Dishwasher Clean,

[Shaman]

Hi, i wonder how many have popped that dirty radio, chassis into the dishwasher?? i have done this several times with outstanding results, AS LONG AS YOU DRY AFTER AND RE-LUBRICATE. This sounds bad, but it works great, as long as the chassis is rinsed the ones i have done show no signs of any corrosion or decay.....Alan.

[big band heaven]

I've heard of this before. I've often wondered do you strip all of the components off or just pop the valves out?

Richard

[tiv48]

also done it with a cda panel from a pye colour set came up like new
rob t

[Shaman]

You can take the valves out Richard, if you dont want to loose the markings.The chassis sure come out clean, tuning capacitors do too, takes all the yellow/brown residue off, make sure they are well washed with clean water, and dried totally, I spray the valve holders with maintainance spray, re-oil tuning capacitor bearings, spray pots and switches with maintainance spray, they allways look and work well after. Rob i bet it does clean up printed circuit panels well too....regards....Alan.

[Shaman]

Hi Jamie, its not so much the washing its the rinsing in clean hottish water that gets rid of corrosive elements and helps dry the chassis out, enjoy your new workshop.........Regards...Alan.

[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