Cleaning Potentiometers and Variable Capacitors

[@jlucasound]

Hi, Roger! We missed you! I still have my mini oscilloscope with your mods! Also the little function generator. Both complete in their clear acrylic cases. I actually got my mods to fit in the cases. Thanks for those videos and this one!

[@DarrenWalley]

What mini oscilloscope is this...? Are they any good & is it worth buying one...?

[@sadunnakipoglu9471]

Thank you and appreciate your effort. Greetings to you from Turkey .

[@GroverCricketDaisy]

Hello thank you for a very informative video on cleaning variable capacitors/pontentiometers

[@sideskroll]

Very interesting video. Thanks for uploading it. Do you think that cleaning the pot with some 99% IPA and lubricating it with white lithium grease would work? Or would it mess with the resistance?

[@KainkaLabs]

I don´t know if lithium grease is conductive?

[@MC-ph7gr]

Hello. I got a boombox with an analog tuner from a friend. It does not play any FM station with no static noise. Stereo light comes on. It has a new antenna. FM stations’ signals are good because my other tuners have no problem. Inside the boombox is like new. Antenna cable is connected to the pcb. I cleaned all the switches and pots with contact spray. It has one of those little variable tuning capacitor in a plastic see-thru square with 4 screws on it. I played with the tuner cap screws but it did not get any better so I put them back to the initial position. The tuner cap may not be set properly because the tuning needle does not show the proper station frequency. What can be the issue? How can I tune the cap? TY

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

Great tip - testing the cleaning fluid on paper before using it! What kind of a spatula set is the one being used here? Where can one find it?

[@KainkaLabs]

You find the spatula- or spudger-set in our online-shop in this section: www.ak-modul-bus.de/stat/laborzubehoer.html It is also described in the video-series "Every maker should have..." in my KZbin channel.

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

@@KainkaLabs Awesome! Great tool site - thank you!

[@KeritechElectronics]

I use Kontakt PR, but may get interested in Tuner 600. I'd like to test Argentum fluid for silver-plated components (switches etc.) if I get a chance.

[@chrismooneyham5279]

I thought they were variable resistors?

[@ZoomStranger]

Many many thanks! I wonder why acetone wouldn't be a good cleaner for the worn potentiometer in the D-Jetronic throttle "switch". Yes, I did think of bending the arm a llttle. Regards from South Australia

[@KainkaLabs]

Acetone is too agressive. It dissolves nearly everything made out of plastic, oil, grease etc.

[@DarrenWalley]

Can you still buy replacement potentiometers?

[@KainkaLabs]

No, because potentiometers were made specific to every device and usually were not standard parts.

[@cliffjones7868]

Sometimes you get AM. FM. transistor radios that have the plastic shell make a lot of scratchy noise while tuning. One video made a note of interest to me, was that the noise was caused from the tuner shaft and its contact. I always thought it was the insulation between the plates. So rather than drench the entire tuner with contact cleaner, just use the cleaner with an eye dropper on the shaft.

[@dayleedwards3521]

Air variables can be boiled in water to clean them without damage. soaking in diesel fuel or kerosenee also works well for loosensing grease and grime.

[@KainkaLabs]

Thanks for the hint. Turpentine or paint-thinner will probably also work.

[@countryside8122]

If I have it out I find using the drill press and a 1/8 drill bit so I can spray it. Then cover the hole with small piece of metal furnace tape.

[@WobbleMatic]

Brilliant. Thank you.

[@Limousine08]

I have to replace a small 50k metal trimmer on a 1973 receiver, these 4 trimmers only have two legs and I don't see anything like them on the whole internet..all it says on them is 50K..what to do?

[@KainkaLabs]

Use a "normal" 50k trimmer and only cut off one of the outer legs. So you have the wiper-leg and the other remaining leg.

[@Limousine08]

@@KainkaLabs I sort of ended up doing that, I got some small blue bourns ones and soldered the wiper leg to one of the others, seems to work

[@Limousine08]

@@KainkaLabs so strange tho I couldn't find even a picture of one of these things anywhere

[@microflite]

Really great info. Thanks!

[@InssiAjaton]

The basic question about any spray or fluid is whether it takes any contaminants with it when it vaporizes. Mostly not. Just think why distillation works for separating for example alcohol and water. In the cleaning attempt, the original dirt rarely evaporates along with the solvent. Your test with the paper also shows, even without original dirt spot, how something was left as a ring. I would really favor washing - ultrasonic or whatever - than depend on vaporizing. If I have to depend on the spray cleaners, I would apply so much, that the cleaner and dirt can be shaken away together, rather than hope that the dirt miraculously evaporates as well.

[@KainkaLabs]

The spray and fluids shall wash away the contaminats, not "evaporate them", which is of course nonsense. Ultrasonic cleaning has it´s own dangers. It can destroy parts by vibration. And you have to desolder the part first of all and then take it out to get it into the US-cleaner. And you have to have at least a semiprofessional US-cleaner. So strays and fluids are in most cases the thing to go with first.

[@JayanthKDass]

Thank you very much for this video! I am from India, a Bio-Medical Engineer by profession & a radio & vintage audio & tape recorder hobbyist. I want to know the reconditioning process for the compact film type ganged capacitors. Please let me know through your video in case you have done any work particularly on these components. Regards!

[@KainkaLabs]

What do you mean by "ganged capacitors". Like the metal one which is shown in the video? Use compressed air for the metal plates. If the axle is stuck, soak it in acetone or another organic solvent and relubricate it with modern "non-ageing" grease.

[@papertoyss]

Thank you for this video!

[@TobiasThede]

I use lighter Fluid and a small paintbrush for Potentiometers in my tube radios,i never hat Problems in the past 10 years.

[@KainkaLabs]

Can you specify what "lighter fluid" is?

[@TobiasThede]

That zippo lighter Fluid,or if i don,t have some,i use white gas, i always have some white gas,because i use it for my coleman lantern .but be careful,if you use zippo lighter Fluid for cleaning, in some cases, test it ,on old defective Potentiometers,before using it on good ones,like i do.

[@jdb222]

Wir haben in unserer Radio&Fernseh Rep Werkstatt fuer Kontakte und Potis immer Feuerzeug Benzin benutzt (1974), mein Meister wollte von Kontakt Sprays nichts wissen.

[@ikarus30449]

keine gute Idee

[@zhinbaysen7581]

Why not bend the 4 tabs and remove the cover completely and then clean it?

[@KainkaLabs]

Yes, you can do that, but in my experience you never get it reassembled just as tight as in the original state. So only if the cleaning/lubricant spray does not work, I would disassemle the potentiometer to get to the carbon resistance layer.

[@BrianG-x4u]

Watching other professional repairs on KZbin I see them using Nutrol for switches and controls.

[@KainkaLabs]

You probably mean "Nu-Trol". Of course there are many alternatives (especially on the US market). But for cleaning potentiometers or sliders I would only use the chemicals I recommended in the video. The resistive carbon layer is extremely sensitive and irreplacable when damaged mechanically or by the wrond "solvent"/"cleaner".

[@BrianG-x4u]

@KainkaLabs thx for the good advice.

[@mikepasko7493]

VERY GOOD INFO

[@nickblackburn1903]

Thank you very helpful!

[@medi40]

Have you tried W40 spray for repairing carbon layer in potentiometers?

[@KainkaLabs]

No, better not. Use only the chemicals I recommend in the videos or name one that you have good long-time experience with.

[@rstor22]

Thank you for the great video! I posted a comment about 4 weeks ago however I believe it is pending your approval? Would you be able to please approve it so it can be made visible to all. Thank you

[@marinvidovic763]

Those Spooky , large , "OUT of The Earth"- ... , Cosmic, ... , ... variable Capacitors ,... ... ... m ... aren't' they Magical ... ??? 😃😃😃😃😃😃 Time TRAVEL, ... .... 50 years .... back in time .

[@thebraziliangardener8481]

dont ever use a ultrasonic cleaner,it will literally destroy the plastic variable capacitor

[@KainkaLabs]

Have you tried?

[@thebraziliangardener8481]

@@KainkaLabs i tried it on a modern one,it pits the copper and alluminium sheets aswell

[@edwardneuman6061]

If the carbon is worn away on a potentiometer, I would just replace it if possible.

[@KainkaLabs]

You will only in very rare circumstances find a replacement potentiometer that fits mechanically, has the same value and charateristic and the same quality. Look e..e. at the potentiometer at the bottom right. Where do want to search for this one and what are the chances you find the exact type?