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Hints, Tips and Solutions (Do NOT post requests for help here) If you have any useful general hints and tips for vintage technology repair and restoration, please share them here. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 15th Jul 2007, 4:42 pm   #1
G8DLG
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Default Aluminium whiskers on tuning capacitor

I have a Ferranti 145 that packs up every 6 months or so,due to the formation of dust on the ceramic insulator which holds the fixed vanes in the oscillator section of the tuning capacitor.The leakage is found to be around 600 ohms,enough for the oscillator to quit.Cleaning effects a cure,but I wonder if anybody else have had this problem.It looks like iron filings in a magnetic field on the aluminium body of the gang,but how it migrates to the ceramic insulator is puzzling me.
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Old 15th Jul 2007, 5:34 pm   #2
MALC SCOTT
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Default Re: Aluminium whiskers on tuning capacitor

Hi, i had the same problem with an old Ekco. I ended up putting the tuning cap in the dishwasher! It has not given any more problems. Cheers, Malc.
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Old 16th Jul 2007, 7:59 am   #3
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: Aluminium whiskers on tuning capacitor

I found that the dishwasher is ideal for cleaning ally parts - they get etched slightly because of the sodium hydroxide contant in the detergent.
Brilliant for coil cans.

I would remove the rotor from a gang, though, so the bearings can be properly cleaned and greased.
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Old 16th Jul 2007, 10:17 am   #4
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Aluminium whiskers on tuning capacitor

A good squirt of switch cleaner may help, since it will leave a fine deposit of lubricant which may stop the corrosion. You could even try WD40 as a last resort

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