The Idiot's Guide to Using DeOxit (revisited)

[TheDr]

The can I have is red.

 

[bugs762]

The can I have is red.

Thanks Doc.

 

[noswad]

Arkay's Idiot guide.

Thank you for the information. I have taken it apart twice and used a cleaner-not Deoxit. It has been completely serrviced a couple of years ago, belts, drive wheel and switches cleaned by a professional house who works on vintage stereo equipment. I will get the Deoxit and follow all the suggestions. Because it has been cleaned three times I thought the switch may need to be replaced but I'll give it a go and use the Deoxit method. Thanks for the information and quick response Ed Dawson

 

[daveytrackel]

thx you have been really helpfull

 

[Destructor]

I have had success using the auto parts cleaner on a Fisher volume pot that I removed from my 400 receiver. It needed a high volume flush and soaking. The auto parts cleaner is cheap and sprays a very high volume. I followed with Deoxit then Fadar lube. Previous attemps of cleaning with Deoxit alone failed, too much crud. I would only recomend doing this when there is lots of crud build up and the pot is removed from the unit.

 

[Descartridge]

Thank you, Arkay. You are a fine gentleman.
I followed your advice to the letter and was able to get a Mac preamp (one channel out) to work.
Good Karma to you!

 

[mrtat]

this should definitely be a sticky.
it should be the FIRST thing anyone sees when they come to the vintage solid state section.
i came here with a long history of small problems with old amps and i had never heard of de oxit.
reading this post years ago would have saved me many hours and many dollars.
STICKY!

 

[Cogsinister]

At last i got some from a local shop !!!

The only place in my town that sells DeOxit is the music store Long and MCQuade.....$27 a tin.....but its true what they say.....its the best !!

 

[KrisM]

Has anybody had success with that RS/The Source stuff? I tried some other RS stuff that I had kicking around on a Kenwood receiver and it cleaned fine but after a while the pot just sticks. I'm guessing the lack of lubricant in the spray is the problem. Does that "tuner cleaner/lubricant" have enough lubricant that it might fix this problem.
Has anybody ever bought the Caig stuff from Golite in Edmonton? I can't find the place. It is on Airport Road, but the numbering system on that road is kind of a mess. They never answer their phone either. I sent an email and left a message, we'll see if I get a response.
I also tried an automotive electronic cleaner that said it was safe on plastics, but a huge amount came out. Some got on the top of a satellite receiver and melted the plastic. i think it was made by Lloyds.

Thanks

 

[Cogsinister]

Has anybody had success with that RS/The Source stuff? I tried some other RS stuff that I had kicking around on a Kenwood receiver and it cleaned fine but after a while the pot just sticks. I'm guessing the lack of lubricant in the spray is the problem. Does that "tuner cleaner/lubricant" have enough lubricant that it might fix this problem.
Has anybody ever bought the Caig stuff from Golite in Edmonton? I can't find the place. It is on Airport Road, but the numbering system on that road is kind of a mess. They never answer their phone either. I sent an email and left a message, we'll see if I get a response.
I also tried an automotive electronic cleaner that said it was safe on plastics, but a huge amount came out. Some got on the top of a satellite receiver and melted the plastic. i think it was made by Lloyds.

Thanks

I had a tin of the "Tuner cleaner" stuff from the Source, and it was OK, but it ran out very fast for what it cost.....and it ruined one pot by sticking it up so bad i could hardly turn it......i will use only DeOxit in the future.....its expensive but it is a million times better than the source stuff....

 

[KrisM]

Thanks for the info. The pot I have sticks after a while, but can loosened up with another spray. Can't be good for it. I'm on the hunt for the right stuff.

 

[KrisM]

I found some at the Long & McQuade in Edmonton. Still haven't heard back from that other place. They had the fader lube as well. I don't get the feeling they keep a lot in stock, so a phone call first would be a good idea.
I used it on the stuck pot and it seems to turn a lot smoother.

 

[Cogsinister]

I found some at the Long & McQuade in Edmonton. Still haven't heard back from that other place. They had the fader lube as well. I don't get the feeling they keep a lot in stock, so a phone call first would be a good idea.
I used it on the stuck pot and it seems turn a lot smoother.

Yes a call ahead saves a wasted trip.........DeOxit rules !!

 

[KrisM]

I got a reply from Golite. They don't have a counter store in Edmonton. I wish I knew that before I drove there.

The can of F5 had some other products listed on it, Faderlube F100L and Fadergrease.
Is the F199L the same as the F5, but no cleaning action, just lubrication? Should I look for that in the future? Use D5 for cleaning and F100L for lubrication.

 

[jabbo5150]

I am about to do a cleaning of some old receivers and all I have is the Deoxit D5. Should I follow that up with the faderlube too? Should I have gotten the D100 instead?

 

[markthefixer]

I am about to do a cleaning of some old receivers and all I have is the Deoxit D5. Should I follow that up with the faderlube too? Should I have gotten the D100 instead?

I am sure you get sick of these, but here's another...

I just got an old Fisher 202 Futura Receiver and an MCS 3230 Receiver. The MCS seems to be in decent working order, but is scratchy in the controls

The Fisher has no right channel and if I turn the balance all the way to the right, I still hear the left.

I have a can of deoxit D5, but NOT a can of faderlube

I am assuming from what I have read to get the faderlube too

So my question is this. Would I use deoxit on all the pots and switches and then follow it with Faderlube?

or use deoxit on the switches and faderlube only on the pots?

use deoxit on all the pots and switches and then follow it with Faderlube on the pots.

And should I have gotten D100? or is the D5 OK as long as I follow it up with faderlube?

The MCS has a number of switches
The Fisher has 4 plastic flip up/down switches and everything else is a dial (with pots I'd assume)

Do the dials that lock (IE to select phono, aux, etc.) have pots or are those considered switches because they lock.

I appreciate the help.

I JUST posted this on the Pioneer forum.

I'm a bit overwhelmed by the various Deoxit types, please help me with the following:

- cleaning old devices' pots and switches: there are at least the following types that seem to fit: D5 (5% red spray), D100 (100% red spray), and DN5 (5% spray), also the 100% non-spray bottle (with a thin steel straw) - which one is best?

- relubing after the clean: am I right in thinking that for normal pots etc (i.e. where no conductive plastic is involved), GOLD should be used? Again, which one is best - 5% or 100% spray?

- when to use FaderLube - and yet again, 5% or 100% spray?

I did read the "idiot's guide to deoxit" sticky... but still am not quite clear on the above questions, please help.

Fader LUBE is for pots. Pots NEED lube... (but they ALSO have a moving slider to "center terminal" contact that needs deoxiting just like any switch contact.)

The N means non flammable and safe on plastics. Also evaporates quicker.

5% versus 100% is a personal choice that depends upon the situation.

5% provides more cleaning/flushing action to get rid of whatever debris/chemicals/old lube etc is in the way of the good stuff getting where it is needed ,
so 100% (expensive!!) would be used when you know there is nothing that would prevent the active ingredients from getting to where they are needed.

And instead of spraying willy-nilly, the needle applicator is for were you can be sure of touching all the contacts that need it.

Caig has a downloadable pdf called "which deoxit spray do I use?"


Gold is for long term protection AFTER deoxiting successfully. deoxit cleans, but has minimal long term protection against additional corrosion. The gold coats the contacts slowing down subsequent corrosion.

I just don't mention the Gold as actively, because after shelling out for two cans (deoxit and faderlube) there was too much squawking about a third can...
Unfortunately, the three CAN'T be mixed in the same can, they would interfere with each others' action.

For whatever it's worth, and to save myself a lot of retyping, here is something that might help you, if you want to DeOxit-clean the receiver, first:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207005

Beyond that, you are already in markthefixer's extremely competent hands. There is probably no one better, anywhere, for guiding those working on repairing vintage Pioneer gear! Do whatever he advises, and you'll solve the problem! :yes:

That's a great post with a minor change/update. There is a gold that is gold and a green (not the environmental green) that is faderlube (the lube...). I suspect they changed the colors etc, and I JUST verified with current cans. The gold is for contact enhancement, it's just not the lube you need for pots.

Deioxit (red) removes the old lube from the pots, and has NO or minimal lubricating properties, so follow up any rotating or linear sliding continuous adjust control with F-5 (green) faderlube so you don't wear out the resistance element prematurely.

The switch and any other contacts CAN be followed up with gold, as it is intended to enhance contacts.

Arkay, once those changes happen in the post I will cheerfully link to it at every opportunity. It IS great.

 

[jabbo5150]

Awesome. Thanks!

 

[sx-1280]

Cleaning SX-1280 Pots & Switches

I have an old Pioneer SX-1280 Receiver and the volume is scratchy to say the least and sometimes only one channel is heard after I turn the volume control knob back and forth a hundred times.
I am sure its dirty pots and switches.
I have a service manual and understand how to properly dismantle but it sure would be nice to see some pictures or photos of the pots up close, so I can get a better idea of where to shoot the DeoxIT.
Can anyone help?

 

[nstach]

Thank you for this awesome guide! My Kenny KR-9400 has never sounded better

 

[oldvinyldude]

Hi:

First reply-new to forum.

The company MCM Electronics carries the whole line, it seems, of DeOxit products. I got mine there.

Hope this helps