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Topic: Help On Cleaning Pots On Amp |
Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2014 8:25 pm |
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| I have a old Fender Power Chorus solidstate amp with red knobs that all the pots make noise. I got a can of electronics cleaner from radio shack. Not sure I got the right cleaner or where to spray it. From the outside or do I need to take the amp apart? Thanks for any help. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Florida USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 4:15 am
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Here's a cap that helps one spray contact cleaner into the pots of guitars, amps, radios, or other electronic gear without removing any of the pots or disassembling anything at all.
It's expensive (about $20) for what it is, but it saves a LOT of time. I mean, think about it, you can spend an easy hour pulling apart an amp and chassis, spraying its pots from the rear, and then putting it all back together again. Or try doing the same thing to a thinline guitar with a virtually inaccessible wiring harness. With this little cap you can get the job done in less than 60 seconds.
www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Contact_Cleaner/Pot_Cleaning_Cap.html |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 10:16 am
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Eric,
while I appreciate the intent of that product, I disagree with what it's really gonna do. First off it's going to clear out and thin out the very specific grease used to calibrate the torque, rotational resistance of the pot, and then it may take a WHOLE LOT of juice to finally make it all the way to the carbon track of the pot. I'm a much bigger fan of taking the chassis out and spraying the pots from behind where there is quick and easy access to the part that needs cleaning...
B |
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Sidney Malone
From:
Buna, TX
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 11:32 am
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Glad this thread came up.....I have some dirty pots that I've been putting off cleaning because I have in the past used electronics cleaner or "contact" cleaner & it seemed like in just a few months they were scratchin' again!
I just ordered some DeoxIt upon Jack's suggestion & will try that. Hopefully the lube in it will keep the pots "clean" much longer!
_________________
MSA Millennium S-12U
Walker Stereo Steel
Hilton Pedal |
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 1:09 pm
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I've been using DeoxIT D5 for years with great success and was wondering if Jack would chime in and explain the differences between that and the one he recommends by DeoxIT.... thanks...
_________________
https://www.reverbnation.com/bigredandtheresonators |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 4:15 pm
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There are a few products in the "DeOxit" line. The "faderlube" Jack mentioned is the one you want. Standard "Deoxit", the red fluid, that stuff works great for a year or 2, but then it can gum up and attract dirt and need cleaning again. Lots of pro audio tech's have grown to avoid the red stuff. But Faderlube, that stuff seems great on pots and faders and jacks and switches. Once a year or so I spray it on a small rag and wipe it on every plug in my pedalboard and rig. Oxidization happens, gotta clean it.
I know one guy who is a fairly famous tech known for working on Trident mixing consoles, among others. He swears by a mixture of 100% isopropyl alcohol (anhydrous) and a tiny bit of sewing machine or turbine oil. That's all he ever uses on faders and pots. That seems to work well too. The alcohol cleans and evaporates entirely and the tiny amount of turbine oil is so clean that it stays pure and doesn't gum up or attract much dust.
B |
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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Sidney Malone
From:
Buna, TX
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Posted 14 Aug 2014 5:30 pm
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Chris...I did a little research before I ordered it & it looks to me like the D5 is more of a "cleaner" than a lube & the F5 "fader lube" that Jack recommended is more of a "lube" than a cleaner, however they both do some cleaning & lubing.
I went ahead and ordered both & will use the D5 to clean followed by the F5 to lube. It may be overkill but I did read where that is the recommended way to do it. If it will work for more than a few months I will be happy!!
_________________
MSA Millennium S-12U
Walker Stereo Steel
Hilton Pedal |
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 15 Aug 2014 5:11 am
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Make sure that what you use on your pots is a cleaner/lube. Using something that is a cleaner only can kill a pot in a matter of weeks. Also, those "pot attachments" that claim to allow you to do the job without disassembly are okay in a pinch, but they're a poor substutute for doing things the right way.
Been there, done that. |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Florida USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2014 1:00 pm
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| On Jack and Brad's recommendations, I ordered a can of the DeOxit Faderlube. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 17 Aug 2014 5:18 am
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| Brad Sarno wrote: |
First off it's going to clear out and thin out the very specific grease used to calibrate the torque, rotational resistance of the pot, and then it may take a WHOLE LOT of juice to finally make it all the way to the carbon track of the pot.
B |
I agree with this.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2014 7:02 pm
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Thanks everyone for the info and advice. I didn't realize what a job it is. I found this video on youtube. Would there still be a charge in a amp after it has been sitting a few years?
http://youtu.be/0QvOepREO4k |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2014 9:34 pm
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With solid-state amps it's not as much of a concern... the voltages are an order of magnitude less. Still, there's no harm in checking using a voltmeter... and despite what others say, a BFS (big freeking screwdriver) is a useful tool for shorting out capacitors. If it sparks, you had charge.
Capacitors can actually charge up over time... the electrolytic ones can do this via electro-chemical action (just a few volts), the others can do this via cosmic rays. A Leyden Jar will charge up over time if left alone... sometimes substantially. Big TV picture tubes can do this too, due to the Leyden Jar effect, even if not connected to anything.
_________________
Too much junk to list... always getting more. |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 20 Aug 2014 5:52 am
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| After carefully reading the Stew-Mac ad, I happened to notice that it states that the unit is not compatible with imported pots with metric threads (which I assume most modern amps built overseas utilize?) Amps built in the U.S.A. by major brands are most likely using foreign built electronic components as well. May be advisable to check the thread size before ordering this gizmo. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 20 Aug 2014 9:05 am
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Cleaning may or may not work with the Stew-Mac external gadget. I vote for it won't work or won't work well.
The "old fashion" take it apart and spray from the rear is the only way to spray a pot. However, if its "worn out" spraying isn't going to help, it will need replacement. |
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