Potentiometer fix?

[spamtrap1888]

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

 

[~BD~]

spamtrap1888 wrote:

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

Have you tried 'working' it - turning it rapidly clockwise then
counter-clockwise (or rapidly up and down if a slider mechanism) - for
20 seconds or so?

That should clear any dust which may be affecting its operation.

HTH

 

[Ian Field]

"~BD~" <~BD~@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
news:jcans6$fgv$2@dont-email.me...

spamtrap1888 wrote:
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Have you tried 'working' it - turning it rapidly clockwise then
counter-clockwise (or rapidly up and down if a slider mechanism) - for 20
seconds or so?

That should clear any dust which may be affecting its operation.

Another old trick of the trade is to rub the carbon track with the point of
a HB graphite pencil.

Apply lightly first & check the result - it can alter the audio curve if
over applied.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

The usual fix is to flush the pot with something designed for cleaning pots
or contacts.

You might also try one of Caig's products.

 

[Ian Field]

"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jcapsf$urc$1@dont-email.me...

The usual fix is to flush the pot with something designed for cleaning
pots
or contacts.

I'm wary of anything involving any kind of solvent - I've seen ABS pot body
molding literally disintegrate before my eyes!

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:43:27 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
<spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote:

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Spray contact cleaner. Alcohol, kerosene, or WD-40. Just about
anything works. I keep running into the same problem with various
"Mod-Pot" clones, where the pot is inside a square enclosure. Scratchy
pots are typical. I have to drill a hole in the side, and use a
syringe to inject whatever cleaner falls off the shelf first.
Unfortunately, my batting average is not perfect. If the pot lube has
turned to tar, solvent cleaning usually works. However, if the wiper
has gouged a groove into the carbon resistive material, it will
continue to be noisy. I've also used Aquadag to fill the groove on
larger pots, but have never tried it on small pots. As I vaguely
recall, the older cheapo imported radios had pots with an unplated
copper wiper. When corroded, it causes erratic connections. Cleaning
with any oxide remover (i.e. 409 cleaner) should fix that.

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

Maybe sell it to a radio collector and let them deal with the noisy
pot? Good luck.

--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558
# http://802.11junk.com jeffl@cruzio.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

 

[gregz]

spamtrap1888 <spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote:

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

You can try a spray. Try either caig deoxit or crc 2-36.

Greg

 

[Lund-Nielsen, Jorgen]

Am 14.12.2011 18:43, schrieb spamtrap1888:

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

If there are loud "scratching noises" from the speaker during moving the
pot, then, aditional to the cleaning tips from the others, look for bad
elytics that may have leaking currents causing DC at the pot.

Jorgen

 

[Mark Zacharias]

"~BD~" <~BD~@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
news:jcans6$fgv$2@dont-email.me...

spamtrap1888 wrote:
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Have you tried 'working' it - turning it rapidly clockwise then
counter-clockwise (or rapidly up and down if a slider mechanism) - for 20
seconds or so?

That should clear any dust which may be affecting its operation.

HTH

That should work - for about 20 seconds or so.

Mark Z.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I still go with flushing it.

Someone said they'd seen ABS [sic] components of a pot destroyed. ABS is a
fairly stable plastic, so I doubt it was that. And this was the first I'd
ever heard of compounds specifically designed to clean pots damaging the
pot. It's not impossible -- just very unlikely.

 

[Ian Field]

"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jccroa$m9u$1@dont-email.me...

I still go with flushing it.

Someone said they'd seen ABS [sic] components of a pot destroyed. ABS is a
fairly stable plastic, so I doubt it was that. And this was the first I'd
ever heard of compounds specifically designed to clean pots damaging the
pot. It's not impossible -- just very unlikely.

Not unlikely at all! - most motorcycle helmets are ABS and carry dire
warnings not to paint, apply stickers or clean with *ANY* solvent.

Once I gave a VCR mode switch a blast of switch cleaner - in the time it
took to put the can back on the shelf, the cam wheel had literally turned
into a pile of granules in the bottom of the chassis.

After such an expensive mishap you soon learn to respect the danger.

 

[Jim Yanik]

"Ian Field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:zL5Gq.181355$WC5.102548@newsfe09.ams2:

"~BD~" <~BD~@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
news:jcans6$fgv$2@dont-email.me...
spamtrap1888 wrote:
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Have you tried 'working' it - turning it rapidly clockwise then
counter-clockwise (or rapidly up and down if a slider mechanism) -
for 20 seconds or so?

That should clear any dust which may be affecting its operation.


Another old trick of the trade is to rub the carbon track with the
point of a HB graphite pencil.

Apply lightly first & check the result - it can alter the audio curve
if over applied.

One trick I used to use was wrapping a single turn of insulated
stranded,flexible wire around the knob or shaft,and using the wire to see-
saw the pot back and forth,it's easier and faster than doing it with your
fingers.
kinda like the bow and stick method of fire-starting,if you know what I
mean.

tuner cleaner-lube spray usually works if you can get it into the pot.
On the Bourns mod-pots,I used to drill a small access hole for a syringe
needle I had fixed to the spray can's tube.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

[hrhofmann@att.net]

On Dec 15, 10:06 am, Jim Yanik <jya...@abuse.gov> wrote:

"Ian Field" <gangprobing.al...@ntlworld.com> wrote innews:zL5Gq.181355$WC5.102548@newsfe09.ams2:







"~BD~" <~...@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
news:jcans6$fgv$2@dont-email.me...
spamtrap1888 wrote:
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

Have you tried 'working' it - turning it rapidly clockwise then
counter-clockwise (or rapidly up and down if a slider mechanism) -
for 20 seconds or so?

That should clear any dust which may be affecting its operation.

Another old trick of the trade is to rub the carbon track with the
point of a HB graphite pencil.

Apply lightly first & check the result - it can alter the audio curve
if over applied.

One trick I used to use was wrapping a single turn of insulated
stranded,flexible wire around the knob or shaft,and using the wire to see-
saw the pot back and forth,it's easier and faster than doing it with your
fingers.
kinda like the bow and stick method of fire-starting,if you know what I
mean.

tuner cleaner-lube spray usually works if you can get it into the pot.
On the Bourns mod-pots,I used to drill a small access hole for a syringe
needle I had fixed to the spray can's tube.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I just liberally dose the pot with after-shave lotion applied with an
eyedropper. May have to apply it where the 3 terminals come out the
side, or maybe down the actual shaft itelf. Works every time for
me. The alcohol apparently dissolves some of the dirt and grime and
things are fine for at least a year or two.

 

[Ian Field]

"Lund-Nielsen, Jorgen" <jorgen.lund-nielsen@xyz123desy.de> wrote in message
news:jccaob$8r9$1@it-news01.desy.de...

Am 14.12.2011 18:43, schrieb spamtrap1888:
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


If there are loud "scratching noises" from the speaker during moving the
pot, then, aditional to the cleaning tips from the others, look for bad
elytics that may have leaking currents causing DC at the pot.

Jorgen

Lucky someone remembered - that's the next place to look if cleaning doesn't
help.

 

[Ian Field]

"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jcapsf$urc$1@dont-email.me...

The usual fix is to flush the pot with something designed for cleaning
pots
or contacts.

You might also try one of Caig's products.

A few months ago one of the UK hobby magazines published an email for a
company giving free samples of pot lube.

Nye synthetic lubricants.

Distributed by:

www.newgatesimms.co.uk

The sample was; Fluorocarbon gel 813-1

The sample was tiny, so it hasn't been possible to try it on a variety of
pots to see if any of the plastic parts suffer damage.

 

[N_Cook]

spamtrap1888 <spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:824d83b3-b91a-43b1-8333-f7bdc7c8a33a@t36g2000prt.googlegroups.com...

The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.

Why does no one ever seem to mention desoldering the pot and taking it
apart. Then you can actually see whether it is wear,dirt, hardened
lubricant, weak wiper springing or misalgnment, bad paxolin rivets, cracked
paxolin etc.

 

[Ian Field]

"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jchpvo$g4i$1@dont-email.me...

spamtrap1888 <spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:824d83b3-b91a-43b1-8333-f7bdc7c8a33a@t36g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Why does no one ever seem to mention desoldering the pot and taking it
apart. Then you can actually see whether it is wear,dirt, hardened
lubricant, weak wiper springing or misalgnment, bad paxolin rivets,
cracked
paxolin etc.

Because its best to look on the bright side till all else fails.

 

[N_Cook]

Ian Field <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Q93Hq.52976$Oz7.34978@newsfe24.ams2...

"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jchpvo$g4i$1@dont-email.me...
spamtrap1888 <spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:824d83b3-b91a-43b1-8333-f7bdc7c8a33a@t36g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Why does no one ever seem to mention desoldering the pot and taking it
apart. Then you can actually see whether it is wear,dirt, hardened
lubricant, weak wiper springing or misalgnment, bad paxolin rivets,
cracked
paxolin etc.


Because its best to look on the bright side till all else fails.

As something in excess of 95 percent of the "dirty" pots I come across are
anything else but dirty, I've long since been in the habit of removing and
dismantling rather than wasting time with various potions.

 

[Rheilly Phoull]

On 12/18/2011 12:32 AM, N_Cook wrote:

Ian Field<gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Q93Hq.52976$Oz7.34978@newsfe24.ams2...

"N_Cook"<diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jchpvo$g4i$1@dont-email.me...
spamtrap1888<spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:824d83b3-b91a-43b1-8333-f7bdc7c8a33a@t36g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Why does no one ever seem to mention desoldering the pot and taking it
apart. Then you can actually see whether it is wear,dirt, hardened
lubricant, weak wiper springing or misalgnment, bad paxolin rivets,
cracked
paxolin etc.


Because its best to look on the bright side till all else fails.




As something in excess of 95 percent of the "dirty" pots I come across are
anything else but dirty, I've long since been in the habit of removing and
dismantling rather than wasting time with various potions.


Absolutely, pots that don't get 'twiddled' much might be dirty but a

volume pot is prone to being worn 'out'. Sometimes a little bend of the
contact wiper to an unworn part of the track (on older pots) can extend
the life.

Rheilly P

 

[N_Cook]

Rheilly Phoull <rheilly@bigslong.com> wrote in message
news:wLmdnRli3P-9cXLTnZ2dnUVZ_uSdnZ2d@westnet.com.au...

On 12/18/2011 12:32 AM, N_Cook wrote:
Ian Field<gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Q93Hq.52976$Oz7.34978@newsfe24.ams2...

"N_Cook"<diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jchpvo$g4i$1@dont-email.me...
spamtrap1888<spamtrap1888@gmail.com> wrote in message


news:824d83b3-b91a-43b1-8333-f7bdc7c8a33a@t36g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
The volume control of the cheapie Sony "transistor" AM FM radio I
bought about a year ago does not operate smoothly at low volumes.
Could I try spraying it with something, and if so, what do people
recommend?

Even if not cost-effective, I hate to throw things away. Further, it
has the best FM performance of any small radio I have ever had.


Why does no one ever seem to mention desoldering the pot and taking it
apart. Then you can actually see whether it is wear,dirt, hardened
lubricant, weak wiper springing or misalgnment, bad paxolin rivets,
cracked
paxolin etc.


Because its best to look on the bright side till all else fails.




As something in excess of 95 percent of the "dirty" pots I come across
are
anything else but dirty, I've long since been in the habit of removing
and
dismantling rather than wasting time with various potions.


Absolutely, pots that don't get 'twiddled' much might be dirty but a
volume pot is prone to being worn 'out'. Sometimes a little bend of the
contact wiper to an unworn part of the track (on older pots) can extend
the life.

Rheilly P

This is my consensus view, assuming not due to being abused. Old pots tend
to be worn. Modern small ones as used in multichanel mixers - misalignment
of the flimsey wiper, plastic bodied ones - compacted grease under the
flimsy wiper. I don't remember coming across a worn failing modern pot,
probably swings and roundabouts of flimsey wiper metal. Stout and it wears
the track and light the wiper gets mispositioned too easily