New challenge, smokers 800-C aquisition

RS Steve

Tube Junkie
Subscriber
Ughhhh!
I purchased an 800-C from a fellow AKer thinking it would be a nice restoration project, problem is they didn't mention it is a tar and nicotine room unfreshener. :eek: This thing is really bad, and stinking up my garage and all that touches it. My wife went out to do a load of laundry and came back in asking if I had someone in the garage that was smoking today. So....., has anyone had any success getting a tube receiver to rid itself of the funk, or is this thing destined to be a garage stinker the rest of its life?
 
I think Don went into the Smoker's 800-C in his cleaning a tube amp sticky.
 
My 500-C came to me like that. It smelled like a stale, wet cee-gar. Happily, a thorough cleaning with the usual ammonia solution got rid of the funkiness.
 
I have had decent success cleaning the chassis so far, the coating of dust and smoke protected it from corrosion. Faceplate cleaned up ok too, knobs are soaking over night.

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The really weird part is even after you get the majority of the funk tamed, you will get little whiffs of smokers delight when you unsolder stuff.

Is it AEA that does full chassis ultrasonic cleaning? I'm sure it would work, but sounds like an expensive hassle...
 
I considered doing a soap and water cleaning using a paint brush and tub of sudsy water being careful not to get it into any transformers or pots, then using compressed air to dry it quickly. It will be quite a challenge, and not what I had envisioned for this receiver.
 
I hate to pop your bubble my friend but when you power it up the heat from it will generate the smoke smell from places you really could not get in to to clean. Once a smoke trap -it will smell like that forever. But I do wish you the best of luck on that fine Fisher.
 
I hate to pop your bubble my friend but when you power it up the heat from it will generate the smoke smell from places you really could not get in to to clean. Once a smoke trap -it will smell like that forever. But I do wish you the best of luck on that fine Fisher.

I was able to get the smell out of a Sansui receiver before, but it wasn't a tube unit that has had the smell baked into it. It's a total disappointment for sure. Neither the burnt up power switch, or the smoke issue were mentioned by the seller, but I don't need to hash that out here. I guess this stinker will get put aside and I'll chalk it up to a learning experience. :mad:
 
I don't know what the particulars of tube amps are that might change the feasibility of this, but there are lots of electronics that can be cleaned with soap water and even harsh cleaners without issue as long as you rinse and thoroughly dry it. I know in the arcade world those guys regularly hose out entire arcade cabinets (which usually contain a large isolation transformer btw), submerge circuit boards in and clean them various household cleaners, and even completely douse open monitors with simple green and hose them off. The best way to make sure its thoroughly dry is to let it sit in the sun for a day or so (as stated above).

Having said that, if your research doesn't find that its unfeasible, I would think a thorough cleaning with simple green and a toothbrush would take care of it.
 
Steve. Pull all the tubes, and take it outside. Get a can of DOW (now Johnson & Co.) SCRUBBING BUBBLES bathroom cleaner, a couple of 1" and 2" chip brushes, and a couple bottles of 91% Isopropyl alcohol. Spray the whole thing top to bottom with the scrubbing bubbles, and let sit for a minute or three. Don't let it dry. Spray more Scrubbing bubbles as needed. Scrub all over with the brushes, and rinse completely with the Alcohol with the unit on it's side, and start at the top. Use a brush with the alcohol as you feel it's needed. Do the inside too, being careful to NOT get anything into the transformer holes (remove trannies if you think it's within your capabilities, otherwise stuff cotton balls and tape into and over the holes. With the alcohol still wet, blow out the fins on the tuner varible cap with Air, OR use non residue Cleaner like CRC QD cntact cleaner. This will lessen or eliminate the V.C. as a cause of no tuner operation.

Once rinsed off completely leave out in bright sun during the day for a couple days and under a fan set on high at night. Do this for 2-3 days to ensure completely that the unit is absolutely DRY! If you feel the need, you can bake it with the transformer holes pointing up, at a temp of 170* for 4 hours. Get the wife's OK 1st. If not, the sun should do the trick nicely.

I've done this to numerous 400's, 800C, TA-600, and a few other non Fisher units with NO PROBLEMS.

Larry
 
With Larry's advice above -I might stand corrected. Sounds like a plan. And with the heat we are having down here drying would be no problem.
 
To be safe I would probably pull the transformers and more or less follow this: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/a-tube-amp-restoration-walk-through.655366/ except scrub and hose instead of ultrasonic cleaning unless you can find someone locally (and want) to do the ultrasonic bath.

If you pull the transformers you can repaint them.

I used to be nervous about pulling transformers but after doing a few it turns out it's one of the easier jobs.
 
Steve. Pull all the tubes, and take it outside. Get a can of DOW (now Johnson & Co.) SCRUBBING BUBBLES bathroom cleaner, a couple of 1" and 2" chip brushes, and a couple bottles of 91% Isopropyl alcohol. Spray the whole thing top to bottom with the scrubbing bubbles, and let sit for a minute or three. Don't let it dry. Spray more Scrubbing bubbles as needed. Scrub all over with the brushes, and rinse completely with the Alcohol with the unit on it's side, and start at the top. Use a brush with the alcohol as you feel it's needed. Do the inside too, being careful to NOT get anything into the transformer holes (remove trannies if you think it's within your capabilities, otherwise stuff cotton balls and tape into and over the holes. With the alcohol still wet, blow out the fins on the tuner varible cap with Air, OR use non residue Cleaner like CRC QD cntact cleaner. This will lessen or eliminate the V.C. as a cause of no tuner operation.

Once rinsed off completely leave out in bright sun during the day for a couple days and under a fan set on high at night. Do this for 2-3 days to ensure completely that the unit is absolutely DRY! If you feel the need, you can bake it with the transformer holes pointing up, at a temp of 170* for 4 hours. Get the wife's OK 1st. If not, the sun should do the trick nicely.

I've done this to numerous 400's, 800C, TA-600, and a few other non Fisher units with NO PROBLEMS.

Larry

Thanks Larry, there's hope!
 
After it's all clean, and if you have a week or two before it goes on the bench, take a large H.D. trash bag, put it on a table or bench, and dump a 1lb box of Arm & Hammer baking soda inside. Roll down the top so you have an area you can set the 800-C in without tipping it over or disturbing the baking soda. lay the 800-C inside, and remove as much air as possible, and seal the bag. The baking soda will absorb any moisture left over and also absorb any odors still lingering on the 800-C. Remove after a week or two, discard the bag. Brush off residual baking soda from bottom of unit, and wipe it all down.

Finish up the restoration. If the smell comes back, repeat the bag and baking soda trick for a week or two. Longer time gives better results, so you have to weigh time against odor.
 
One thing I would check too: with a power switch THAT blown up, I would verify that the power transformer is still good, and that this unit was not the subject of a lightening strike. I hate to mention that thought, but the usual and typical power switch failure simply does not blow up and (apparently) catch fire in the manner that this one appears to have done.

Dave
 
Back in the day, when I was part time at a TV shop, if a tuner would not clean up with just the usual spray, we would pull it completely and dunk it in hot soapy water a few times, then rinse in clean hot water and let it dry. Of course, there were no pots or similar hiding places for water. Don't know how well this would work on a receiver. Definitely remove the transformers.
 
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