Cleaning up a pot...

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:37 am

... mainly because i'm not sure which sort of stuff I could use.

The volume pot on my $167 acoustic preamp (that I got for $16 on eBay) is crackling and making my signal intermittent if I whack it. I may need re-soldering possibly, but maybe just cleaning.

I have some switch cleaner - the stuff that I use on non-live electrical pots - but i'm unsure as to whether i'm OK using that or need something else. Ideas?

It looks like this... main volume is top right.

bgarrett_uk · Post by **bgarrett_uk** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:11 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by irish_admiral
 ... mainly because i'm not sure which sort of stuff I could use.

The volume pot on my $167 acoustic preamp (that I got for $16 on eBay) is crackling and making my signal intermittent if I whack it. I may need re-soldering possibly, but maybe just cleaning.

I have some switch cleaner - the stuff that I use on non-live electrical pots - but i'm unsure as to whether i'm OK using that or need something else. Ideas?

It looks like this... main volume is top right.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Joe this stuff - http://www.studiospares.com/pd_635000_S ... RVISOL.htm - or similar works.
Of if it is really sh1tty then this stuff first http://www.studiospares.com/pd_635030_A ... 20AERO.htm followed by the first one.
Didn'tknow your local currency was dollar$
Cheers
Brian

Post by **bclaire** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:38 pm

TV tuner cleaner with lubricant is what you need... spray and twist the pots for about 30 seconds or more.

Bluz57 · Post by **Bluz57** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:18 am

[quote]Originally posted by bclaire
 TV tuner cleaner with lubricant is what you need... spray and twist the pots for about 30 seconds or more.

I us stuff Radio Shack sells. I guess they don't have those in the U.K.

acorkos · Post by **acorkos** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:49 am

when you have it open to clean the pot, have a hot soldering iron ready....from the sound of it, you may have some intermittent contacts there.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:58 am

Yeah, I emailed Dieter at K&K and he just suggested some WD40. He said the pot might need replacing, which they could do for $20 if I shipped it over to Oregon!

Think i'll be whipping out my iron...

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:54 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by irish_admiral
 Yeah, I emailed Dieter at K&K and he just suggested some WD40. He said the pot might need replacing, which they could do for $20 if I shipped it over to Oregon!

Think i'll be whipping out my iron...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I wouldn't use WD40 myself. It is silicone free, but I think the good tuner cleaners do contain silicone. Anyway, much better with real tuner cleaner IMO. (Do you find WD40 in electronics stores beside the tuner cleaners? If so I've never noticed it.)

WD40 is great for car ignition systems and perfect for lubricating locks. Better then using oil in locks in fact. (Not a lot of people know that!)

Andy.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:57 pm

Might fetch some proper stuff from Maplin then.

robtaz · Post by **robtaz** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:03 pm

I'm sure I've heard bad things about cleaning Pots with WD40. Come to think it my Wah wah was never the same after I sprayed it with WD40.
As for it other uses I couldn't possibly comment.
Rob

VintageJon · Post by **VintageJon** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:58 am

Forget WD-40. Use DeOxit-5 for best results. This is the Pro stuff.
I don't know if it can be shipped to the U.K. but it's the best-of-breed.

(I use it in all critical applications. Made in the USA and I get it shipped to me with the usual costs for hazarous material.)

-Jon

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:26 pm

I'm just going to go with the contact cleaner i've got. If it still doesn't work, i'll send it off to my tech to fix it. I'm not happy soldering PCBs, and don't really have the time, so he can do it...

Satanic_Versus · Post by **Satanic_Versus** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 2:17 pm

Cleaning up a pot.

depending on it if its dry or moist,

if it's moist then just tear it up into small pieces removing as much of the large stems as you can. then use scissors to cut it up into shavings and be sure to remove all the small stems and seed if there is any..

if its dry then just break it up with you fingers and pull all the stems clean and again remove all the smell stems and seeds..

that should do it.

OH and YES! stay away from the WD-40..

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 5:02 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Satanic_Versus
 Cleaning up a pot.

depending on it if its dry or moist,

if it's moist then just tear it up into small pieces removing as much of the large stems as you can. then use scissors to cut it up into shavings and be sure to remove all the small stems and seed if there is any..

if its dry then just break it up with you fingers and pull all the stems clean and again remove all the smell stems and seeds..

that should do it.

OH and YES! stay away from the WD-40..<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Ah, very good. Not sure that Joe was talking about his 'pot' plants though...

Andy.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:48 pm

Give that man a cigar...

bgarrett_uk · Post by **bgarrett_uk** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:16 pm

Hey Joe.... (how many times does this greeting occur?)

Kew Gardens may be able to help here.... hehe.

Cleaning up a pot...

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