WD-40? on contacts?
I'd as soon do that as use Armor All on a record.
HEY, I DID use Armor All on a record! ONCE. 30 yrs ago.
Absolutely NO surface noise, a ruined stylus (gunk) and a new replacement disk. |
Caig Deoxit worked wonderfully on the volume contols of my venerable MFA Luminescence Pre-amp and the tube bias switches on my MFA mono amps. They've been out of service for a number of years. Volume controls were noisy. Amp power tube biasing was impossible due to poor contact.
Judicious application of Caig did the trick.
I also "worked" the knobs and switches repeatedly which helped the Caig do its job.
And, finally, I treated the tube pins and sockets with Deoxit Gold after Deoxit.
Highly recommended. |
Thanks to all, I'll go with the Caig Fader Lube & report results. |
Kirkus, thanks for the benefit of your experience. I'll follow your lead on pot cleaning. |
Google "wd 40 contact cleaner" and you will find a lot of reasons NOT to use it. I'm not saying they are all valid but if even one of them is it shouldn't be used. I say get some good contact cleaner, why take the chance?
Among the reasons I found:
WD-40 will conduct electricity
WD40 is nothing but a degreaser, does not remove grime and such
WD-40 is a bad idea on contacts that might spark. The residue is flammable
WD-40 leaves a sticky residue that can attract dust.
Initially, you will find the crackly noise vanishes, but the oil then attracts dust, and starts to thicken up. You can't clean it out, it also sprays everywhere making the inside of the device a real mess.
WD 40 will attack some plastics
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Eldartford, WD-40 can dissolve some plastics (see the label), and can also dissolve the carbon resistive elements on some potentiometers, I've seen it personally. It's not as harsh as some other stuff that people try, and you might try it if you don't care too much about the given piece of gear, but definately NOT a safe general recommendation.
The "industry standard" for decades was Cramolin R-5, which is now sold as Caig D-5 DeOxit . . . the only difference is that the latter is HCFC-free. It works very well, but I recommend using the SMALLEST necessary dose, applied directly to the resistive element(s) and wipers. This usually means partial disassembly of the equipment, and spraying through the openings in the back of the potentiometer. The included little red straw is a must . . . you can even put a little bend in the end by heating it slightly, and blowing through it while bending.
I recommend using ONLY enough of the product to de-oxidize the contacts, and NOT to dissolve the lubricants used inside the potentiometer during manufacture. This means a tiny, tiny, little squirt! Or alternatively, DeOxit is available in a 100% solution in a squeeze-dropper bottle, where literally a single tiny drop is enough. The "flush, clean, and re-lubricate" process is usually only necessary in extreme cases (i.e. sliders on a mixer that lives in a smokey bar and has had a beer spilled on it). |
Ljshape10...Did you ever actually try WD-40? (That arguement seems to work around here when talking about audio tweeks):-)
I use proper contact/control cleaner myself and agree that it is best. But I have used WD-40, and never had a problem due to it. |
The great thing about the Caig FaderLube that Timnaim so firmly recommended, above, is that it not only cleans theo pot, it lubricates the conductive plastic inside so it won't dry out again in a hurry. You can hear the grunge go away after you use it. Turn on the unit after the cleanup, swing the pot--grunge fades out and goes bye-bye.
I've cleaned pots with other stuff but the grunge always came back. Not with the Caig.
If you want to be compulsive about it you can flush the pot first with a spray of DeOxit (or something cheaper), till the cleaner drips out of it. Then twist the knob a few times and apply the FaderLube |
What ever you do, don't use WD40, you will definitely need to replace the volume control if you do...There is contact cleaner for switches that is in a spray can which includes small tube adapter to localize the spray. The contact cleaner spray doesn't leave a film and drys almost instantly...Larry Stamper : Electrical Engineer...Instrument & Maintence Dept...large Chemical Maunfacture. The best thing to do would be determine what type of pot (log or linear & what resistance metion used) & it's resistance value and do an upgrade, if you know how. or you can find someone with some electronic parts replacement skills to help you.
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This should do the job http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.293/.f
Better get a local electronic shop can change the potentiometers , the replacement potentiometers are easy to source you may even upgrade from companies like Goldmoint, Tkd, Dact...unless your volume has remote then replace like for like.
If a This should do the job http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.293/.f
Better get a local electronic shop can change the potentiometers , the replacement potentiometers are easy to source you may even upgrade from companies like Goldmoint, Tkd, Dact...unless your volume has remote then replace like for like.
If the This should do the job http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.293/.f
Better get a local electronic shop can change the potentiometers , the replacement potentiometers are easy to source you may even upgrade from companies like Goldmoint, Tkd, Dact...unless your volume has remote then replace like for like.
Tim |
IMHO Caig would be preferable to WD40
Get the spray, use the little tube and be sparing |
You could try WD-40 (which is all-purpose good for anything stuff). I have used it in a pinch. But a better idea is control/contact cleaner from Radio Shack. |
Possibly you won't even need a spay. Just rotate the control to and fro all the way from lift to right and vice versa for about 10 times with the unit switched off and the noise might go away. By rotating it, you'd have a chance of removing minute traces of oxidation on the contacts which probably are causing that noise. |
