Cleaning Sliders and Dials - alternatives to isopropanol?

[Stafftunes]

Hi,

I just got my SK30 out for a test and play, and quite a few of the sliders and dials are crackling, most likely due to collected dust and dirt. (As it's been sat unplayed for a very long time)

Normally I would spray in some contact cleaner (with isoproponol or similar), but the issue with doing this is potentiometers tend to get 'hungry' for it then and need spraying again, eventually this causes the carbon tracks to wear off and you have a dead pot!

Does anyone have any alternative solutions to the issue of cleaning crackley pots?

Staff

[pflosi]

Use it a lot. Wiggle the faders very fast until it gets better. That often helps and is less damaging than spray...

[Broadwave]

DeoxIT Fader F5 - I use nothing else as it's safe with both plastic and carbon sliders.

I've also got an SK30, and recently cleaned everything up and given the sliders a good spray with this... everything now works with no crackles (my organ sliders were awful!).

I believe there's also a special DeoxIT lube you can use after cleaning, but it's a case of deciding which is the correct one (which I haven't figured out yet).

[Bitexion]

What happens if you spray Deoxit on the circuit board? Does it conduct electricity?

[c-level]

What happens if you spray Deoxit on the circuit board? Does it conduct electricity?

It can? depends how much a lot of it is 'fast drying' and fairly safe to put in a slider at a time. still its a good idea to turn the synth off if doing more than a few small sliders. also theres a brand of contact cleaner with lubricant in it so the pots actually get greased not just 'hungry'

[Broadwave]

What happens if you spray Deoxit on the circuit board? Does it conduct electricity?

It's non conductive once dry, but I always clean up with a few cotton buds before switching things back on.