11-05-2011, 11:23 AM
(This post was last modified: 13-05-2011, 06:47 AM by Radio Fixer.)
The insulation of paxolin items, used in switches and some tuning gangs drops like a stone when you do this. Need to leave it somewhere warm, boiler or airing cupboard, for a week after.
Thought I would add some figures.... I tested a junk tuning gang. The insulation of the stators measured 1000M Ohm at 250V before the dishwasher, using a Levell Insulation Tester. After they were down to a measly 100K Ohm at 1V. It needed to go somewhere nice and extra hot for awhile and under the jacket of the hot water cylinder proved to be ideal. A week later the insulation figures were back to the greater than 1000M Ohm at 250V. I imagine that if you have a tuning gang that uses ceramic insulators this loss of insulation would not occur.
Actually putting a whole chassis in the washer is a horror story to me... restoration should be a gentle process and the least damaging methods used. What happens to RF and IF coils ... bet they get solution in and very difficult to wash out as it must be under paxolin valve bases. The insulation will go from these for a while also.
Personally I wouldnt do it. The advice handed down over the years has been start with the gentlest methods, the weakest solvents and and ways that the results are reversible. So I'l stick to brushes, pieces of cloth, cotton buds and a non gritty hand cleaner (Swarfega) followed by cleaning with White Spirit. I do take a lot off top side first including the tuning gang and usually just wash this in hot soapy water with a tooth brush. Oh! and this gets left on the CH boiler for weeks whilst I do the rest of the stuff before lube, bushs etc.
Gary
Thought I would add some figures.... I tested a junk tuning gang. The insulation of the stators measured 1000M Ohm at 250V before the dishwasher, using a Levell Insulation Tester. After they were down to a measly 100K Ohm at 1V. It needed to go somewhere nice and extra hot for awhile and under the jacket of the hot water cylinder proved to be ideal. A week later the insulation figures were back to the greater than 1000M Ohm at 250V. I imagine that if you have a tuning gang that uses ceramic insulators this loss of insulation would not occur.
Actually putting a whole chassis in the washer is a horror story to me... restoration should be a gentle process and the least damaging methods used. What happens to RF and IF coils ... bet they get solution in and very difficult to wash out as it must be under paxolin valve bases. The insulation will go from these for a while also.
Personally I wouldnt do it. The advice handed down over the years has been start with the gentlest methods, the weakest solvents and and ways that the results are reversible. So I'l stick to brushes, pieces of cloth, cotton buds and a non gritty hand cleaner (Swarfega) followed by cleaning with White Spirit. I do take a lot off top side first including the tuning gang and usually just wash this in hot soapy water with a tooth brush. Oh! and this gets left on the CH boiler for weeks whilst I do the rest of the stuff before lube, bushs etc.
Gary
