Head Cleaning - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

mikehobson · 31st Aug 2019, 12:58 pm

Hi can I use electrical contact cleaner to clean my vcr heads. It contains Methanol, Isopropanol & DME Thanks.

Tractionist · 31st Aug 2019, 1:02 pm

I'd counsel otherwise - some contains lubricant i.e. leaves a residue. The most prudent approach is to use fresh IPA on a clean/new small piece of chamois leather. (And use clean surgical or plastic/vinyl gloves too ..... the oils and perspiration on your fingers is/are both a contaminant and corrosive ....). Be very gentle .......

mikehobson · 31st Aug 2019, 1:18 pm

Thanks I presume IPA is ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL had to look that up. Would this be obtainable at a chemist. I think cleaning is required has I have lost colour and I have tried tracking but that doesn't help Thanks

Reelman · 31st Aug 2019, 1:26 pm

Quote:

Thanks I presume IPA is ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL had to look that up. Would this be obtainable at a chemist

At one time yes, I’ve bought 500ml from our large Boots branch in the past though they had to order it. When I tried again last year they could not get it....
You could try though.

Easily bought off eBay and probably from Amazon as well.

Peter

mikehobson · 31st Aug 2019, 1:33 pm

Thanks for all your help will try amazon and ebay.

John Caswell · 31st Aug 2019, 2:18 pm

IPA or Methylated spirits are both excellent, and Meths is easily obtainable and that is what I tend to use the most..
I must confess I don't understand the difficulty of buying IPA from a chemists shop given the CPC, RS, Farnell, eBay and Amazon sell it freely.

John

Reelman · 31st Aug 2019, 2:24 pm

Quote:

I must confess I don't understand the difficulty of buying IPA from a chemists shop given the CPC, RS, Farnell, eBay and Amazon sell it freely.

Seems strange to me as well, even Maplin had it on the shelf. Boots told me that it was no longer on the list of chemicals they could obtain. Probably they feel safer if can’t supply such substances that we could misuse!

Peter

mikehobson · 5th Sep 2019, 12:18 pm

Have cleaned head but player still only plays back in b/w although I know the tapes were recorded in colour .The machine is a Panasonic vcr dvd combi EZ49V. It will record but only black/white. Thanks.

QUADGOD · 5th Sep 2019, 8:35 pm

That sounds like a copyright problem or leads or if you've not touched your settings an electronic issue....I doubt it's the heads but I'm no expert sorry...

Maarten · 6th Sep 2019, 7:01 pm

Assuming the correct model number is DMR-EZ49V.

Is it switched to SQPB in the menu, by any chance?

mikehobson · 7th Sep 2019, 12:37 pm

It was I have just altered to off, no change, also the remote sometimes doesn't work checked batteries etc. Possibly think the machine has probably had it. Thanks.

31st Aug 2019, 12:58 pm	#1
mikehobson Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 12	Head Cleaning Hi can I use electrical contact cleaner to clean my vcr heads. It contains Methanol, Isopropanol & DME Thanks.

31st Aug 2019, 1:02 pm	#2
Tractionist Heptode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 875	Re: Head Cleaning I'd counsel otherwise - some contains lubricant i.e. leaves a residue. The most prudent approach is to use fresh IPA on a clean/new small piece of chamois leather. (And use clean surgical or plastic/vinyl gloves too ..... the oils and perspiration on your fingers is/are both a contaminant and corrosive ....). Be very gentle ....... __________________ Red to red, black to black. Throw the switch and stand well back!

31st Aug 2019, 1:18 pm	#3
mikehobson Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 12	Re: Head Cleaning Thanks I presume IPA is ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL had to look that up. Would this be obtainable at a chemist. I think cleaning is required has I have lost colour and I have tried tracking but that doesn't help Thanks Last edited by mikehobson; 31st Aug 2019 at 1:24 pm.

31st Aug 2019, 1:33 pm	#5
mikehobson Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 12	Re: Head Cleaning Thanks for all your help will try amazon and ebay.

31st Aug 2019, 2:18 pm	#6
John Caswell Hexode Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wokingham, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 437	Re: Head Cleaning IPA or Methylated spirits are both excellent, and Meths is easily obtainable and that is what I tend to use the most.. I must confess I don't understand the difficulty of buying IPA from a chemists shop given the CPC, RS, Farnell, eBay and Amazon sell it freely. John

5th Sep 2019, 12:18 pm	#8
mikehobson Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 12	Re: Head Cleaning Have cleaned head but player still only plays back in b/w although I know the tapes were recorded in colour .The machine is a Panasonic vcr dvd combi EZ49V. It will record but only black/white. Thanks.

5th Sep 2019, 8:35 pm	#9
QUADGOD Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Bedford, Beds. UK. Posts: 59	Re: Head Cleaning That sounds like a copyright problem or leads or if you've not touched your settings an electronic issue....I doubt it's the heads but I'm no expert sorry...

6th Sep 2019, 7:01 pm	#10
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,199	Re: Head Cleaning Assuming the correct model number is DMR-EZ49V. Is it switched to SQPB in the menu, by any chance?

7th Sep 2019, 12:37 pm	#11
mikehobson Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 12	Re: Head Cleaning It was I have just altered to off, no change, also the remote sometimes doesn't work checked batteries etc. Possibly think the machine has probably had it. Thanks.