Stiff pots

[bassmannate]

Ok, this sorta fits in that it involves electronic components. That and I don't know of anyone else who would know better than this group.

I have a Line 6 Bass Pod Pro that I've owned for 10-11 years. Lately, a few of the control knobs have started feeling stiff and difficult to turn. I opened it up and they look like pretty standard carbon pots other than a few interesting features such as the wiper is completely removed from the carbon on both ends of the strip and sitting on a metal film.

Anyone know the best way to go about cleaning them and get them moving a bit more freely again? I'm wondering if what ever lube was put in the shaft is gummed up after all this time. The unit works perfectly well otherwise.

[Tony Forestiere]

Maybe dribble a smidgen of Isopropyl down the shaft from the top side while turning the pot to see if it loosens? Protect the finish. Just a guess.

[bassmannate]

Thanks. I'll have to give that a shot. I read that deoxit 100% (doesn't have a solvent in it like the original stuff) is good for pots and has a bit of a lubricant in it. May try that sometime. Of course, it's $15-20 for a spray can of it. 

[lonewolf]

I have a video with joe walsh showing how to set up guitars,etc he used wd-40 on the pots in a les paul..just a little bit though..I think radio shack sells something for that also

[nocentelli]

I believe WD-40 is not recommended for pots. It leaves a residue that will clog the pot, you need a proper contact cleaner designed for this job.

[bassmannate]

Well, I tried the alcochol this morning and it seemed to work a little but not much. I do think it's what ever is in the shaft that has dried up because the ones that were having trouble turning had just a little bit of a gray grease dried on the outside of the shaft. Makes me wonder if the grease inside is the same. I don't really want to take these pots off because a) the circuit and b) the pots are soldered on both sides of the board.

Might have to try the deoxit route after all.

[.Mike]

Deoxit works really well.

I used some on the pots to a 1984 Peavey Fury that I picked up. It seemed like the bass had spent a good amount of time in a basement. The pots were scratchy, had dead spots, and were hard to turn. One squirt of Deoxit D5S-6 and a bunch of rotations later, and the pots work perfectly.

I used some Deoxit F5 Faderlube on my Yamaha mixer. After five years or so, the sliders felt gritty, had dead spots, and crackles. It took a few sprays and I had to work the sliders quite a bit, but they are again as smooth as the day I bought it.

If you do plan on ordering, make sure you shop around. For example, don't order from Musician's Friend on this one. I ordered mine on Dec 20 of last year, D5 @ $14.99, Faderlube at $11.99. Their current prices are now $19.99 for the D5, and $17.99 for the Faderlube. That's an overall price increase of over 40% in just 9 months! Sweetwater and American Musical/Zzounds beats them on price.

Mike

[bassmannate]

Deoxit works really well.

I used some on the pots to a 1984 Peavey Fury that I picked up. It seemed like the bass had spent a good amount of time in a basement. The pots were scratchy, had dead spots, and were hard to turn. One squirt of Deoxit D5S-6 and a bunch of rotations later, and the pots work perfectly.

I used some Deoxit F5 Faderlube on my Yamaha mixer. After five years or so, the sliders felt gritty, had dead spots, and crackles. It took a few sprays and I had to work the sliders quite a bit, but they are again as smooth as the day I bought it.

If you do plan on ordering, make sure you shop around. For example, don't order from Musician's Friend on this one. I ordered mine on Dec 20 of last year, D5 @ $14.99, Faderlube at $11.99. Their current prices are now $19.99 for the D5, and $17.99 for the Faderlube. That's an overall price increase of over 40% in just 9 months! Sweetwater and American Musical/Zzounds beats them on price.

Mike

Thanks for the input on the deoxit! I'm probably going to try it. The pots don't feel gritty so much as they're just REALLY difficult to turn and almost "gummy" feeling. I was thinking of trying the deoxit d100s. I read that the solvent in the d5 is bad for carbon but the d100s is specifically for carbon pots because they removed the solvent that dissolves the carbon. Not to concerned with scratchy pots since these are just controls for a digital circuit. No audio running through them.

[wavley]

I may be dating myself when I say this, but that sure does sound like the problem with every Tapco mixer, Line 6 shoulda learned from that one.  I never have found a good way to free up Tapco pots.

[bassmannate]

Hmmm...Check this out!

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/341500.html

[Tony Forestiere]

You need a mild solvent to try to cut the binding of the dried grease without dripping the resultant goo down on the resistive innards.  Use a cheap "artists" paintbrush to dribble a tiny amount of solvent (IE. WD-40, Isopropyl, Marvel Mystery Oil, etc.) between the shaft and its sleeve. Keep working the pot. Take your time and go sparingly and slowly between applications to allow the solvent to work without dripping on the resistive element. A little dab will do you.

[bassmannate]

You need a mild solvent to try to cut the binding of the dried grease without dripping the resultant goo down on the resistive innards.  Use a cheap "artists" paintbrush to dribble a tiny amount of solvent (IE. WD-40, Isopropyl, Marvel Mystery Oil, etc.) between the shaft and its sleeve. Keep working the pot. Take your time and go sparingly and slowly between applications to allow the solvent to work without dripping on the resistive element. A little dab will do you.

Thanks for the tips! I'll have to give it a shot. Might have to try something other than isopropyl because it evaporates pretty quickly.

[amptramp]

If you have a day job where you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, this may expedite the process.  Disconnect the pots and take them to work.  My wife has a small ultrasonic cleaner for jewelry.  If I had that problem again, I might use that with some sort of solvent.

I tried cleaning a pot many years ago with carbon tetrachloride.  (I am dating myself here - it hasn't been available over the counter for years.)  The aluminum shaft of the pot seized against the aluminum body of the pot after I cleaned it, to the point where I had to use large pliers to turn the shaft (the knob felt like it would break).  I eventually got some WD-40 into it and freed it up.  Some of the scratchiness went away, but not much and you have to be aware that CCl₄ targets your liver and kidneys and destroys them, so don't expect it to become available again soon.

[PRR]

> carbon tetrachloride

Ugh.

If the problem is _grease_, try auto-parts Brake Kleener.

The spray-can is sized for 11 inch brakes with thick linings and heavy crud, the pot is 1/4 inch with just-a-bit of crud in very small clearance. Spray a little into the lid. Moosh the end of a toothpick and use that to work the kleener into the pot shaft.

Do this outdoors, with pliers or a jig to hold the pot to minimize skin contact. The short-term effect of Kleener's strong solvents is intense itching because it pulls out all your natural skin oil and leaves skin raw. It also stinks-up your hands. You'll be fine after a while. Long-term effects of heavy exposure could be serious, but mechanics may use a couple cans a day and are not obviously sickened.

Do NOT get Brake Kleener near PAINT! You might think it would be good for taking the oil-ooze off an older car engine; it is, but it bubbles-up all the paint so next year the engine is a rusty mess. I do that on my plow-truck, but it was on its last-legs some years ago.

[J0K3RX]

DeoxIT... By CAIG Laboratories... And they sell it at radio shack - They use it at Boeing, Honeywell, Tektronix, Rane Corporation, General Electric, Hewlett Packard to name a few...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104746

http://www.caig.com/

I have used wd-40 on pots but I remove them, squirt it inside and then hold the pot so the lugs are pointing downward so all the wd-40 drips out. You will see that what drips out is a dark color/dirty. Then I blow them out with compressed/canned air and wipe them off...I don't just let them soak in it by leaving it in there! Works every time and have never had a problem with it! I had all of the pots on my MosValve power amp locked up solid since I had not used it since the late 80's early 90's... had been sitting in storage, couldn't even turn them with pliers! After the WD-40 they turned like they were brand new, no scratchy sounds just perfectly smooth! I wouldn't use any alcohol, if anything, it will make things drier than they already are and leave a residue because it is not pure alcohol. Denatured alcohol is pure but I would not use the either! Many places have electronic contact cleaner... With all due respect I would not use automotive brake cleaners, that may eat the resistive material off of phenolic wafer and make the resistor band a higher resistance or worse!

[bassmannate]

DeoxIT... By CAIG Laboratories... And they sell it at radio shack - They use it at Boeing, Honeywell, Tektronix, Rane Corporation, General Electric, Hewlett Packard to name a few...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104746

http://www.caig.com/

I have used wd-40 on pots but I remove them, squirt it inside and then hold the pot so the lugs are pointing downward so all the wd-40 drips out. You will see that what drips out is a dark color/dirty. Then I blow them out with compressed/canned air and wipe them off...I don't just let them soak in it by leaving it in there! Works every time and have never had a problem with it! I had all of the pots on my MosValve power amp locked up solid since I had not used it since the late 80's early 90's... had been sitting in storage, couldn't even turn them with pliers! After the WD-40 they turned like they were brand new, no scratchy sounds just perfectly smooth! I wouldn't use any alcohol, if anything, it will make things drier than they already are and leave a residue because it is not pure alcohol. Denatured alcohol is pure but I would not use the either! Many places have electronic contact cleaner... With all due respect I would not use automotive brake cleaners, that may eat the resistive material off of phenolic wafer and make the resistor band a higher resistance or worse!

This is exactly what I was looking for! Are you guys spraying this stuff in through the opening around the lugs or are you spraying at the shaft/sleeve junction?

[runmikeyrun]

the radio shack house brand contact cleaner is much cheaper and works great!  Reminds me i need to go pick up another can...

no pic but i'm pretty sure this is it:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12784986&znt_campaign=Category_CMS&znt_source=CAT&znt_medium=RSCOM&znt_content=CT2032229

[reveal]

Call or email line 6 directly.  I have contacted them quite a few times and they have always responded promptly.  Even sent me free parts.

[Eric.nail]

are you sure you're not just noticing the stiffness when its cold? haha! I notice a huge difference when its cold with all my pedals and guitar.

[bassmannate]

are you sure you're not just noticing the stiffness when its cold? haha! I notice a huge difference when its cold with all my pedals and guitar.

Yeah. In fact, when I tried last, the unit was actually a bit warm.