Kris, Over the years I've serviced lots of electronic equipment from Televisions to Satellite Earth Stations and I've used both methods from an air hose to clean cat hair and dust from television circuit boards to antistatic vacuum for cleaning satellite equipment, both do their jobs and for this application both will probably be needed, especially if you have a very thick layer of soot.
Once you get the "BIG" chunks off and remove as much loose particles as possible I'd probably use a variac and see if I could bring power up on the unit and attempt to test it, using extreme caution and being careful to watch for any sign of issues (sizzling, popping, smoke, flames etc.), monitor A/C current and voltage, also watching the internal wiring for any changes. Once tested, remove all power and then I'd bathe the whole unit in simple green and let it set for maybe 30 minutes, scrub those areas with a short bristle brush to loosen any crud, watching it closely. Following the simple green I'd use a sprayer (could be power washer [my preferred method], hose, dishwasher [making sure no dish soap or rinsing agent], Car Wash, yea I've done it but..) and wash it off making sure you've got all areas clear and clean from any simple green. You can repeat the simple green and rinse if needed. Once satisfied using an air hose blow out all the water you can, take your time to do a perfect job watching those areas that are sensitive, when you think it's done take one more pass just to make sure. Now you bake the unit at about 150-200 degrees in the oven for at least 2 days, watching and monitoring the oven temp making sure it doesn't get to hot. Remember, don't cut this procedure short because water can get into small areas and you may not see it, but the baking process will remove it. Once you're done your unit should look like brand new and you can began the process to bring it up on a variac testing the unit to make sure issues were not created by the cleaning process and then restoration can began. As I've stated on this reflector before, this process I witnessed being used at Hewlett Packard in Fullerton many years ago and it's served me well. If it's good for HP and the equipment they service it should be good for Drake radios... ;-) 73's, WA6HYQ From: drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net [mailto:drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net] On Behalf Of Kris Merschrod Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 7:00 AM To: Charles Ring Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Smoke damaged TR-4CW Charles - excellent point - a vacuum with a small nozzle aided by brush would be better than my suggestion to blow it around outside! Plue we all have house hold vacs! Kris KM2KM Merschrod 123 Warren Road Ithaca, NY 14850 www.merschrod.net<http://www.merschrod.net> ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Ring<mailto:w...@roadrunner.com> To: Kris Merschrod<mailto:k...@merschrod.net> Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net<mailto:drakelist@zerobeat.net> Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 9:30 AM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Smoke damaged TR-4CW Does compressed air have any advantage over suction from a shop vacuum with a small paint brush? I've never liked to blow the dirt around. 73 de W3NU On 5/16/2011 8:56 AM, Kris Merschrod wrote: Jerry, my 2-cents' worth: I'd use non-chemical and non-mechanical approaches to the soot first, that is, use compressed air on it out in the open air. Then a soft, small paint brush, (The main thing is to get rid of as much as possible before making mud of it!) Then Q-tips with contact cleaner, Finally q-tips with De-Ox. These are more and more tedious stps, but I just can't see taking it all apart so that it will go into the dishwasher! I Guess that a carwash treatment followed by compresed air and then a steady flow of warm dry air might work, but that is all pretty radical. Kris KM2KM Merschrod 123 Warren Road Ithaca, NY 14850 www.merschrod.net<http://www.merschrod.net>
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