Cleaning Dirty Switches

From the Ten-Tec Reflector September 2, 2006

I will be refurbishing a Triton IV soon. The mode switch is stiff and erratic. How do I clean and loosen this switch that seems to have a plastic cover over the contacts? I just briefly got to look at it and want to be prepared when the rig gets here.

Thanks,
Ed Purvis WA4NJY


September 2, 2006

If it is made like the bandswitch wafers, there is a disc on each side of the contacts. The discs have holes about 1/8 or 3/16 inches in diameter into which one can spray ever so slightly little Cramolin contact cleaner (use DeoxIT DN5 Power Booster). After cycling the switch from stop to stop several times, one waits until the cleaner has dried. Finally a very quick spray of Cramolin contact lubricant is put into the wafers and the switch cycled some more times. (Sorry I do not know the current designation of the Cramolin contact lubricant.)

If the shaft is binding where it passes through the mounting bushing, I'd suggest a small drop of light machine oil.

Does that answer your question?

73, Mike N4NT


September 2, 2006

Further to my reply to Ed, here is what Ten-Tec has recommended in the past:

For initial contact cleaning, both for switches and potentiometers, use Cramolin R-5. For lubrication of the contacts thereafter, use Cramolin B-5. The R-5 came in a red can and the B-5, a blue one. Both these Cramolins were made by Caig Laboratories.

The following information comes from the Caig Reference OLD to NEW Products:

http://store.caig.com/s.nl?sc=2&category=188&search=cramolin

When I spoke with Garland Jenkins about which substitute to use, he recommended the DN5. He was VERY SPECIFIC about using DN5 and not D5. The sprays designated N are marked "Safe for use on plastics," so be very sure to get the N versions of both ! !

The R-5 cleaner was replaced with Caig DeoxIT DN5S-6N 5% Spray.

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1982/.f?sc=2&category=188

The B-5 lubricant was replaced with Caig DeoxIT SHIELD SN5S-6N 5% Spray.

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2173/.f?sc=2&category=192

When I ordered from Caig, it seemed to me the shipping cost was about as much as one can of spray. Getting both at one time would make sense. A can of either of these, properly used, should last a young teenaged technician a lifetime.

73, Mike N4NT


September 3, 2006

Hi All,

This is the reply I got from Ten Tec service regarding switch cleaning.

73

Tim

Dear Tim:

Yes, I would agree that the band switch needs cleaning. We recommend using the Caig Deoxit to clean the switches and Caig Preservit for a lubricant.

73, Paul R. Clinton WD4EBR Service Manager


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