Questions

Issue with corrosion forming on leaky zinc/carbon and alkaline batteries

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Q: (19362)

I run into a lot of corrosion formed by leaky zinc/carbon and alkaline batteries. The battery electrolyte is caustic and forms a hard coating on the nickel plated battery contacts.

DeoxIT D-Series doesn’t seem to have any effect on this type of corrosion. I have to mechanically remove as much of the corrosion as possible and rinse it with a mild acid (dilute water and vinegar) followed by blowing dry with compressed air. After that I use one of the DeoxIT lube products to protect from further corrosion.

What are your thoughts or comments on this issue?

Thank you,
Paul

Need recommendation on which product to use on Audio and Video equipment?

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Q: (19337)

Hello CAIG,
We are professional installers and would like some advice or instruction sheet on which product to use on our audio and video equipment.
We also do outdoor installations for home and businesses.

Thanks,
George

Product for removing oxidation on cadmium or nickel-zinc plated surfaces?

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Q: (19332)

Which product is best for cadmium or nickel-zinc plated surfaces? Do they remove oxides and to treat and protect without damaging the plating?

Cheers,
David

Problem with silver-plated rotary switch on a Marantz 2325

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Q: (18989)

I have been using DeoxIT D5 cleaner on my Marantz 2325 beast for years now. It typically needs to have every silver-plated rotary switch sprayed every 6 months or so. As this is a lot of opening and flipping upside-down and sideways, so opted for the G5 gold spray 142 ml fluid ($40 Canadian) to hopefully leave a film to keep oxygen off the contacts a week after air drying the D5 away. Unfortunately the results were as if no G5 treatment was done, and the intermittent issue showed itself again.

Is my best bet to shove a bit of lithium grease into the rotary contacts about a week after a DeoxIT D5 treatment? I know it should be plastic-safe and if little is used it should not gum up much in the future. I do need to leave a film to prevent additional oxidation.

I don’t turn the function knob and know the DC bias voltage is accelerating the oxidation. I need to coat it well so i can save a constant need to repair every half year. I am considering bypassing the rotary switches all together. The contacts really are correctly aligned, but Montreal is a very humid environment.

My findings from the G5 were that it was unable to leave a significant coating of anything really. I think it pretty much all evaporates leaving the environment to take over. If it were not for plastics in the assembly I would be able to choose things that film over long term. Alas, since the 60s plastics took the industry and they are easy to destroy.

I cannot imagine repeating a procedure twice per year for life. Manufacturers used to do a mixture of stuff that protected well for about ten years back in the 70s. Lithium grease may very well be part of the good original mixture in potentiometers and rotary switches and from what i was told an early version of D5 was part of the mixture.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Richard

Cleaning volume potentiometers on vintage radios?

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Q: (18848)

Dear CAIG,

Please advise the correct product(s) for cleaning volume potentiometers associated with small vintage and currently produced portable radios. Most of these potentiometers operate erratically, resulting in poor volume and control. I would prefer a product that would not require me to remove the device from the circuit board, and not require the device to be disassembled.

Thank you,
Bob
Omaha, NE

Best product on 7/16 DIN connectors (military/aviation) for 10 year life?

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Q: (18844)

Dear Sir

I am interested in using / testing DeoxIT Gold on RF power connectors.
These connectors are in difficult places to access and need to function well for 10 years. They are placed in exposed positions but the centre PIN and the coax outside are shielded by metal. see 7/16 connector.

These are to be used in the UK so not the -40c to + 50c , but may be near salt water, or pollution.

See 7/16 DIN connector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7/16_DIN_connector

The main problem I think is thin film build at about 20 Angstroms thick, and not so much fretting.
Do you supply the Military? Aviation with any product and if so does it meet a test specification.

In short Do you think your product could help ?

Many thanks in advance,
Martin

Please recommend the best way to clean SDXC memory card socket contacts.

/3 Comments/in /by

Q: (18765)

Dear CAIG,

Windows running on my Microsoft Surface Pro computer often does not see the SDXC card inserted in its SDXC socket.  I don’t know what the problem is.  But it might be poor contact between the card and the socket connectors.  The socket connectors are not accessible since they are enclosed in the computer.

Thank you,
Jay

Best product for protecting memory DIMMs and sockets

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Q: (18590)

Industry: computers
Customer industry: Simulation Training

Message: Hi,

I am an engineer at RAVE Computer, a custom computer manufacturer.  We use DeoxIT D-series wipes to clean the contacts of new memory DIMMs prior to installing them in certain customer systems.  The memory has gold contacts and arrives at RAVE brand new from the manufacturer.  The customer in question tends to field our computers for 5-10 years of service often in remote locations, some indoors and others in large semi-trailers converted to training facilities.  They wish to reduce or eliminate the need to reseat the memory every few years, as such preventative maintenance is costly.

1. Should we be using the Gold series instead?
2. Is there anything more we can do to protect the gold-plated electrical connection of the memory from oxidation and/or fretting?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience regarding this issue!

Karl R.
Director of Product Development
RAVE Computer

Can I spray D5S-6 onto a live corroded power meter box?

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Q: (18586)

Madam or sir.

I’ve got a seriously corroded power meter box socket post similar to shown.   It’s causing intermittent contact throughout the house.

1. Can I spray D5 on it without cutting the power to improve contact safely until the electrician can get here (3-4 days)?
2. Which version would you suggest?  I’m thinking nonflammable – sensitive to overspray version
3. Can I buy DeoxIT locally at a retail store in Greenville, SC?

Any help you could provide ASAP would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Chris P.

What to use on audio switches and encoders?

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Q: (18581)

I’m in France and my job is repairing audio products. I use DeoxIT F5 to clean potentiometers and DeoxIT D5 for switches and encoders – GREAT products. Please can you tell me what products (grease) can I use after cleaning potentiometers and encoders. I have DeoxIT FaderGrease DFG-213, can I use it in potentiometers carbon and plastic (after cleaning with F5) and in rotary encoders (after cleaning with D5).

It is better D5 or F5 to clean rotary encoders ?

Thanks,
Franc