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How to repair a crackling volume control?

post #1 of 5
12/5/03 at 11:45pm
Thread Starter 
How to repair a crackling volume control ? What is the cause of it? Had someone tried?
Please let me know. I have no idea.
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post #2 of 5
12/6/03 at 1:24am
In my experience, dirt is the normal cause of noise in volume controls, assuming you're talking about an analog knob or wheel style control. You can often dislodge the offending material and improve the situation by simply working the control back and forth several times. If that doesn't do it, you can try something like contact cleaner, which should be available at any electronics supply shop. Depending on how well the control is sealed this may work well or not at all.
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post #3 of 5
12/6/03 at 10:37am
I think this is caused by oxidation of the resistive material, and possible corrosion of the contacts. It's true that turning the knob back and forth rapidly a few dozen times can help, but not nearly as much as contact cleaner. I had a volume control on an old black and white TV that did that, and I fixed it by opening it up and spraying the potentiometer behind the knob liberally with that stuff, then turning it back and forth many times while still wet, and it was almost like new afterward.

To be on the safe side, one should make sure to disconnent any power sources beforehand, and make sure it's dried thoroughly before trying to use the device in question again. (And in the case of TVs, it's best to not even attempt it unless you know what you're doing, due to the possibility of residual high voltage.)

Disclaimer: If you screw up your device, or set your hands on fire, it's your own fault, not mine. You have been warned.
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post #4 of 5
12/6/03 at 12:34pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you much!
When I will be in the city, I will look for a contact spray in the electronic shop...
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post #5 of 5
12/6/03 at 12:58pm
Hello,

There is good contact cleaner and there is bad contact cleaner.

Bad contact cleaner is cheap stuff labelled "tuner cleaner" which is an old formulation designed to clean the turret and wafer tuners of 50's and 60's televisions. This stuff flushes out all lubricants in the contol and may damage plastic.

A better (and more expensive) option is to use Caig De-oxit D5, or even better still (and still more expensive) is Caig MCL (Moving Contact Lubricant). It's what the good professionals use.

A *good* electronic supply house should have these products.

Best regards,

Paul
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