Deoxit contact cleaner for the frugal

[GW0ETF]

I've been using Deoxit to nail the problem of less than perfect connections between the front panel and motherboard and the associated power-up error messages on my early K3.

A 2ml tube over here costs around £6 uk pounds so I didn't want to be splashing it on like after shave. I found those little interdental brushes you can get from pharmacies etc are ideal; a drop of the stuff on the bristles will coat loads of pins and the very fine ones will allow you to clean inside the pcb sockets.

Still looking for a use for dental floss though - a couple of solar cycles back the unwaxed stuff might have made great drive cord.......

73,

Stewart, GW0ETF

[Bill W4ZV]

GW0ETF wrote

I've been using Deoxit to nail the problem of less than perfect connections between the front panel and motherboard and the associated power-up error messages on my early K3.

Stewart I'm just curious to know (if you've been using this long enough to know) if one application solved the problem or are repeats necessary over time?

73,  Bill

[GW0ETF]

Bill,

I started with Deoxit 5 months ago. Until then I was used to removing the front panel every few months and cleaning the contacts with alcohol to stop the recurring error messages. No error messages since then though have had the odd loss of pll lock while tuning which may or may not be poor contact related. It's the old conundrum of proving a negative but so far so good.

I originally bought Deoxit Gold which I didn't realise was a 'contact conditioner' rather than a cleaner and that is what I used back in May. I was about to fit the DVR so decided to buy the standard Deoxit (cleaner) and do the cleaning/conditioning as per instruction while I had the radio apart. It's recommended to do a clean with Deoxit and then treat with Deoxit Gold which it says will prevent the contacts losing condition. Just put it all back together now so will wait to see if I'm problem free. Deoxit certainly has a good press.....

73,

Stewart, GW0ETF

Bill W4ZV wrote

GW0ETF wrote

I've been using Deoxit to nail the problem of less than perfect connections between the front panel and motherboard and the associated power-up error messages on my early K3.

Stewart I'm just curious to know (if you've been using this long enough to know) if one application solved the problem or are repeats necessary over time?

73,  Bill