I sprayed some electrical contact lubricant and cleaner on my Silvertone circuit board and volume control. The radio worked great for about 3 hours. I went to listen to it again, and it now has distorted sound and the volume works strange. Did the cleaner cause this, and what can I do?

Thanks,
Steve
stvoigt@juno.com

The old radios play strange jokes sometimes.
Some of those cleaner sprays are rather corrosive for old wire circuities.I hope you have payed attention to don't spray into tne high frequency coil (antenna coil-oscillator coil and so on).Sounds strange that cleaner spray shot into volume control may be cause defective working.Have you changed all old paper capacitors? Did you have checked out all resistors and voltage tensions? Try to let the chassis dry up with the cleaner spray and...... turn on.

What can happen when you use excessive lubricant on a volume control is that carbon granules from the control get in the lubricant and form unwanted resistance paths. It is best to clean all lubricant from the control and from the circuit board using a rag dipped in alcohol or mineral spirits (do not use acetone or you will ruin plastic parts, etc.). Disassemble the volume control and wash it thoroughly in hot water and soap. Coat the resistance element with a very thin layer of dielectric grease (found at your automotive parts store). Place this grease on the shaft bearings as well. Reassemble and enjoy.

Thomas

Thanks for the adivce. I'll give it a try.

Steve

:What can happen when you use excessive lubricant on a volume control is that carbon granules from the control get in the lubricant and form unwanted resistance paths. It is best to clean all lubricant from the control and from the circuit board using a rag dipped in alcohol or mineral spirits (do not use acetone or you will ruin plastic parts, etc.). Disassemble the volume control and wash it thoroughly in hot water and soap. Coat the resistance element with a very thin layer of dielectric grease (found at your automotive parts store). Place this grease on the shaft bearings as well. Reassemble and enjoy.
:
:Thomas