[timoteus]

I'll second and third Jude's opinion of DeoxIT. Fantastic product which is on sale at www.partsexpress.com Part number 341-200 5oz. for $7.55 I think.

Try this experiment to convince yourself that this is money well spent:

Pick and listen to a well known favorite song. Then power down and spray the volume pot. Rock back and forth for a few seconds and then give it one more squirt. Wait for the carrier fluid to evaporate and then power back up and listen. You will hear the difference. After this you will find yourself cleaning every switch, jack, and orifice you can find.

I also use ProGold but it is important to wipe dry or nearly dry after application. I have heard a few reports of builup after repeated applications. I have removed green oxidation off of perfectly clean looking interconnects before using DeoxIT and the ProGold will prevent reoxidation.

Tim

 

[jude]

timoteus,

Thanks for the PartsExpress link. They have very good prices on Caig stuff. I also like their links to all the pdf (Adobe Acrobat) Caig product documentation -- very interesting reading and information.

Also, timoteus, where exactly are you spraying your potentiometer? That is, where on your amp would you spray? Do you open up the unit and spray from behind? Do you remove the pot? Do you remove the knob and spray from the front?

And have you ever considered one of the ProGold sprays instead? They make a lower concentration spray.

Make sure to check out all the document links at PartsExpress to see Caig's recommendations on when to use ProGold and when to use DeoxIT. ProGold is apparently a better conditioner for plated parts (as it actually goes to the base metal). But DeoxIT has higher deoxidation removal properties.

 

[timoteus]

Hi Jude-

When I am cleaning amps and receivers I remove the component's case and spray the offending switch or pot wherever you see the moving parts. Like where the shaft enters the pot, or into the pot if there are holes so you can get spray into the wiper, or wherever you think or can see parts rubbing together. Sometimes you have to angle the unit to allow gravity to carry the fluid into the part. I then depress and release the switch or rock the knob back and forth many times in an almost abusive manner to release the oxides. They then recommend another spray to flush the oxides out of the part and to condition for further use.

So far I have only used the ProGold on binding posts and interconnects and the DeoxIT for internal parts. The ProGold I purchased is partsexpress # 341-235. This is a very small concentrated 7.4ml vial with a nail polish type brush. I have been using it for two years and haven't even used a fraction of it, it might last forever. Even though ProGold is made for gold plated or silver/rhodium or other plated connectors like nickel I have also used it on the common exterior RCA jacks on the back of receivers and amps after cleaning with DeoxIT.

I guess this might be a good time to say that I think this is a wonderful forum, everyone is very helpful and I haven't seen one flame yet. I don't think any other forum can claim this. Triple smileys for everyone.

 

[morphsci]

I just finished cleaning all the connectors, switches and pots on my MID. I also replaced the wall receptacle with an Arrow Hart hospital grade, isolated ground unit. The amount of oxidation on the house wires was amazing. I don't know that it sounds any better but that arrow hart receptacle certainly grabs the plugs from the line conditioners. Happy Tweaking

 

[bootman]

(looks to see if Jude is gone.....)

Hmm, so that stuff really works better than the 92% alchohol?

I see that Caig has a sampler pack for $10.
Maybe I'll try it.

Just don't tell Jude that I'm thinking of crossing over to the tweak side of the force!

Now, if Jude starts putting rocks on his equipment for sonic benefits then I'll know he has truly lost it.

 

[lini]

Ever tried diamond powder polish paste? Amazing! You just have to be careful not to remove the gold layer of your plugs as well...

Greetings from SF!

Manfred / lini

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by lini Ever tried diamond powder polish paste? Amazing! You just have to be careful not to remove the gold layer of your plugs as well...

Yikes! Man, ProGold and DeoxIT are looking better and better with each passing post!

 

[lini]

Jude: I was only joking. In fact it would take quite a while to polish the gold layer away. I'd prefer special jewelry polishing tissues to diamond polishing paste, anyway.

Grinnings from SF!

Manfred / lini

P.S.: Nevertheless, this polishing paste can be useful - I once cleaned the rim of my Thorens turntable platter with it. Looked all brand new and shiny afterwards - very nice. But a tube of that stuff is very expensive. I only got it for free, because I was working at MAN Technologie at that time (where they produce parts of the Ariane rocket and other high tech gimmicks...

)).

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by lini Jude: I was only joking. In fact it would take quite a while to polish the gold layer away. I'd prefer special jewelry polishing tissues to diamond polishing paste, anyway. Grinnings from SF! Manfred / lini P.S.: Nevertheless, this polishing paste can be useful - I once cleaned the rim of my Thorens turntable platter with it. Looked all brand new and shiny afterwards - very nice. But a tube of that stuff is very expensive. I only got it for free, because I was working at MAN Technologie at that time (where they produce parts of the Ariane rocket and other high tech gimmicks... )).

I use a polishing paste called Flitz on my wedding band and on the blades of some of my knives. Works great -- restores a mirror polish to my wedding band, and removes stains from my blades.

Quote:

Bavarian barbarian on tour...

LOL!

 

[Audio Redneck]

From the bargin basement side, WD-40/liquid-wrench will do the same thing for contacts and noisy switches and volume pots. Use a piece of paper towel damp with a few drops of WD-40 on the contacts. For switches, make sure the spray can has the little red tube on it and put just a drop or two (a little goes a long way) on the contacts of the pot or switch and then work it back and forth a few times. This can also work on noisy jacks on sound cards.

Both WD-40 and Gunk liquid-wrench evaporate after a few weeks so if you are in a humid invironment (like Arkansas) you may have to use it every two-three years on the switches. It will also help in connections where you have a one gold plated contact and a standard pot-metal contact (ie: gold plated interconnects on standard metal RCA inputs)

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Redneck From the bargin basement side, WD-40/liquid-wrench will do the same thing for contacts and noisy switches and volume pots. Use a piece of paper towel damp with a few drops of WD-40 on the contacts. For switches, make sure the spray can has the little red tube on it and put just a drop or two (a little goes a long way) on the contacts of the pot or switch and then work it back and forth a few times. This can also work on noisy jacks on sound cards. Both WD-40 and Gunk liquid-wrench evaporate after a few weeks so if you are in a humid invironment (like Arkansas) you may have to use it every two-three years on the switches. It will also help in connections where you have a one gold plated contact and a standard pot-metal contact (ie: gold plated interconnects on standard metal RCA inputs)

Audio Redneck,

I don't know that WD-40 will do the same thing as ProGold and/or DeoxIT. Caig has a comparison chart of several products (including WD-40) on the following page:

Comparison of several products

Things of note according to this chart:

1. WD-40 is not formulated to improve conductivity / reduce resistance.
2. WD-40 has no deoxidizing properties.
3. ProGold penetrates plated surfaces and conditions the base metal too. DeoxIT and WD-40 do not.
4. All three lubricate the treated surfaces.
5. WD-40 does not reduce RF interference to the degree that ProGold and DeoxIT do (I'm not sure how this works).
6. WD-40 doesn't have as much longevity on protected surfaces

There are other things to note, so this chart is worth looking at. Though this chart was apparently made by Caig, I've not seen it disputed anywhere, and one of my local electronics wizards (repairs the most amazing equipment for broadcast companies, government, etc.) highly recommended ProGold and DeoxIT to me.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Well I can't (and don't) dispute what you say or the chart because it jives with what I know personally about electronics.

I shouldn't have made my statement "WD-40 will do the same thing". I should have said "will do some of the same things to a lesser degree - primarily relating to noisy pots and switches". And I did note that it does evaporate and will have to be retreated over time (humidity and general cleanliness of the environment seem to be the biggest factors).

I guess my primary point is that for walk to the garage and $.50 vs. $26 a guy can get a pretty good idea if this type of treatment will help: particularly if there is any visible "gunk" on the contacts.

Again, this recommendation is from the bargin basement side of things, but I would still recommend it over nothing.

$.02

 

[hongda]

WD-40 also attracts dust.

 

[Audio Redneck]

OK, YOU WIN! WD-40 SUCKS! YOUR COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR MIND IF YOU USE WD-40!

SHEESH!

(but I still recommend it if your on a tight budget)

Really, I'll keep using WD for the places I think its "good enough", but that chart got me wanting to try that ProGold for my other hobby - N Scale Trains! Some of it's specks show it might make a good track and wheel treatment.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Redneck SHEESH!

LOL!