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DeOxit is BAD for pots???

OK, what about something like Tri-flow, which is teflon based-is that good for pots, would something silicone based be better, or the faderlube?
 
Listen I smoked a lot of pot as a young man but it never require me to detox, I just don't understand the big deal, pot grows on trees you know.

Lefty
 
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i personally really would have appreciated if someone jumped on things like this more often, before i potentially damaged my potentiometers. we need to make a sticky out of this, this isn't a misconception that should be let go any longer than it has to. clearly everyone is not on the same page, and it can cause problems.
 
Kasra said:
i personally really would have appreciated if someone jumped on things like this more often, before i potentially damaged my potentiometers. we need to make a sticky out of this, this isn't a misconception that should be let go any longer than it has to. clearly everyone is not on the same page, and it can cause problems.
Click to expand...

Kasra, You shouldn't think of all the info on this site as "gospel". There are plenty of members who use other products because in their opinion, these products are fine for them. I would hate for anything to happen to my gear too, but we're never all going to be on the same page. As for me, thanks guys for bringing this to my attention. :thmbsp:
 
kc......
thank you.... my point. To my knowledge no one is or was purposely keeping this a "secret" and different folks do use different products for sure. I've noticed deoxit was kinda getting to be the "universal fixes everything that moves", which it is not. I do see as well Caig is changing the name from MCL to Faderlube, (I was wondering EW and had to go to Caigs site for myself and see). As a point for you to try KC, if you do try the faderlube - the difference I think you'll notice most over a straight cleaner/deox is how long this will last. If the pot isn't deteriorated using faderlube will decrease the wear factor greatly. If you already have been using a combo cleaner lube then the dif might not be as noticable.
 
Lefty said:
I would think the vast majority of pots are carbon track. The only other kind are wirewound pots they tend to be lower ohmage and higher power rated, the kind you see in some speakers.

Lefty
Click to expand...
Half right, half wrong. The majority of vintage pots are certainly carbon. But some of the higher-end pots like the Alps and Nobles used a conductive plastic film, rather than a carbon element.
 
Strictly "for the record," here are some selected quotations from the Caig site. It sounds like DeoxIT cleans a lot and protects a little, Gold cleans a little and protects a lot, and FaderLube lubes faders a lot.

Re DeoxIT—

DeoxIT® contact cleaner is a fast-acting deoxidizing solution that cleans, preserves, lubricates and improves conductivity on all metal connectors and contacts. Use as a general treatment for connectors, contacts and other metal surfaces, and on non-critical metal surfaces with severe oxidation and corrosion.

From their Audio/Video 9-1-1 PDF:

Unsealed Pots: Rotary pots respond best to to DeoxIT 100% spray or 100% liquid, depending on how they're mounted.

Re: Gold—

A unique conditioning solution that improves conductivity and provides long-lasting protection on gold, base metals and other precious metal contacts and connections. Use on plated connectors, contacts and metal surfaces for maximum performance and protection. Recommended for critical applications where only slight cleaning action is necessary. If the surface looks clean, applying DeoxIT contact cleaner first is usually not necessary. DeoxIT® GOLD is designed to dissolve small amounts of oxidation.

Re: FaderLube—

Uses: Lubrication/protection of plastic-to-plastic parts (faders), plastic-to-metal parts (faders, linear sliders - dot matrix printers), metal-to-metal parts (sliding and slow rotating metal parts, locks, bearings), carbon-based controls (potentiometers) and membrane switches (mouse pointers, touch keypads).

Aren't faders and linear sliders the same thing?
 
Around here the Caig products are hard to find and expensive. I didn't even know the Caig products existed before I found this forum.

I use CRC Switch Cleaner Lubricant (link here) in pots and switches and have had good results.

Around here it's around $16 to $20 for a 200g can, ProGold is $26 for a small can about a 3rd of the size. I've never seen Faderlube.

CRC also make Lectraclean which comes in a very similar looking can. Don't use this in pots. It will react badly with the lubricant. I once used it by mistake and the next day the pot I sprayed it in was completely frozen.

I'm not knocking the Caig products as I haven't tried them, but if you can't find them or they are too expensive try the CRC.
 
I have never seen the Faderlube. Maybe it is new, but, when I know the control is a carbon-based or conductive plastic control, I use Caig's Cailube. The only thing I have seen DeOxit mess up is silicone rubber, as in most modern PC keyboards.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
Around 1980 I happened onto Cramolin through my readings of Audio Amateur. I believe the same stuff became Deoxit. I've been using it since then on everything, pots, switches, and contacts that were scratchy, without any side effects that I know of. That doesn't mean that something didn't develop that I don't know about. However it appears it's time to reconsider and pick up the slider lube.

Speaking of sliders, if you have ever been to a White Castle restaurant, likely at 2:00 AM after a night out on the town, you know what real sliders are. Nothing can fix the damage those 39 cent burgers do.
 
pustelniakr said:
I have never seen the Faderlube. Maybe it is new, but, when I know the control is a carbon-based or conductive plastic control, I use Caig's Cailube.
Click to expand...
Same stuff, new name.
 
Bogframe said:
OK, what about something like Tri-flow, which is teflon based-is that good for pots, would something silicone based be better, or the faderlube?
Click to expand...
These two (teflon and silicone) are insulators. Use them only if you want your pots to permanantly NOT work.
 
Another little piece of info: many carbon pots have a carbon-to-carbon contact, by way of a small carbon insert in the wiper. Others have a metal to carbon contact, although in their case it's a carbon composition which is supposed to be 'self-lubing'. Quality pots have plastic or cermet tracks and metal spring contacts.
De-oxit is designed to attack sulphides and oxides, so I don't know how it could degrade carbon tracks. I certainly never had a problem with this...
 
I contacted Caig tech support to get the word directly from them. Here's the question:

Subject: Dexoit safe for carbon pots?

I restore old audio gear and have been using 5% deoxit spray to clean
potentiometers. I'm now hearing from other techs that it can damage the
carbon traces in some pots. Is this true? Should I stop using it on pots?

Here is the response:

That all depends on the type of DeoxITR 5% spray you are using. The DeoxITR
DN5S-6N spray would be fine, however, the DeoxITR 100% spray (D100S) would
be the preferred choice. Please refer to the link below for more information
on vintage equipment.

LINK

Here's my take on their response. The carbon may be damaged by the solvent in the 5% solution. It is more likely to occur if the carbon is worn to begin with. The 100% spray has much less solvent and is OK for potentiometers.

Both the 5% and 100% provide lubrication.

Faderlube has no cleaning properties. It was formerly known as CaiLube MCL

- Pete
 
LBPete said:
I contacted Caig tech support to get the word directly from them. Here's the question:

Subject: Dexoit safe for carbon pots?

I restore old audio gear and have been using 5% deoxit spray to clean
potentiometers. I'm now hearing from other techs that it can damage the
carbon traces in some pots. Is this true? Should I stop using it on pots?

Here is the response:

That all depends on the type of DeoxITR 5% spray you are using. The DeoxITR
DN5S-6N spray would be fine, however, the DeoxITR 100% spray (D100S) would
be the preferred choice. Please refer to the link below for more information
on vintage equipment.

LINK

Here's my take on their response. The carbon may be damaged by the solvent in the 5% solution. It is more likely to occur if the carbon is worn to begin with. The 100% spray has much less solvent and is OK for potentiometers.

Both the 5% and 100% provide lubrication.

Faderlube has no cleaning properties. It was formerly known as CaiLube MCL

- Pete
Click to expand...

Good idea on calling Tech Support. So, in summary, should you now use?

A. Deoxit D5 (100%) first on everything you want to clean and then follow that up with:
1. Deoxit Gold on any metal-type contacts, and
2. Faderlube on everything else.

Is this about the gist of it now?
 
I've been reading this thread and I wondered why no-one was asking Caig directly?
Thank you for doing so.
 
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