Anyone have any ideas how I could clean out the inside of my radio?

[Andy1845c]

Sounds like an odd question I know...... I have a transformer that looks like a wooly mammoth and capacitors that look like they are growing beards.

Take a look at the attached picture. The dust looks like it would blow out with canned air, but it won't. Its caught in kind of a gooey layer. I am not sure what exactly it is, but its almost like kitchen grease in texture.

I'd kinda like to clean it out. Is there anything I could spray on it with out risking damage to the older components in this 30 year old radio? Possibly somthing I could spray along with blowing on it with compressed air to aid in flushing the gunk off the boards?

 

[dknguyen]

Isopropyl Alcohol? It's conductive though...so make sure it's dry.

 

[Andy1845c]

I was thinking maybe that would work, but wanted some opinions. I would want 100% isopropyl alcohol, correct? I think common rubbing alcohol is part water.

 

[user_88]

I use an industrial grade of spray-on electrical contact cleaner.
It is more expensive than alcohol ... $8-10/can.
However, it will completely evaporate ... no residue.
A large bag of industrial, wood stick type, cotton swabs will probably come in handy.

Also suggest a can or two of the compressed air spray .....

 

[kchriste]

Be very careful with electrical contact cleaners as they can destroy certain plastics. 100% isopropyl alcohol is a good choice. Be sure to remove components that can trap liquids, like the relay in the upper left hand corner of the picture, before bathing your radio in any cleaner. Personally, unless I was going to display this radio in a museum or something, I would just clean it with a soft brush and not use any liquids.

 

[dknguyen]

Yes, i mean 99.99% Isoropyl Alcohol- the kind in electronic stores, not the kind in drugstores (although I found it once there for really cheap...they don't seem to carry it anymore).

 

[killivolt]

Be very careful with electrical contact cleaners as they can destroy certain plastics. 100% isopropyl alcohol is a good choice. Be sure to remove components that can trap liquids, like the relay in the upper left hand corner of the picture, before bathing your radio in any cleaner. Personally, unless I was going to display this radio in a museum or something, I would just clean it with a soft brush and not use any liquids.

I agree, if you have dust accumulation. First blow it out with some high pressured air then follow up with something that is not going to damage any plastic. Maybe even brushing with the air or something. Were a mask you never now what's in the dust accumulation.



kv

 

[awright]

My first reaction is to support kchriste's recommendation. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Brush it and vacuum it and let it be. Actually, despite the fact that I've used a mil surplus dental compressor with regenerative dessicant dryer for cleaning things for many years, you are better off using a 1" paintbrush with a vacuum equipped with a narrow sofa cushion wand, rather than compressed air. Less chance of driving dust and grit into places you don't want it like between the variable capacitor plates or into the exposed, greased ball bearings of the capacitor rotor.

My second reaction is to not use any solvents like alcohol. Decades ago, when Tektronix still made tube-type oscilloscopes (and when it was a unique company with very helpful field reps and tech support), they issued an application note on cleaning old tube-type oscilloscopes. They strongly recommended against any solvents and recommended instead a water bath with detergent! I've used that approach many times over the decades with good success.

The procedure is to protect all parts that could be damaged by water, including transformers and cardboard casings on capacitors by removal or by covering with plastic baggies, shower the instrument with detergent solution, brush gently with a paintbrush to loosen crap, rinse with tap water, RINSE FINALLY WITH DISTILLED WATER (not de-ionized water), and dry in a well-controlled oven for a LONG time at very low heat. If it is uncomfortable to put your hand on the instrument for a long time it is too hot. That's about 140 degrees F. The distilled water will leave no residue or minerals as can tap water.

Once the cardboard capacitor casings are protected or removed, the instruments are not very sensitive to water. Oh, yeah. Remove any speakers.

One big advantage is that detergent solution is less likely to remove identifying marks from components although it CAN remove identifying numbers from some tubes, so always write down the tube types and their locations. It is actually best to remove the tubes one at a time, write down their type and location in the instrument, clean them individually and put them aside in a manner that preserves their information.

Detergent solution is also much more environmentally benign and harmless to you than solvents and is available in large quantities for pennies rather than in 1/2 pints for dollars. You can use it liberally without concern. Tektronix recommended a lab glassware cleaning detergent, probably because it would rense easily and not leave a residue. I have used detergents from home supply houses like HD with success.

Solvents will effectively remove grease from the ball bearings on variable capacitors. That's not good. Mild detergent is less likely to remove the grease unless you focus your brushing on it. In either case, regrease the bearings after any cleaning procedure.

I generally put the instrument out in the warm sun for a few days rather than in an oven - largely because my wife would look askance at my putting an electronic instrument in the oven for days, but also because I have witnessed the complete roasting of a device in an industrial oven that was supposed to be well-controlled with commercial temperature controls. (That was a steel-rubber-steel sandwich railroad track fastener. the stiffness testing of which I was supposed to witness at a university test lab after it had been subjected to temperature cycling for a week in an industrial oven. When I got to the test lab they showed me a stinking mass of melted and burned rubber and steel and said to come back in a month. So I don't trust "temperature-controlled" ovens any more.)

whatever method you use, take detailed pictures and write down identifying marks before cleaning with solvents of any type.

Transformers aren't uniquely sensitive to water but they can get saturated with water within the windings and they can be difficult to rinse effectively and to dry out. That's one reason to continue the drying under gentle heat for much longer than you think is necessary by surface inspection. It's better to avoid saturating transformers with a baggie.

Good luck.

awright

 

[ericgibbs]

hi Andy,

If the radio is working, IMO dont attempt to clean it.

You will most likely create faults, the maxim is, 'if its working, leave it alone'.

If you must clean the transformer DONT use chemicals, especially Isopropyl Alcohol.

Use a soft 1 inch paint brush and a hoover/vacuum extension, very lightly brush the txr while extracting the dust.. dont disturb any wiring...

 

[JimB]

Scruffy little sucker isn't it!

My approach, (based on having done it several times before), to cleaning this would be:

1 Use a soft brush (1" paint brush) and a vacuum cleaner. Brush the dust and use the vacuum to suck away the displaced dust.
Compressed air is a bad idea, just spreads the dust around the place.

2 If the dust is stuck on, use the brush and either isopropyl alcohol, or, water with a trace of detergent.
Allow the clean unit to dry for several days before applying power.

3 Take care not to get water into the coil screening cans, it will take for ever to dry out.
Also, dont let the dust get into the variable capacitor vanes.

4 Don't use "contact cleaner" sprays, they just leave a sticky mess and will hold more dust.

Best of luck, it is a Yaesu FT200 (Somerkamp FT277?) one of the cheapest amateur radio transceivers ever made and at least 25 years old.

JimB

 

[jpanhalt]

I second the water approaches. One little addition: adding a little alcohol to the water will improve its ability to get through smoke and oily residues. In other words, adding isopropyl alcohol will act like a surfactant ("detergent") and will not need to be rinsed.

John

 

[Mikebits]

Just my experience. I have screwed stuff up with contact cleaner, went from working to non-working. Bad stuff. In my Navy days we use to use the now illegal cans of Tri-chlor.

 

[duffy]

Excellent cleaning advice, awright. That's the approach I would recommend, OP.

 

[flat5]

In 1982 I had a job that required maintaining all the old Yellow Cab taxi radios in Oakland, Ca. and adjoining area. These were all tube radios designed in the early 1960s, I think.
When they came in to the shop they were dirty and had cigarettes, pills, gum, you name it in them

We cleaned them and then repaired them. They were shiny after cleaning. Here is how we did it. Make a mix of 1/3 water, 1/3 ammonia, 1/3 "Formula 409 Bathroom Cleaner" in a large plastic (as I remember) bucket. Remove the speaker from the radio and immerse the radio in the mixture for a few hours. Remove and wash with water. Let dry in the sun. Retune the radio.

One interesting part of the retuning was to detune the first RF amp quite a bit. Don't remember but it was at least 6 to 12 db.
This was necessary because the VHF was much more populated with high power stations than when the radio was designed.
This was the easy way to solve the receiver overloading problem. It was practical and effective.

 

[Andy1845c]

Wow, thanks for all the advice!

I would have never thought it was advisable to use water on electronic equipment. That is interesting and something I will keep in mind for the future. This radio has too many parts I do not want to get wet, so I think if the solvents are a bad idea I will just wipe and brush away as much of the dust as I can and live with it.

It does seem to have a transmitting problem, but I doubt it is caused by the dust. I just wanted to start by cleaning it up a bit.

Best of luck, it is a Yaesu FT200 (Somerkamp FT277?) one of the cheapest amateur radio transceivers ever made and at least 25 years old.

How the heck did you know that? From other posts I have made or can you tell from looking at it?

Its actually a Tempo One, but as far as i know thats the same radio as the FT200, just a bit different face plate.

Do you have one/had one/used one?

 

[gabeNC]

Just my experience. I have screwed stuff up with contact cleaner, went from working to non-working. Bad stuff. In my Navy days we use to use the now illegal cans of Tri-chlor.

I've used that stuff before too, on telephone switching systems in the USAF. Worked fantastic if used correctly. I watched a Sgt spray some of this stuff into a plastic printer ink reservoir. Turned it on and watched his face turn to horror as melted chunks of plastic got spit all over the drum.

Ahhh the memories.

 

[flat5]

"I would have never thought it was advisable to use water on electronic equipment."

That's the first thing you do if you see a cat pee on electronic equipment. Immerse the thing (not the cat) in lots of water right away. Cat pee is a good etchant. It will dissolve copper.

 

[JimB]

I would have never thought it was advisable to use water on electronic equipment.

Best thing for cleaning keyboards etc, which have had coffee, Coca Cola, hydraulic fluid etc spilled over them.
Note that the hydraulic fluid was a water based fluid rather than oil based, and so was completely removed by water.

How the heck did you know that? From other posts I have made or can you tell from looking at it?

Its actually a Tempo One, but as far as i know thats the same radio as the FT200, just a bit different face plate.

Yes, I remember one of your posts some time ago talking about the Tempo One which I looked up and found to be a "badge engineered" FT200.

Do you have one/had one/used one?

Yes, I have one lying dormant in my loft.
It is in good physical condition but poor electrical condition, noisy receive and no PA valves.

The FT200 was definitely built down to a price, but when they are working are quite acceptable for a 30 year old budget radio.

JimB

 

[JimB]

That's the first thing you do if you see a cat pee on electronic equipment. Immerse the thing (not the cat) in lots of water right away. Cat pee is a good etchant. It will dissolve copper.

Well, that gave me a laugh.

If my cat did that, (not that I have had a cat for many years now), it would definitely go into the bucket of water to teach it a lesson!

JimB

 

[Andy1845c]

Yes, I have one lying dormant in my loft.
It is in good physical condition but poor electrical condition, noisy receive and no PA valves.

The FT200 was definitely built down to a price, but when they are working are quite acceptable for a 30 year old budget radio.

JimB

You wouldn't happen to be familiar with its schematic and how it should operate when transmitting would you? I am having some problems with mine and it would help if I could find someone with some experiance with the same radio.

I have heard mixed reviews on the FT200/Tempo One. Some says they aren't so good, others really seem to like them.

I bought mine off ebay when I was 16. It was the first thing I bought after getting a real part time job. I got the Tempo AC one power supply and the Tempo external VFO all as a package deal.

Its given me alot of happy hours listening, but I have only made a handful of contacts on 20 meters with it, and that was a few years ago. A poor antenna setup was mostly to blame.

Now I am trying to get it set back up, but can only get ~50 watts or so out, and thats with the Mic Gain all the way up, making the IC current 250+ mA. That doesn't seem right to me.

Best thing for cleaning keyboards etc, which have had coffee, Coca Cola, hydraulic fluid etc spilled over them.
Note that the hydraulic fluid was a water based fluid rather than oil based, and so was completely removed by water.

JimB

Hydraulic fluid in the keyboard.... now thats a new one