Contact cleaner

[Cockles]

Hi all. Hope you are well.

Bit of a random question this, but do any of you guys that tinker with electronics use contact cleaners (for example, on sub-woofer controls if turning the knobs makes a crackling sound)?

If you do, what sort of brands are the best, and could you get them in an electrical store like Maplin, say?

Thanks

[hbroomhall]

As an electrical engineer originally, contact cleaner was in my standard toolkit. Note that such cleaner contains some oil, so is not suitable in some places. In others it helps to control dust.

Use of such cleaner on crackly 'pots' (potentiometers) is fairly standard.

Maplins and RS both sell such cleaner.

I'm not aware of any brand being 'better' than another.

Harry.

[Cockles]

Cheers Harry, that's exactly what I want to use it for, on the pots on a bass of mine

Do you think I would be wise to get the cleaner with lube in it for something like that?

[hbroomhall]

Originally Posted by Cockles

Cheers Harry, that's exactly what I want to use it for, on the pots on a bass of mine

Do you think I would be wise to get the cleaner with lube in it for something like that?

The usual quick test is to take a small drop of it and apply to to the outside body of the pot to make sure there isn't any reaction.

In the old days there weren't quite so many types of construction, so there was less concern. Now, with many different sorts of plastic you need to be a bit more careful!

Normally the oil based cleaner was fine for carbon track pots, as well as wire-wound ones. However I note that the Maplins page suggests that their current stock doesn't leave any residue.

Harry.