very risky to use because it would desolve certain plastics ruining parts. We went back to WD40 which I still use today although rarely do pots come into the picture with newer equipment. So in summary, I've cleaned many thousand pots and tuners with WD40 and I'd recommend it. I've cleaned dozens of pots, switches, and tuners (consumer parts and aerospace parts) with WD40 (20 years ago). Stopped instantly when some of the parts began disintegrating, and others failed due to the goo (wax) left behind after the solvents evaporated. I also used to use WD40 to lubricate automotive parts...such as door hinges and latch/lock (not cylinders) mechanisms. Again, after a period of time, the goo build-up became horrendous, and the goo seems to be the world's most perfect dust/dirt attractor. After my truck's door latch mechanisms became virtually immobile, I removed them, soaked in kerosene, washed in soap and water, and then air-dried. This was almost 10 years ago. The doors feel and sound like new. I've done this with several vehicles mistakenly "lubricated" with WD40 since, with the same results. If you haven't had similar results with WD40, then you have been very lucky. webpa |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
"WEBPA" wrote in message ... | I've cleaned dozens of pots, switches, and tuners (consumer parts and aerospace | parts) with WD40 (20 years ago). Stopped instantly when some of the parts | began disintegrating, and others failed due to the goo (wax) left behind after | the solvents evaporated. | | I also used to use WD40 to lubricate automotive parts...such as door hinges and | latch/lock (not cylinders) mechanisms. Again, after a period of time, the goo | build-up became horrendous, and the goo seems to be the world's most perfect | dust/dirt attractor. After my truck's door latch mechanisms became virtually | immobile, I removed them, soaked in kerosene, washed in soap and water, and | then air-dried. This was almost 10 years ago. The doors feel and sound like | new. I've done this with several vehicles mistakenly "lubricated" with WD40 | since, with the same results. | | If you haven't had similar results with WD40, then you have been very lucky. If you can find 2-22 you'll find it works well. Otherwise I would use tuner cleaner, even the Radio Shack stuff. WD-40 is OK on rusty tractors and gate hinges. N |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
|
#14
|
|||
|
|||
WD-40 is suitable for use as a glaze breaker oil in lawn mower engines. Do
not use it on anything that you don't want dirty, dusty and gummy. Oh yeah, it doesn't free frozen bolts either... Kirk S. joejoe wrote in message ... On 29 Oct 2004 21:55:33 GMT, (WEBPA) wrote: WD40 is a wax disssolved in a mixture of solvents. It will eventually dissolved the resistive material inside many pots...thus permanently destroying the part. This has always been a unsubstantiated rumor in my opinion, others can disagree, mostly people that have never even used WD40, just read about the problems and relaying the rumors that have little fact. I'll tell my experience. Way back in 1978 when I started in the business we used WD40, never ever hurt a thing, then used commercial tunerwash, never hurt a thing, then when CFCs were taken out of tunerwash it was suddenly very risky to use because it would desolve certain plastics ruining parts. We went back to WD40 which I still use today although rarely do pots come into the picture with newer equipment. So in summary, I've cleaned many thousand pots and tuners with WD40 and I'd recommend it. I've cleaned dozens of pots, switches, and tuners (consumer parts and aerospace parts) with WD40 (20 years ago). Stopped instantly when some of the parts began disintegrating, and others failed due to the goo (wax) left behind after the solvents evaporated. I also used to use WD40 to lubricate automotive parts...such as door hinges and latch/lock (not cylinders) mechanisms. Again, after a period of time, the goo build-up became horrendous, and the goo seems to be the world's most perfect dust/dirt attractor. After my truck's door latch mechanisms became virtually immobile, I removed them, soaked in kerosene, washed in soap and water, and then air-dried. This was almost 10 years ago. The doors feel and sound like new. I've done this with several vehicles mistakenly "lubricated" with WD40 since, with the same results. If you haven't had similar results with WD40, then you have been very lucky. webpa my mother was going around the house every six months with wd40 spraying anything that turned. luv that gummy residue. I sprayed with LPS and that was that. |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 23:37:46 GMT, "Norm Dresner"
wrote: Okay, SOS pads in the kitchen but what in the electronics lab? TIA Norm Old time TV repair guy here.Worked in a TV shop in the 60's and now repair vintage electronics of all kinds(*except* TV's....don't like high voltages anymore!) in my home based shop. Many contact cleaners work well.Some are ridiculously overpriced because the field lends itself to what is called "perceived value marketing" and so few people understand chemical terms. Many TV shops used WD-40 on a regular basis.I tested it ***extensively*** and was unable to force it (even in purposely large quantities)to cause any significant residue build up. In conversations with the WD-40 people they agree that excessive use is not desirable in electronics but unless you use it every few weeks or so ,you won't get a waxy build up problem.Many old timer ham operators use WD-40 also.No problems even at high frequencies. CRC contact cleaner and even CRC brake drum cleaner will work and leave no residue. Deantured (not isopropyl medical) alcohol works fairly well. No cause for alarm with WD-40 though in any normal amount of usage. Some very high priced contact cleaners consist of refined olive oil with a fancy sounding name(Oleac acid)and traces of surfacants and lighter(naptha) fluid and can cost you $20.00 a can.I cannot break a trust by giving the product name in that case as a friend plans to market it under a different name. Malcolm Leonard |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
|
#17
|
|||
|
|||
You can find lots of praise for Caig products in the SER archives. I've
never been fond of flooding a pot or switch with an aerosol can.. I use a small plastic bottle with a needle tip for the DeOxit liquid. I started using the Caig products several decades ago, and they're so effective that I haven't felt the need to try other products to see if they're as good or better. Flooding will generally wash away the original lubricant in the bushing of a panel pot, and cause the adjustment to feel loose. I've never been a fan of the WD40 product for any application, and particularly not for any electro-mechanical application. I know that to a lot of folks, it's a miracle in a can. Cheers WB ............... wrote in message ... Old time TV repair guy here.Worked in a TV shop in the 60's and now repair vintage electronics of all kinds(*except* TV's....don't like high voltages anymore!) in my home based shop. Many contact cleaners work well.Some are ridiculously overpriced because the field lends itself to what is called "perceived value marketing" and so few people understand chemical terms. Many TV shops used WD-40 on a regular basis.I tested it ***extensively*** and was unable to force it (even in purposely large quantities)to cause any significant residue build up. In conversations with the WD-40 people they agree that excessive use is not desirable in electronics but unless you use it every few weeks or so ,you won't get a waxy build up problem.Many old timer ham operators use WD-40 also.No problems even at high frequencies. CRC contact cleaner and even CRC brake drum cleaner will work and leave no residue. Deantured (not isopropyl medical) alcohol works fairly well. No cause for alarm with WD-40 though in any normal amount of usage. Some very high priced contact cleaners consist of refined olive oil with a fancy sounding name(Oleac acid)and traces of surfacants and lighter(naptha) fluid and can cost you $20.00 a can.I cannot break a trust by giving the product name in that case as a friend plans to market it under a different name. Malcolm Leonard ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message ... Old time TV repair guy here.Worked in a TV shop in the 60's and now repair vintage electronics of all kinds(*except* TV's....don't like high voltages anymore!) in my home based shop. Older than you? We used to use carbon tet, then later trichloroethane. It's a wonder my liver still works! N |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Me too - CRC contact cleaner always did the trick on pots and tuner
contacts David wrote: Old time TV repair guy here.Worked in a TV shop in the 60's and |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
How much work is to clean & stain cedar deck railing? | Home Repair | |||
How to clean up an old hardwood filing cabinet? | UK diy | |||
How can I clean ceramic floor tiles after laying them? | UK diy | |||
"nice quality" (and wide) push-broom: how to clean it? | Home Repair | |||
Hvac question, do I clean the evaporator if I have access to it? | Home Repair |