DE-OXIT WARNING....

[Bry Carling]

Just read this WARNING about the need for care when using 
DE-OXIT (anod similar products) from another group.

I hope it helps someone else!!
= = =

I  started to work this morning on the Heathkit SB-401 Transmitter 
that came in 
from Ebay, and I can see why few others bid on it.  It was a Basket 
Case.   
Undaunted, I pulled it out of the case and cleaned the first layer of 
mud and 
debris off the chassis.  The seller had said it wouldn't light up, 
but 
installing a new power plug, I was delighted to see the tubes and 
dial lights 
glow.  But there was some sparking around the Driver variable 
capacitor, which I 
decided to investigate later.  I noticed the VFO dial knob turned the 
LMO, but 
the dial itself didn't move.  UH OH!!! Thats no good!  Those dials 
are 
irreplacable, and go for more than a working radio on Ebay!  The 
knobs were 
removed and then the front panel, and my fears were at its worst.  
Yes, the hub 
had broken loose from the dial and the dial was shattered!!! With no 
replacement, this one would have to be fixed!  The hub was placed on 
the table 
and the dial laid approximately where it would normally go.  Then, a 
large batch 
of JB WELD epoxy was mixed up and the dial was glued in place.  Yay!  
It 
worked!!! I remounted the dial assembly and re-assembled the front 
panel.  
Things were going well, so I decided to do the routine maintenance of 
spraying 
all the tube sockets, switches and pots with De-OX-IT, a contact 
cleaner. It was 
time to plug the radio back in and continue testing.  The power 
switch was 
turned on, and suddenly the entire radio BURST INTO FLAMES!!!! No 
kidding, it 
was like a giant Flambe dinner!  All the PCBs and sockets were on 
fire.  I had 
forgotten the sparking of the Driver capacitor and it had ignited the 
contact 
cleaner, which was marked "EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE" on the can.  With no 
fire 
extinguisher available, I did the next best thing.  Unplug it and 
pretend it was 
a giant BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH!!!!!!!   Eventually the 
flames went 
out, and I had singed hair.  But I was lucky it hadn't set off the 
sprinklers in 
the building!!!   Don't think the Boss would have had any humor on 
that at all, 
coming in to see the buidling underwater due to a JUNK RADIO I was 
working on.  
I checked for damage but couldn't see where the flames had hurt 
anything.  But 
it sure was EXCITING there for a few moments!!!!  
See how DANGEROUS restoring radios are?  Maybe I can work on it 
tommorrow. The 
Driver cap stopped sparking, guess what caused it BURNT UP! 
 
Pat Bunsold WA6MHZ 

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