Best Solvent for Removing Condenser Oil?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

One of the guys here locally has given me a direct replacement cap for the 32V from a parts unit he has, happy days! It measures closer to .3 than the original .25, but since it's paralleled across the HV choke I'm guessing it should be fine.

One thing that concerns me after it was mentioned by Rodger is the possibility of carbon tracks on the 5R4 porcelain sockets. I couldn't see any existing tracks, but having been doused in oil and initially cleaned with WD-40, it strikes me that there could be very fertile conditions to create new paths.

In the past I've used alcohol for cleaning with good success. This is the first time I've had a can of oil explode all over the wiring, though. Beyond alcohol, does anyone know of a specific solvent that will clean porcelain and remove the old oil used in condensers of yor?.

[Jim, W5JO]

Xylene or MEK

[The Slab Bacon]

Mineral Spirits. It also was considered at one time to be the solvent of choice for PCB spill cleanup.  If you want a self drying solvent, try mixing 2 parts mineral spirits to 1 part laquer thinner or acetone.

[KD6VXI]

Xylene or MEK

Which in So Cal may or may not be easily obtained, since our brethren south of the border LOVE the stuff to strip precursor's to make methamphetamine.

I have only been able to source MEK from Projector Recorder Belt in any type of quantities...  Makes GREAT belt rejuvenator!

--Shane

[W1ATR]

Xylene can be had in cans in the paint isle at home cheapo or lowes. My pref is MEK which can be had over where the PVC primers and glues are. Just look for the little yellow can, (not the purple one). It doesn't say it on the front of the can. It just says PVC pipe solvent, or cleaner, or whatever, but on the back between the skull and crossbones, cancer, and birth defects warnings, it'll say "this product contains "Methyl Ethyl Ketone"

I keep a dozen cans all over the place between my work truck, home, the garage, and so forth. Don't use the shit in an area where you can't get away from it like i did once. I was crammed in under a bar, thru a hole in the wall, around the back of giant non-movable ice machine trying to clean/prep a small nylon fitting and spilled the small can putting the top back on. I started to get stoned real soon after that and got the hell out of there before I passed out. 

[ve6pg]

...GIN...




..sk..

[k3zrf]

Gin, HA!

I use acetone or MEK

[ka3zlr]

Well I like is a good Brake Cleaner degreaser evaporant that evaporates clean, and there are a few spray cleaners out there like that for small things that need attention. Acetone is great shit but storage is something i don't do when I need it I have a friend at a Factory that uses alot of the things mentioned here and I'll get a little bottle of what I need off of him use it and dispose of the rest...

73
Jack.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

T-N-X gang. Looks like I'll be using Slab's suggestion since it was used to clean up similar spills AND....it happens to be the only thing I have on hand. Hopefully it'll do the trick, as the box-o-porcelain is still in storage up north, so changing out the sockets isn't an easy option. The cap arrived in today's mail, so hopefully the ol' girl will be making RF by tonight.

[ve6pg]

..gin has many uses...martini, gin and tonic, tom collins, lemonade, panty remover....

..sk..

[Tom W2ILA]

Test a small spot before hosing the area.  If you get some stuff like brake cleaner on paint it will do a great job of also removing paint.
Some of the less volatile solvents give you a warning before you give that one last wipe and remove all the paint. 
Test test test otherwise your next post will be "how do I match paint"

Tom 

[Opcom]

Always wondered what the Xylene was good for. Someone begged me to take the unopened gallon they had, were afraid of it.

[KB2WIG]

Xylene great carb cleaner... good for firearms also........


klc

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Well, I found a better (?) compromise, the good wife Mable's nail polish remover! She was away at an admin retreat for a few days, so I put the stuff to good use. Was careful not to double-dip the dirty Q-Tips back into it, so she won't even notice. 

Mighty strong stuff, I gotta say. One place under the painted chassis where I scrubbed a tad too hard, the paint rubbed right off. But the previously-yellow and gummy tube sockets are now clean and white again. It even took the black oxidation crud off the pin clips.

Replacement cap is installed, next chore is to dig through the bazillion spare tubes for some new 5R4s and OA2s, since it's apart and all. Hopefully there isn't anything further downstream whacking the snot out of it.

[W3SLK]

Todd, usually nail polish remover is acetone based. Becareful since it tends to be more agressive, especially towards paint. I either use denatured ethanol or a combination of hexane/ethanol, (which is really good at cleaning relay contacts.)

[Rob K2CU]

If you gan get it locally, try Grave's Alcohol, 190 proof.

[Jim, W5JO]

If you gan get it locally, try Grave's Alcohol, 190 proof.

That sounds like Everclear available at your local liquor store.