People say a lot of things 
. DeoxIt cleans well, Gold makes cleaning a tiny bit easier IME. I don't know of any products that work better but most are just as good and none of them make a preamp sound harsh unless you smash the insides with the can it came in... or my hearing sucks. Good luck .
. DeoxIt cleans well, Gold makes cleaning a tiny bit easier IME. I don't know of any products that work better but most are just as good and none of them make a preamp sound harsh unless you smash the insides with the can it came in... or my hearing sucks. Good luck .Sounds a ludicrous idea - personally I prefer WD40 for cleaning pots and switches, it's usually more effective than switch cleaners.
We've been using it professionally at work now for decades.
One hint, use a very small amount, then exercise the control, and only if necessary then use a little more.
Not saying this is what is really happening, just thinking about it some....
I think the dirty pots may cause the high end to be reduced. Then cleaning the pots brings the preamp back to life and the harshness that is normally there can now be heard. Assuming the preamp was harsh to begin with.
I think the dirty pots may cause the high end to be reduced. Then cleaning the pots brings the preamp back to life and the harshness that is normally there can now be heard. Assuming the preamp was harsh to begin with.
Hi Freddymac,
The part of a rotary control that goes noisy is the wiper and slip ring. They are both metallic. The carbon, or conductive plastic does not create the noise unless you have DC voltage across the control. Keep in mind that the track (carbon or conductive plastic) needs to be lubricated to protect against wear from the metallic fingers of the wiper. The shaft also requires lubricant. All these cleaners will wash the protective lubricants out and by the time you see the effects it is both too late and a few years down the road. So you apply as little of the cleaner as you need into the center area of the control. Make sure you move the wiper out of the way so you don't bend it. I prefer liquid cleaner applied with a tiny "dripper", or a glass syringe. The cleaners will attack the rubber in normal needles quickly and cause them to swell up.
Rayma's advice is solid.
Hi Mike,
-Chris
The part of a rotary control that goes noisy is the wiper and slip ring. They are both metallic. The carbon, or conductive plastic does not create the noise unless you have DC voltage across the control. Keep in mind that the track (carbon or conductive plastic) needs to be lubricated to protect against wear from the metallic fingers of the wiper. The shaft also requires lubricant. All these cleaners will wash the protective lubricants out and by the time you see the effects it is both too late and a few years down the road. So you apply as little of the cleaner as you need into the center area of the control. Make sure you move the wiper out of the way so you don't bend it. I prefer liquid cleaner applied with a tiny "dripper", or a glass syringe. The cleaners will attack the rubber in normal needles quickly and cause them to swell up.
Rayma's advice is solid.
Hi Mike,
That will only happen in special situations - maybe. I can't think of anything that would cause poor contacts to be frequency selective. You would need a low pass filter for this to occur, and cleaning the control would only make it more effective in rolling off the highs. Controls normally fail open.
-Chris
FULLY agree.
last night I was trying to cook but run out of
Almost desperate, my eyes fell on a can of:
boy, was I happy
I quickly sprayed the frying pan and dropped my eggs in it.
Yes, they did taste a little harsh, but they didn't scratch at all when coming in but way more important, when going out.
I took apart a big Seiden selector switch I use with a TVC and replaced the one wiper that touches the single metal track with a piece of litz wire. Being there I cleaned the single contact points and the remaining wiper with Kontakt 60. After putting it back in the system I heard every single piece of dust and slightest scratch on every record so clearly that I couldn't enjoy the music anymore.
I then remembered Kontakt 60, which is a very aggressive cleaner is supposed to be cleaned off after use. So I cleaned again with Kontakt 60 and cleaned it off immediately with Kontakt WL, that is recommended in the data sheet. Irritation and scratchy sound gone.
If someone else told me that I would think they are crazy. Is there a reason for this effect?
I then remembered Kontakt 60, which is a very aggressive cleaner is supposed to be cleaned off after use. So I cleaned again with Kontakt 60 and cleaned it off immediately with Kontakt WL, that is recommended in the data sheet. Irritation and scratchy sound gone.
If someone else told me that I would think they are crazy. Is there a reason for this effect?
No John,
On most control surfaces a small amount of lubricant is required to keep it from wearing out. That is why the better control lubricants come in a needle topped dropper bottle.
After cleaning there should be no residue. There are some sprays sold as cleaner lubricants and these work just great on rotary analog TV tuners for a bit. They should be avoided for any critical work.
So clean first then a very small drop of lubricant spread over the entire control surface.
I actually did a service call yesterday at a rural church where the entire problem was the volume control. Wiping it back and forth leaving it set at a slightly different position was the temporary fix. Tomorrow it gets pulled and bench checked for DC on the control. So probably a cleaning and capacitor change. The church was quite pleased they did not need new loudspeakers!
Now as to harsh sounding, before cleaning it really sounded like all the tweeters were blown! So yes after cleaning the sound will be much harsher, also more accurate.
JMF, when out of spray oil, try Bourbon. Then it won't matter about the eggs at all...
ES
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I was recently working on an 80's integrated amp, with scratchy pots, but the unit was very clean. It was stored in it's original box, and even bagged in plastic.
After reading lots of comments and directions and warnings for almost every contact cleaner, I finally decided on no cleaning at all and a tiny spritz of FaderLube.
It cleared it up completely but of course only time will tell.
After reading lots of comments and directions and warnings for almost every contact cleaner, I finally decided on no cleaning at all and a tiny spritz of FaderLube.
It cleared it up completely but of course only time will tell.
I use the DeoxIT D1000L in the 25mL plastic dispenser bottle for contacts. F100L in the same size for resistive controls. G100L in a small tube for tweak volume switches. There is one caution. They fill the bottle full and as it has a small base it tips over easily. Once tipped it drains slightly more than 1/2 of the contents onto the bench when you are not looking. So when a new bottle arrives slightly more than 1/2 goes into a small glass jar until needed.
I use their sprays for cleaning.
After the flood in 2004 WD40 was used on all metal parts and the Caig products on the electrical contacts. You have no idea how many there are in a turret press control cabinet! Also had to repair any circuitry where there was a back up battery.
Hydraulic oil was changed in everything, took a barrel. The only not fully repaired item was the forklift as all the electrical circuits dissolved while under water. It is still running but the gauges are iffy.
Interesting finds while rebuilding all my gear included the table saw bearings were worn out and the only way that showed was raising and lowering the blade caused it to move relative to the fence position, changing from shielded to sealed bearings lowered the noise particularly in routers and the flood mud protected the precision steel pieces but failing to WD40 coat anything instantly after power washing would leave rust.
But that is all drifting off the topic.
But I can say changing the hydraulic fluid greatly improved the bass response of the turret press. (Really goes bang when you punch a 3" hole in 1/8" steel!)
...Yes, they did taste a little harsh, but they didn't scratch at all when coming in but way more important, when going out.
Hee! Exactly the level of reverence this topic deserves.
-- Jim
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