Fisher 202 Futura - Any good?

[larryderouin]

Have you cleaned out the inside, by blowing the dust and stuff out? If not please do so. Blow dust and debris AWAY from the Tuning CAPACITOR. That's the finned looking thing with a wheel on the end and attached to the tuning string.

Now to do some preventive maintenance and rule out a possible loss of signal in the tuning capacitor. Cleaning the tuning capacitor. DO NOT USE ANYTHING WITH A LEFT OVER RESIDUAL except where it's called for below. Using a residual cleaner can cause loss of all signal by de-tuning the capacitor.

Then find the tuning capacitor (big pie shaped wedges that go round with the tuning string). Along the shaft that the wedges are on, are bearings and grounding wipers. Get some CRC QD ELECTRONICS CLEANER. This is NON-RESIDUE (and what is required for the tuning capacitor. Spray the tuning capacitor sparingly with the cleaner, making sure you get all debris out from between the fins, working the tuner back and forth across the dial 10-20 times. Let dry a day or so. It will take 2-3 days sometimes for the tuning to settle down and become accurate. While the cap is drying, spray some de-oxit FADERLUBE OR GOLD in the de-oxit can's cap. With the straw, pull a few drops of de-oxit into the straw. Then touch the BEARINGS only and the ground wiper with the deoxit. (the ground wiper is next to the bearing and will connect the shaft to the frame of the assy.) Nothing else. work the tuner back and forth across the band about 10-20 times to work in the de-oxit to the bearing.

Check once a day for accuracy and drop out. If it continues to drop out, then you need a shop to look for an alignment problem or a component problem in the TUNER Section of the board.

Larry

 

[jabbo5150]

I did blow out the dust. I can't remember if I used any deoxit on the capacitor or not. I don't THINK I did, but I am not sure now. I think I may have put some on the ground wiper. I don't think I put any into the capacitor as I had seen the warnings here

but

it was doing this before I did anything to it (e.g. when I first brought it home) and I don't believe I have made it any worse. The problems were happening from day 1.

ugh

 

[Markw]

I'm not too sure using deoxit, or anything, on the tuning capacitor is a good ides. You might want to wait for more input on this before attempting it.

 

[jabbo5150]

I am going to just try the compressed air first as I don't have any of that other spray anyhow

 

[larryderouin]

I'm not too sure using deoxit, or anything, on the tuning capacitor is a good ides. You might want to wait for more input on this before attempting it.

Mark: The De-oxit is used in drop quantities ONLY (using the straw to apply)on the bearing and ground wiper at the shaft, not on the capacitor itself. I've been doing this for years with Dad (who's the retired NAVY RD/ET) on Military radios and for the last 2 years on my receivers that I restored. And this is ONLY After a NON residue cleaner (CRC QD Electronics Cleaner or Equivalent) is used on the capacitor itself to remove dirt, bugs, etc.

There is a discussion about it on another thread in this forum, but don't remember where it is now.

Larry

 

[jabbo5150]

Is this wheel looking the the tuning capacitor? I took a number of photos of it.

Or is it that box that is attached with the missing screw?

The inside is fairly clean, but I blew air on the wheel while I turned the dial back and forth.

Also, in one of the photos, one of those silver things in the circuit board seems to have some sort of wax on it. Any idea if this should be there? None of the others seem to have it.

finally, there is some kind of fuse inside that seems to be in a rubber coating. I can't figure out what it is supposed to go to. I didn't take a photo of it, but it seems to be hooked up to a wire of some sort. Any ideas?

I don't have a service manual, so I don't know what this stuff is.

 

[jabbo5150]

here's the rest of the pics

 

[quneur]

It looks like its under the metal housing. It is the thing with bunch of metal blades/fins stacked but not touching each other and around 4" long. When using the tuning knob, the white cable should turn the tuning needle and the capacitor. Every other fin should also be turning.

You can get CRC electronics cleaner at Wallmart in the automotive section.

edit: pics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_capacitor

 

[jabbo5150]

OK, I found it and it was indeed in the housing. I took some more pics. What exactly am I spraying with this CRC stuff and what do I touch clean with deoxit? Sorry for my lack of knowledge here, but I have never done this.

Also, there seems to be one screw missing. is this normal? I doubt this has ever been taken apart since it has been built, so my guess is it is OK

Looks like a trip to Wal-mart is in order tonight

 

[larryderouin]

Go to HOME DEPOT and get the "CRC QD ELECTRONICS CLEANER".

In the Picture below, spray everything circled in BLUE with the CRC.

Let it dry.

Then look at the areas circled in YELLOW. See the copper colored blades from the shaft to the frame? Those is/are ground straps. Also there are small ball bearings in the frame at that point where the shaft goes thru the frame. Use the straw to drip De-Oxit in the bearing (1 drop per) and on the end of the blade at the frame(not the shaft).

Exercise the capacitor(turn the tuning knob so the tuning needle goes full length from one end to the other a few times.).

DO NOT TURN ANY SCREWS on the TOP of the capacitor. They are trimmer screws for tuning. AGAIN DO NOT TOUCH THE SCREWS!!

Larry

 

[jabbo5150]

Thanks. This is very helpful. So it's 1 drop per bearing and one drop on the end of the blade at the frame, right?

 

[jabbo5150]

One other question - what about that wax-looking stuff on top of that one silver component. it was in the second set of pictures I sent. Any idea if that should be there?>

 

[quneur]

Wallmart has the same stuff, CRC QD Electronic Cleaner. Red spray can. Quick Drying Formula.

 

[larryderouin]

One other question - what about that wax-looking stuff on top of that one silver component. it was in the second set of pictures I sent. Any idea if that should be there?>

LEAVE IT. It's one of the tuning trimmers and the wax is to ensure it stays put and doesn't drift.

One drop on bearing and one on the blade correct.

Now that everyone is reading the same sheet of music, I'm gonna take my weekly shower and hit the rack.

Neither one of the Walmarts here has electronics cleaner. Brake Cleaner yeah, elect cleaner, no.

Larry

 

[jabbo5150]

LEAVE IT. It's one of the tuning trimmers and the wax is to ensure it stays put and doesn't drift.

One drop on bearing and one on the blade correct.

Now that everyone is reading the same sheet of music, I'm gonna take my weekly shower and hit the rack.

Neither one of the Walmarts here has electronics cleaner. Brake Cleaner yeah, elect cleaner, no.

Larry

OK, I left it.

The drops are right at the frame right? That's where the ball bearing is, correct?

Actually the Wal-Mart here in the Detroit area had it and since it is a 24-hour store, I picked it up last night and spayed it. We'll see how testing goes tonight. Also blew the dust out of the fins and everywhere else.

 

[larryderouin]

I picked it up last night and spayed it.

Really scaring the crap out of it, aren't ya?

Larry

 

[jabbo5150]

Really scaring the crap out of it, aren't ya?

Larry

Just noticed my typo. I didn't want the receiver reproducing, obviously, lol

 

[Brian]

So you spayed it and then blew it. I've heard of equipment love but, you've taken it to an extreme.

 

[jabbo5150]

Ha ha. I should probably go in there and edit that!

 

[larryderouin]

Leave it in. And we'll see just how warped everyone is.