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Slash

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Hey, I'm new here, this is my first post, I hope I will get some help...
I need to repair a guitar multieffect (korg ax1500g). one microswitch is loosing contact because of dirt in it. is it safe to use WD-40, or I need to use some other stuff?
Here's the pic of effect:
**broken link removed**

and this is the micro switch in it:
**broken link removed**

Thanks, and sorry on my bad English...
 
No, WD-40 would be a bad idea. Go with a proper contact cleaner such as Electrolube SOB after blowing it out with canned air.

Are you sure it's dirty? Could be loose solder joints; that's not uncommon at all in this kind of application. You might need a jeweler's loupe to see problems with the soldering, though. In this kind of situation I'd probably resolder it just to be sure.

Actually what I'd more likely do is just replace the switch.


Good luck,

Torben
 
When I press it very much (when I step on it with my full weight) it works, one guy also told me he had similar problems, and he successfully solved it with WD-40.
I don't want to mess with changing the switch, It would be great when I could fix it somehow...
 
When I press it very much (when I step on it with my full weight) it works, one guy also told me he had similar problems, and he successfully solved it with WD-40.
I don't want to mess with changing the switch, It would be great when I could fix it somehow...

One guy using WD-40 doesn't make it a good way to fix microswitches. Fix it right, and see whose switch is still working next year.

If you don't want to replace the switch (remember, you're fixing the *unit*, not the switch) then double-check the solders, and use a good contact cleaner after blowing the switch out as much as possible.


Torben
 
I would disagree with Torben, WD40 is an excellent switch and control cleaner as it replaces the switches internal lubricant, so called 'switch cleaner' washes all the lubricant out.

I've been using it exclusively now for well over 20 years, never had any problems with it, and had excellent results - far better than the switch cleaners we used previously.

But as Torben says, checks for dry joints on the switch first, they get some hammer in a pedal, and may have cracked the solder.
 
Ok, I will disassembly it for about an hour, and I'll se what the situation is.
Thanks on fast replies:)
 
I would disagree with Torben, WD40 is an excellent switch and control cleaner as it replaces the switches internal lubricant, so called 'switch cleaner' washes all the lubricant out.

I've been using it exclusively now for well over 20 years, never had any problems with it, and had excellent results - far better than the switch cleaners we used previously.

Hm...I have been taught that WD-40 is conductive (which a quick and very non-scientific test just now has shown to be false, at least as far as my DMM is concerned) and that it can corrode some plastics. I confess I never verified those claims. Between what Nigel has said and what some quick (non-exhaustive) Googling has turned up, I have to say that many people with more experience than I feel that WD-40 is just fine.


Regards,

Torben
 
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I've done some research...WD-40 doesn't have any carbon in it, so I think it will be good...thanks guys!
 
Hm...I have been taught that WD-40 is conductive (which a quick and very non-scientific test just now has shown to be false, at least as far as my DMM is concerned)

If it was conductive how could ut be sprayed on car ignition wiring? :D

and that it can corrode some plastics. I confess I never verified those claims.

Pretty well any aerosol can affect certain plastics, but WD40 seems as safe as any other - some of the old switch cleaners were really nasty on many plastics - as always, it's best to make a small test if you have concerns.
 
I've done some research...WD-40 doesn't have any carbon in it, so I think it will be good...thanks guys!

WD-40 works quite well. It's great for switches and pots.

Great for things around the house, door knobs, etc.

One thing: be careful about using it on outdoor things in the cold: it will freeze. Heard about a guy in Michigan who used it on his car door looks in the winter, and the car had to be towed to a warm garage and allowed to thow out.
 
I remeber when a friend borrowed me a hexagonal wrench to fix his bicycle. The wrench got stuck so badly, that he left the tool attached to the screw and took a ride with it.

I laugh when I saw that, WD-40 fixed it. And smells goooooood hahahaha
 
If it was conductive how could ut be sprayed on car ignition wiring? :D

:) Hey, I *said* I never checked my assumption that I was taught correctly. Bad on my part.

Apparently I didn't even think about it all that hard.


Cheers,

Torben
 
Yeah!

If I wasn't dreaming, I heard on History channel that WD-40 was a mixture of oils, bla bla bla, secret ingredient, and fragance.

Is great for the armpits too ;)

But the coolest workbench chemical, without any doubt, Isopropyl alcohol!
Cellphone on the toilet? no problem. Dirty Contacts? No problem. Bugs and insects? No problem. Mistake with the Sharpie? no problem. Cuts and scars? not recomended, but works great when first aid kid is far (I use electrical tape and a piece of paper or cotton as improvised band)

I love it! bad thing the damn drug dealers use it to process cocaine, so it's a controlled substance and you must provide personal information (ID, telephone) to buy it in small ammounts.
 
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Yeah!

If I wasn't dreaming, I heard on History channel that WD-40 was a mixture of oils, bla bla bla, secret ingredient, and fragance.

Is great for the armpits too ;)

But the coolest workbench chemical, without any doubt, Isopropyl alcohol!
Cellphone on the toilet? no problem. Dirty Contacts? No problem. Bugs and insects? No problem. Mistake with the Sharpie? no problem. Cuts and scars? not recomended, but works great when first aid kid is far (I use electrical tape and a piece of paper or cotton as improvised band)

I love it! bad thing the damn drug dealers use it to process cocaine, so it's a controlled substance and you must provide personal information (ID, telephone) to buy it in small ammounts.

Menticol,

If I'm remembering correctly, Isopropyl leaves a residue. Instead, we used denatured alcohol.
 
Menticol,

If I'm remembering correctly, Isopropyl leaves a residue. Instead, we used denatured alcohol.

And what about the naphta and the oils? I guess they remain as methanol evaporates...

I'm not saying necesarily that you are wrong with isopropyl, but I've never seen any kind of visible residues, and electrical functions are normal (previously dead)

PS: GREAT picture (avatar)!!!!
 
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And what about the naphta and the oils? I guess they remain as methanol evaporates...

I'm not saying necesarily that you are wrong with isopropyl, but I've never seen any kind of visible residues, and electrical functions are normal (previously dead)

PS: GREAT picture (avatar)!!!!

We found that it left residue when used as a tape head cleaner, whereas denatured does not. Very few tapes in use these days, so it's not that big of an issue.

On the avatar: Tesla has always been one of my heroes.

Funny story: I serve pro-bono as the webmaster for the Ground Zero museum in New York, and I've managed to solicit a number of donations from companies I work with. I had occassion to speak with George Persits, and he graciously donated a copy of his famous suite of server software for use (Aspemail, Aspjpeg, etc). I started by telling him what an honor it was to speak with him, and that he was one of my 2 (living) idols. He asked me who the other was, and I told him: Forrest Mims. He got very quiet. So I asked him: "Do you know who that is?" He admitted that he didn't, but the name was familiar. So I told him about some of Mim's work (he wrote all the Radio Shack engineer's hand books). That spurred a memory. It turns out that one of George's cousins is a electronics hobbyist and had thrown the very same name at him at their last Christmas.

Pretty cool!
 
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Yeah!

If I wasn't dreaming, I heard on History channel that WD-40 was a mixture of oils, bla bla bla, secret ingredient, and fragance.

Is great for the armpits too ;)

But the coolest workbench chemical, without any doubt, Isopropyl alcohol!
Cellphone on the toilet? no problem. Dirty Contacts? No problem. Bugs and insects? No problem. Mistake with the Sharpie? no problem. Cuts and scars? not recomended, but works great when first aid kid is far (I use electrical tape and a piece of paper or cotton as improvised band)

I love it! bad thing the damn drug dealers use it to process cocaine, so it's a controlled substance and you must provide personal information (ID, telephone) to buy it in small ammounts.

Some guy's around here like to catch Cat fish. There secret WD-40. Spray it on the bait.

I'm really surprised about the pot - switch cleaning thing. I would have thought it to be to conductive.

kv
 
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