Aged DIY, Long Term Success

[Lazarus Short]

Many months ago, I gave up on my Arcam Delta 60. I had cleaned the volume pots, and had even talked with a guy from Arcam on the phone about the issue ("Oh, they haven't made those pots in over ten years!"). One channel or both were cutting in and out. Cleaning helped, but didn't solve the problem. I got my Cyrus 2 fixed, and used the Arcam as a passive preamp + phono pre, which it was good at, as the volume pot was not involved. In August I packed the Arcam up for our move to Alabama next spring. Later, I packed up the Cyrus, and used the JVC MX-1, but ran into the same problem, except it was the balance pot. I cleaned the pot, but it has yet to function 100%. I concluded that I was just going to resign myself to regular maintenance, and that pots are evil.

Yesterday, I got in another "dewerdie" mood, tired of the MX-1 hassle, and unpacked the Arcam. This time it's going into the ultrasonic cleaner with the solvent! As a precaution, I hooked it up. Other than the right channel dropping out briefly right after startup, it played and played and played. SUCCESS after all that time in the box!! I can only guess that the Deoxit kept working after I gave up.

Next, I'm taking on the blown tweeter(s) on the Fisher speakers, replacing with EPI Goldrings.

 

[fitz43]

Yesterday, I got in another "dewerdie" mood, tired of the MX-1 hassle, and unpacked the Arcam. This time it's going into the ultrasonic cleaner with the solvent!

What solvent did you use in your ultrasonic cleaner?

 

[Lazarus Short]

I didn't get that far, as I explained, I tried the amp out first, and it WORKED! I had used Deoxit on it before, simply sprayed into the pot. On the advice of the fellow from Arcam, I added a drop or two of synthetic oil to the pot. I may yet use the ultrasonic cleaner on the pot(s) of the MX-1, either this general-purpose stuff from RS, or Deoxit.

 

[laatsch55]

Laz, I have de-oxited some pots 4 and 5 times to finally get them to work. That's not unusual and probably more the norm than not. Actuation of the switch with the De-Oxit on the surfaces is also a must, the only thing that de-oxit WILL NOT do is replace the resistive surfaces that have delaminated or come loose. I actuate the swotch surfaces at least 50 times and then rinse with D-5. If you are not using GENUINE De-Oxit it's a crap shoot, yes it's expensive, but it is the shit.

 

[Lazarus Short]

When you say "actuate," I assume you mean cranking the knob/shaft stop-to-stop over and over. Yes, I did that, and did use D5. I'm thinking that drilling a small hole in pots, sized for aerosol can tubes, might be a good idea. A squirt once a year, say, might be easier in the end than cleaning nightmares twenty or thirty years later...