Deoxit vs Carbon Traces

[Transistorized]

Seems like there are wide scale debates on this but I purchased Deoxit D5 because my old RadioShack Tuner cleaner spray is running out. The good stuff from before the days where ozone concerns were not deterring good products. I have used it on many boomboxes including my C100 and others. It has worked great and doesn't seem to wash the controls out to where they feel cheap if used sparingly.

Anyway, now I have decided to get Dexoit D5 and now I am wondering if I should've gotten the F5 for Faders instead. I don't necessarily like harsh chemicals around my blaster controls. I am worried that they may damage the carbon traces found in most of our volume sliders and controls.

So I started looking and sure enough, there are cases where folks have said they used Deoxit D5 and it either instantly killed their pot or after a week dissolved the carbon trace resulting in failure.

I want something that isn't going to strip carbon traces and also provides or leaves behind a film for protection. Now I am wondering if I got the wrong stuff for my intended use.

Is there a possibility we can put this debate to rest? Should I get Fader F5 insead? I have heard it is less harsh. IDK. I just know I would be completely downed if this stuff destroyed the carbon traces on my pots or sliders when used.

 

[jimmyjimmy19702010]

I’ve used up a tin of Deoxit F5. The F5 just has additional oil in the mix as far as I know. I don’t think D5 would damage pots etc.

It was probably all of the crap in the slider/pot stiring around that damaged the traces.
The solvents in contact cleaners evaporates away in a short period of time leaving a layer of oil behind. I always spray F5 into a slider, slide it back and forth a few times to restore function and then leave it for a couple of days. The ‘feel’ of the slider will improve over that period. The solvents can make a once smooth feeling slider suddenly feel grabby upon application.

On the other hand, dismantling a slider completely, cleaning it out, lubing the sliding components (non-electrical) with grease and reassembling is the only way to get that ‘new feeling’ back completely.

 

[Superduper]

I use D5 almost exclusively and have never seen or heard of it damaging traces. WD-40 might be different. I also have F5 but it doesn’t seem as effective and still strips the grease. It does have some oils but oil is not a good substitute for grease. According to Caig, the lubricant is for sliding contact surfaces such as pots but the grease that gets stripped is on the shaft area and once gone, still leaves the shaft feeling cheap & rickety. My point is don’t get suckered in and think that since the F series product contains lubricant, that it would be good to use a lot of it. My experience is D5 applied in a teeny ever so tiny spritz is often enough. BTW, D5 also contains lubricant. You’ll notice that drips don’t evaporate like alcohol or tuner cleaner. D5 also is only 20% cleaner. They have ultra expensive stuff that is 100% cleaner too but for most applications, D5 is probably the best overall single product to keep in your arsenal.

 

[Reli]

I've been using D100L in a brush bottle. It's 100% solution, so obviously it's thicker than the sprays. The brush is small enough to fit into the little holes behind most volume pots. I like it because it doesn't dilute the internal grease as much as the sprays would.

Haven't used it for sliders yet, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Transistorized]

Thanks superduper, Jimmy and Reli. If you guys are all using it, I'm not ever worrying about it ever again. Seems like the ones on the internet who have had immediate failures or failures thereafter were probably more of a coincidence than anything else. Looks like I made the right choice.

My old contact/control cleaner has the following in it.

1,1,1,2 - Tetrafluoroethane (811-97-2), Cyclomethicon (541-02-6), Mineral oil (64742-21-8), Fragrance, Dye.

What I always loved about this stuff was that it is not flammable. It actually has a pleasant smell and doesn't smell harsh like brake cleaner. Almost smells like talcum powder. Sure going to miss that stuff. I hate branching out using a new unknown solution on my boxes.

The ‘feel’ of the slider will improve over that period. The solvents can make a once smooth feeling slider suddenly feel grabby upon application.

I thank you SO MUCH for that comment because my left slider on my M70 was ever so slightly "grabby". I figured my control cleaner has oil in it so I'd give it a quick short burst. When I went to move the slider afterwards my heart started racing and my face turned red as I figured I had killed it. It went from bad to HORRIBLE!

I did not know or expect this...so your post is very reassuring. It really took me by surprise when this happened.

Today it is much better. Probably about what it was before the application.

I need to stop trying to perfect this thing or I'm going to mess it up and get pi$$ed at myself. It's in my nature to try and get things perfect yet I myself am not perfect either so I get mad at myself when I do something stupid....and I really get annoyed if I make something worse. I can't stand that.

 

[Transistorized]

Well it came today. A 5oz can of Deoxit. The last 5oz can I bought lasted 24 years so I guess I'm set for life