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Author
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Topic: C leaning Pots/WD-40
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David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 31 January 2004 04:28 AM
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This from VintageAmpsAndGuitarLovers Board:Message: 2
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 20:06:27 EST
From: TbStkBgie@aol.com
Subject: cleaning pots; Cesar Diaz' last word from beyond the grave
A month or so ago we were discussing cleaning noisy or intermittent pots, and when I mentioned that I frequently use WD-40 for this, at least one guy on the Maggie-Valco list said "don't do it, never do it", etc etc.......well, for what it's worth, I was surfing the 'Net the other day and I found a reprint of an old Vintage Guitar article co-written by Cesar Diaz, where Diaz
specifically talked about his frequent & preferred use of WD-40 for cleaning pots ! In
worst case situations he'd actually flush them with Gunk (automotive carburetor/brake cleaner) first, and then quickly follow up with the WD-40 so the pot wouldn't seize up from the harsh solvent action of the Gunk cleaner.
I guess we can infer from this that Stevie Ray (Vaughn)'s amplifiers had their pots cleaned with WD-40 at some point or other !! Didn't seem to hurt Stevie's tone any.......
CJ
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Bob Carlucci
Member From: Candor, New York, USA
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posted 31 January 2004 04:43 AM
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I have used it for years without a problem.. If Cesar Diaz used it, its ok with me.. the man was brilliant!! bob |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 31 January 2004 07:07 AM
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WD-40 seems ok at first for some cleaning situations but over time, and not much time, it seems to gum up and become the opposite of a lube/cleaner. Brad Sarno |
Lawrence Sullivan
Member From: Granite City, Illinois, USA
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posted 31 January 2004 07:35 AM
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WD 40 is a great product for automotive use, but being into Ham Radio and tinkering with various electronic device, all of us use an electronics cleaner designed for pots, Tv tuners etc It leaves no residue and no odor
You can usually find this product at Radio Shack It is priced higher than Wd 40 thoughWD 40 is highly flamable, so much so that some diesel mechaics use it for starting cold engines in place of ether Respectfully Larry |
Bill Hatcher
Member From: Atlanta Ga. USA
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posted 31 January 2004 07:52 AM
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WD40 has a paraffin base ie. WAX. Better used on fence hinges and lawnmowers.I don't care what Diaz used it for, it is about the worst thing you could use for electronic gear. |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 31 January 2004 11:05 AM
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The original function of WD-40 was for water displacement. Hence the initials, WD, the 40 refers to, this was the 40th formula in the test sequence.If you're going to clean pots, you might try Cramolin (sp?) |
David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 31 January 2004 11:24 AM
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I've got DeOxyIt to clean pots and only passed this along because I recall some comments to the effect that it was reckless, if not insane, (my words) to use WD-40, which apparently it is not. It maybe just isn't ideal. |
Bill Ford
Member From: Graniteville SC Aiken
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posted 02 February 2004 04:47 PM
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Not in anything I own,electronics or anything!!!!!!!------------------
Bill Ford |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 02 February 2004 05:04 PM
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Please! Use a cleaner/lubricant that's recommended for electrical contacts and controls! If you use just any spray lubricant, or something that's just a cleaner, you'll soon be one of the people who complain that "My pots don't last very long anymore!" |
Jim Dempsey
Member From: Belmar, New Jersey, USA
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posted 02 February 2004 05:39 PM
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How does one clean pots anyway? Do you have to remove the chassis from the cabinet to get to them ,or can you just take the knobs off the front and give them a squirt?---JimNashville 400 |
David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 02 February 2004 05:40 PM
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I read somewhere recently that DeOxyIt now contains primarily mineral spirits, as the earlier formulation was harmful to some of the components of pots. I guess maybe using that "recommended" product didn't serve everyone all that well. This whole area of what to use to clean pots seems awfully murky to me with not much reliable information out there. |
David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 02 February 2004 05:45 PM
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You need to get access to the internal workings of the pots and squirt in some cleaner. Simply taking off the knobs and spraying on the shaft won't do anything except maybe lubricate the shaft. |
Bill Hatcher
Member From: Atlanta Ga. USA
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posted 02 February 2004 05:46 PM
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I heard it was naptha in the DeOxit. |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 02 February 2004 06:38 PM
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Caig makes this great stuff specifically for moving contacts. It's in a blue and white can. To get the spray inside the pot to clean it, open the chassis and right where the 3 terminals on the pot are you'll find an opening into the pot. On volume pedal pots, they're sealed up and you'd need to pry the metal can off. Brad Sarno |
Jim Dempsey
Member From: Belmar, New Jersey, USA
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posted 02 February 2004 06:56 PM
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Thanks Brad....i got a can of Contact/Control-Cleaner&Lubricant(Radio Shack).I'm gonna give my Nash. 400 pots a cleaning.Do you think i'll have any problems getting the chassis out.I guess i have to take the BW out and disconnect the reverb tank,then take out the screws and pull out the chassis.Anything else to watch out for?---Jim |
David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 03 February 2004 04:26 AM
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I had a pair of NV 400s. Getting at the pots is as you say, but use extreme caution disconnecting the reverb connector from the chassis, as the solder on one of the terminals came loose and caused itermittent problems, which Peavey didn't find when I sent it back. It was almost only by accident that I discovered what the cause was. I ended up having to resolder the pins to the pc board.
As I recall, the location of the opening into the pots makes getting the cleaner where it needs to go a little difficult. You may need to try holding the chassis in different positions, and also bending the delivery nozzle to get its tip into the pots, but it is doable, and remember, gravity can be your friend. And don't rotate the pot to death. I ruined an (admittedly cheap) Radio Shack pot with a few seconds of vigorous rotation.[This message was edited by David Deratany on 03 February 2004 at 04:30 AM.] |
C Dixon
Member From: Duluth, GA USA
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posted 03 February 2004 11:41 AM
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I ditto Bill Hatcher and Bill Ford on this. It is a good rule noto follow players' habits and/or advice when it comes to the electronics aspect of music. One might be the best player in the world, but when it comes to electronics that is a horse of a different color. WD is NOT designed for cleaning any electronic device. It has properties in it that can actually erode and decompose the very delicate wiper contact and the ultra thin resisistive element itself in carbon pots. Best to use a product that IS designed for cleaning contacts. Note: Is is almost futile to try and clean an Allen Bradley pot; because for all practical purpose, these are "sealed" pots. The only place that isn't sealed is around the shaft. But even here, they are sealed as best they can and still allow it to rotate. In fact, one of the problems with the ones made in mexico and now china is they are sealed too tightly; and that is why they are often harder to turn than the original AB pots. carl |
Bill Ford
Member From: Graniteville SC Aiken
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posted 04 February 2004 06:40 PM
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David,
If there is any doubt about using WD40 for pot cleaner,spray some on a piece of clean metal,then look at it a couple of days later,if that don't convince you ,nothing will.We tried using it in a machine shop to clean equipment and all it did was cause a mess on everything it was left on.It must have made for a weird tone/effect on that vintage amp. ------------------
Bill Ford[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 04 February 2004 at 06:42 PM.] |
Ron Whitworth
Member From: Yuma,Ariz. USA
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posted 04 February 2004 06:51 PM
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Just to add to this post, a few years back one of the pots on my Tele started acting up.I took it to a guy who worked on guitars from a shop in his back yard.He pulled it out so he could get to the rear of the pot, shot some WD-40 in it & turned the pot several times then the pot froze in place!!
I was sick to say the least as it was a '61 Tele..NO MORE WD-40 in any pots on anything of mine..YMMV ........ Ron
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David Deratany
Member From: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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posted 04 February 2004 06:58 PM
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I think it would be foolish on my part to ignore all the cautionary advice given here. I've never used WD-40 for pots, merely started this thread with a post that raised some questions. Since other, clearly appropriate, solutions abound, there's little point in taking a chance with something that may turn out to be less than satisfactory in the long run.I thank all the participants in this discussion. |
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