quick question about switch cleaner.

[lam47]

Is it OK to spray switch cleaner into cherry switches?
My brother uses it for the sliders on his mixing desk.
I now have a cool 1985 white clicky cherry board and would like to smooth out a few of the switches.

Cheers.

[Chloe]

What kind of switch cleaner is it? I wouldn't use anything other than compressed air myself.

[lam47]

I'm not sure. I will check next time I go to the studio.
Just thinking there must be an evaporative cleaner that would be safe?

[Chloe]

Most have isopropyl alcohol in them which is good for cleaning contacts. It's the other stuff they put into them that I worry about. Some have lubricants that can ruin the feel of a pot. Isopropyl alcohol also damages rubber which might be present in an automated console.

[wellington1869]

there must be something available at an electronics store for this sort of thing. As chloe says its the other stuff they put into it that maybe you should be wary of.  Compressed air should work too though, I think.

[lam47]

But its sold for electrical contacts.
I would have thought a switch would be ok. Metal contact a spring and some plastic.
I guess so long as it does not damage plastics it should be OK.
Is there a place you can buy just a few switches? The I could soak some and see what happens
The problem with air is there is not really anywhere for any dust to come out and it does nothing to care for the contact or spring.
I will do some research thanks for the comments so far. All taken on board. I proceed with caution.

[lowpoly]

The problem with air is there is not really anywhere for any dust to come out

The air that you blow in has to get out somewhere, hopefully taking the dust with it. Evaporating contact cleaner will take nothing with it? There are two-part contact cleaners, part 1 for dissolving the dirt, part 2 for removing everything.

A hifi forum would be a good place to ask. Where the vintage stereo collectors are. They have to clean their potentiometers too.

[Chloe]

If it has other stuff in it, it would be harder to get it out later if it affected the feel of the switch. I would start with compressed air and if that didn't help, then take the switch apart. I would also be careful with liberal amounts of isopropyl alcohol as it could strip the flux from the PCB which helps protect the solder joints.

[lam47]

I would only use it in the switches not on the back of the pcb. (a lot of people solder without flux and wonder why they get dry joints)
I have moved a few switches around to get the sticky ones out the way. There is one that does not work at all so I may be begging for a single switch soon

The thought of opening every switch is not a nice thought.
Again some tests would confirm any effects it would have on the switch.
It would be minimal though I would think just looking at how the cherries actuate.

The only problem I could foresee would be the click becoming less sharp if there was a residue between the contacts. Spring rate would be the same.

I do admire your caution Chloe.
I tend to go straight in with my hands on fire and my trousers down.

[xsphat]

I tend to go straight in with my hands on fire and my trousers down.

Thanks for the image.

lowpoly's idea about vintage hifi sites is a fantastic one, and the first place I would look for something like that. The second place I'd go is this site to share your findings

[itlnstln]

Try it on the Scroll Lock key, and if it works after a week or so, then use it elsewhere.