Switch Cleaner

[SceneMaster]

Hi,

 

The AV technician at school has asked me what my view on “Switch Cleaner†which he claims is a “WD40 type of product which cleans switches and leaves no residue†he wants to use it to clean a volume potentiometer on a cassette player as it is crackling. Apparently it is a very controversial product and there are many views on whether it works or not. He wants some views on it before he uses it on a perfectly fine cassette player. I personally have never heard of it and don’t know if the name “Switch Cleaner†is a general name or a brand name.

 

Any thoughts or views on the product would be most helpful (if you know of the product that is ;)),

 

Scenemaster

[Andrew C]

There are a variety of "Switch Cleaners" that are fine for the purpose described; WD is NOT. RS, CPC, Maplin et al sell them. For cleaning a pot, I'd be inclined to start with an air duster, but would expect to need a cleaner for the described fault.

 

No controversy that I've heard of, but then the WD reference may give rise to one!

 

If the cassette deck is "perfectly fine", why does it crackle?

 

One of my visiting engineers recommends a Farnel product that isn't in the CPC book, but I'm damned if I can remember which.

 

Andrew; A full time AV Tech, part-time theatre tech!

[Ike]

Try simply using an air duster to remove loose dust. If you really want to use a 'wet' cleaning method go for isopropyl alcohol (servisol etc). WD40 and similar products all leave a lubricating film that attracts dusty and dirt.

 

It could well be that the conductive surface of the pot, be it carbon or polymer, is scratched in which case it will need replacing.

 

HTH

 

Ike

[Brian]

...which cleans switches and leaves no residue†he wants to use it to clean a volume potentiometer on a cassette player as it is crackling.

You'll find if you do this it help for about 1 month and then the crackling will be back even worse and this time you'll not be able to clear it.

 

Cheapo carbon track pots should never have switch cleaner used on them unless it is designed for the job. If you use a solvent based cleaner you simply clean away the lubrication that is meant to be there. The result is that after a while you wear away the carbon track. The best way to clean a pot is to gently move it from end to end a few dozen times; this pushes the dirt to the end of the track. A good preventitive maintenance routine is to do this every month or so on every pot on a sound desk.

 

Cheapo plastic track pots are the same.

 

A good range of cleaners is here. They are not cheap but are very good, have a look at Cailube MCL.

 

WD40 is a real no no. It's not what it was desinged for (hint, WD stands for Water Displacer).

 

I'd also disagree with Ike and not use alcohol. For the same reasons as above; it will also clean away all the lubrication which is meant to be there.

[PaulDF]

One of our electricians at work used a similar aerosol type switch cleaner in a contactor panel and energized it too soon. The whole panel went up in flames!!! If using this cleaner, always read the label before use.