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Radio Shack electronics cleaner...safe to use?

tomlinmgt

tomlinmgt

Lunatic Member
Is the Radio Shack brand "precision electronics cleaner" safe to use to clean pots. They didn't have any Deoxit, so I grabbed what I felt was the closest thing. I read a post that the Radio Shack brand cleaners are not safe, but that was one man's opinion. But before I use this stuff I'd sure like to check with the ak crowd. Also heard that WD-40 does pretty decent job cleaning pots. Is Deoxit the only way to go?
 
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I have used the shack's cleaner for a couple of years with great results. does what it says it does
 
tomlinmgt said:
...They didn't have any Deoxit, so I grabbed what I felt was the closest thing...
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You should go to the Guitar Center in Arlington and get some D5 Deoxit and Fader Lube. They have it in the Pro Audio department I found out a few weeks ago when I went to the store in N Dallas for some Deoxit Gold and the guys in the musical instruments department didn't know what I was asking for.

http://gc.guitarcenter.com/locations/store.cfm?store=441
 
WD-40 is an absolute "DO NO USE"! Just get the deoxit and never look back. I can't think of any member who would recommend WD-40. It's basically kerosene. Will leave a greasy film on anything you spray it on, which will collect dust.
 
Ed in Tx said:
You should go to the Guitar Center in Arlington and get some D5 Deoxit and Fader Lube. They have it in the Pro Audio department I found out a few weeks ago when I went to the store in N Dallas for some Deoxit Gold and the guys in the musical instruments department didn't know what I was asking for.

http://gc.guitarcenter.com/locations/store.cfm?store=441
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Thanks for the information. I tried the store in Plano, no go there, either.
 
tensleep said:
Thanks for the information. I tried the store in Plano, no go there, either.
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They have a display with bins of the stuff in the middle of the floor! Problem is, the guys that greet you at the front when you walk in don't know about it.
 
I don't know Texas well enough (I live in The Woodlands) to know if one is close to you but you can get what you are after at Fry's Electronics.
 
Just Say No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To WD-40......It's only good for squeaky car door hinges, MAYBE.

WD-40 is slow death for most (all, really) electronics applications........

Don't Do It...................(end rant)....willhowl:nono:

P.S. Radio Shack sprays are OK......Deoxit is WAY better..........
 
Don't use the RS cleaner or DeOxit on sliding controls. They can destroy the old carbon tracks in them. Use Craig Fader Lube for slide controls.
 
Been using it since 1984 with no issues. I'm not sure about the sliders, in a latter post, as I've never owned anything with sliding pots long enough to have any issues. Carbon is carbon, far as I know, whether it's used in Rotary or Sliding, so not sure why the difference. Open to explanations, but no electronics technician has told me otherwise.
 
Copa1934 said:
Been using it since 1984 with no issues. I'm not sure about the sliders, in a latter post, as I've never owned anything with sliding pots long enough to have any issues. Carbon is carbon, far as I know, whether it's used in Rotary or Sliding, so not sure why the difference. Open to explanations, but no electronics technician has told me otherwise.
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I don't get the slider thing either .:scratch2:

I have used RS and Deoxit on sliders with no issues.:scratch2:
 
I use PUREtronics contact cleaner liberally as a wash/flush and when fully dry I use DeoxIT D5

A super size can of PUREtronics is <$5.00 :thmbsp:
 
When you spray common contact cleaner into some old carbon sliders and it attacks and dissolves either the carbon itself or the adhesive that binds it together you will know what happened. Unfortunately it will be too late to do anything about it at that point. I have had it happen to me several times over the years before discovering Faderlube and that was more than enough. Take your chances if you care to. The other thing about common contact cleaner is the lubricant, or with some contact cleaners the lack thereof. Some sliders cease to slide smoothly after a dose of common contact cleaner. Faderlube is safe for carbon tracks and the plastic parts.

You can read more on the Craig website: http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.I/id.66/.f and http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.293/.f
 
I always use deoxit 5 then apply fadder lube after with great results.controls stay smooth and quiet for a long time.deoxit is the best.
 
willhowl said:
Just Say No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To WD-40......It's only good for squeaky car door hinges, MAYBE.

WD-40 is slow death for most (all, really) electronics applications........

Don't Do It...................(end rant)....willhowl:nono:

P.S. Radio Shack sprays are OK......Deoxit is WAY better..........
Click to expand...
WD-40 is made for Water Displacement only, not for stereo equipment controls. Back in the dinosaur ages when autos still had ignition systems with distributors with points and condensers you could get your water flooded car started again by spraying some on the points and a dab on the contact points in the distributor cap. I had a Plymouth Valiant with a Slant-6 that would stall very time I went through a decent size puddle (distributor was on the slanted over right side down low and always got wet) WD-40 would get it going again in no time.
My little brother sprayed some into a volume potentiometer on a Rat Shack receiver and the pot died very shortly thereafter, so keep that crap away from your stereo.
 
WD-40 also sells and electronic contact cleaner. I have never tried the stuff. I do CAIG and ultrasonic for most things.
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