Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cleaning Volume Control

This is topic Cleaning Volume Control - Scratchy booth monitors in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 05-19-2002, 01:52 PM:

Okay...this is a continuation of a discussion on cleaning volume control knobs (from the "favorite booth monitor" thread).

Can somebody please explain what "contact cleaner" is really designed for? Is this one of those WD-40 type products that a lot of booths have, but shouldn't? Or is there a use for it in projection booths?

Just in case somebody is reading this years from now, two products were recommended for cleaning scratchy volume control pots:

Deoxit
Nutrol

------------------

~Manny.

Now...where was I ?
Leonard Shelby, MEMENTO.

Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 05-19-2002, 02:08 PM:

Manny,

I have a specific "contact cleaner" bought in an electronic shop. There are two type: dry or not. Dry type will evaporate after few minutes so you can put it everywhere.
The other one will left a oily skin where you use it. I used the "oily" one on my DTS last year and now I found that the board with the offset switch is full of dust (the oil has captured the dust).

I suggest you the dry ones, I use it everywhere!

Bye
Antonio

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 05-19-2002, 02:17 PM:

Contact cleaner is a harsh fast-evaporating solvent (usually CFC or HCFC based) designed to remove all oxidation and foreign substances from electrical contacts. It also removes oils and lubricants, including silicone gel as used in potentiometers. Once the wiper is directly contacting the bare unlubricated carbon strip in the pot it will gall up and the pot will sieze in a short time.

I wouldn't say it is as common as WD-40 in a booth- most booths don't have any such cleaners, nor a real need for them. The only real uses for a nonlubricating contact cleaner in a booth would be switch contacts or plugs and sockets.

There is another type of cleaner called 'Tuner Cleaner' that was originally designed for spraying into the rotary type TV tuners of old. It is not as common to obtain as it used to be, but some versions of it had a lubricant in them. Some non-lubricating contact cleaners may be incorrectly labeled as a 'Tuner Cleaner' Be Careful.

Some examples of the harsh contact cleaners:

Blue Shower
Radio Shack Contact Cleaner/Degreaser
Caeon

In response to the DeOxit question you can use either the spray or the liquid. If I need to use the stuff in a precision fashion, I usually spray some into the cap and use a syringe or Q-Tip to apply it.

-Aaron

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 05-20-2002, 01:29 AM:

When cleaning the volume control, don't just remove the knob & spray, you most likly will not get to the contacts....remove the cover or panel to get to the rear of the volume control, use the attachable nossle to spray at the opening of the control....but note !! some volume controls are sealed and cannot be cleaned, if you can not see a opening on the control, chances are it is a sealed control & can not be clean, no matter how hard you try...

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-22-2002, 10:40 PM:

When I was visiting Mark Gulbrandsen, he told me of some kind of cleaner that works great on potentiometers. I forgot what it was.

But you have to watch out using some contact cleaners, as it can attack plastic and leave you with a pile of goo.