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Conference vmszoo::rc

Title:	Welcome To The Radio Control Conference
Notice:	dir's in 11, who's who in 4, sales in 6, auctions 19
Moderator:	VMSSG::FRIEDRICHS

Created:	Tue Jan 13 1987
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1706
Total number of notes:	27193

157.0. "Transmitter pot failures" by LEDS::LEWIS () Mon May 04 1987 13:23

    I have an Airtronics CS7P-AM system (about 3 years old).  Last year
    the elevator pot developed a "dead spot" where the resistance wouldn't
    change over a certain range of stick movement.  Fortunately I noticed
    it while the plane was on the ground, and cleaning the pot solved
    the problem.
    
    Yesterday the same thing happened to my throttle pot.  Again, cleaning
    the pot solved the problem.  I don't like opening the pots up, but
    I'm wondering if I should clean the others as a preventive measure.
    
    I love the CS7P, and want to keep it for a while.  Does anybody know
    how much replacement pots cost?  If it's a lot of money I may try to
    find higher quality substitutes. 
    
    Has anyone out there had similar problems with transmitter pots?
    I'm curious because it seems like they should last longer than this
    without needing to be cleaned.
    
                                                          Bill

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
157.1	Cheap pots.	GOLD::GALLANT		`Mon May 04 1987 13:30`	8
	I don't know what they will cost, but it sounds like they are wire wound instead of cerdip type. In that case they should be very inexpensive, that where the problem comes from in the first place. Mike
157.2	Sorry.	GOLD::GALLANT		`Mon May 04 1987 13:43`	4
	Re: -.1 typo cerdip should have read Cermet, I believe that's the spelling.
157.3	Not wire wound	LEDS::LEWIS		`Mon May 04 1987 21:42`	13
	No, these aren't wire wound pots, inside they have three wipers on a smooth surface - I thought they were carbon but might be the material you mention. Anyhow, the CS7P was near the top of the Airtronics line a few years back, and I suspect the pots they used are similar to what everyone else (such as Futaba?) used. That's why I'm curious about these two failures. I should add that I used the transmitter a LOT in the past two years. Cleaning the internal wiper surface seems to do the trick, but I'm wondering how long it will last before next time. Seems like an annual cleaning would be the best preventive measure. Bill
157.4	Servo Pot Lube	EARTH::SCANTLEN		`Tue May 05 1987 07:34`	6
	ACE R/C sells servo pot lube, used to treat the surface of the pot to avoid 'hunting' and jitter. You might give them a call and see if this is applicable or recommended for transmitter pots... -Mike
157.5	Try Cramolin or Tweek also	CRVAX1::KAPLOW	There is no 'N' in TURNKEY	`Tue May 05 1987 11:56`	6
	You might also search out a good stereo store that carries Tweek or Cramolin. Both are contact preservatives, not just cleaners. I haven't used them on my RC gear, but do use them all over my audio gear to prevent deterioration of all of those pots, especially in my car cassette deck. The DSSDEV::AUDIO notes file should have more information and sources for these products.