Stabilant

[Jim, W5JO]

I have been having trouble with my NC 300 calibration for some time now and have discovered it is dirty contacts on the bandswitch and tuning cap.  I have cleaned it and sprayed it several time with DeOxit but the problem always returned.

A friend down the road suggested a product called Stabilent.  Have any of you heard of it?  He loaned me some concentrate which is mixed with alchold and applied to the contacts as you do DeOxit.

According to the documentation with the product is forms a light coat of the contacts and enhances the flow of current ;only through the contacts when they are together but will not conduct from contact to other position contacts as other products do.  

I had enough of the NC 300 so I tried it and thus far the product works as advertised.  The bandswitch in the 300 is really a mess so getting to some of the contacts was a bear.  I did get some on the wafer and it has not affected the operation after a month or more.  So far so good.  Anyone else had experience with it?

Jim   W5JO

[W1RKW]

Jim,
I've heard of Stabilent but never used it.  My experience with contact cleaner especially with ones that leave some sort of residue can eventually damage a switch assembly especially one that has a significant voltage going through it.  I've burned and damaged multi contact/wafer switches especially bakelight switches because of arc over.  I think what happens is the residue has just enough resistance to develop carbon tracking and any contact that has a significant voltage simply finds the path of least resistance and starts cooking the wafer(s).

One of the things with Caig products is they use a multistep process to clean contacts.  Simply spraying or applying DeOxIt is only one step in the process. DeOxIt  is used to break down the oxidation then a cleaning agent is used to remove the DeOxIt and contaminants then a preserving agent is applied completing the process.  

I've done both using DeOxIt  alone and using the cleaing agent then the preserving agent and still wrecked switches.   I found simply running the contacts clean and dry is the best way to go even if they get scratchy again.  Continued scratchiness just maybe a sign of wear and age or a weak contacting contact.

A burnishing tool might be a solution as opposed to squirting something that can eventually burn the switch.  Of course you'll need to rinse the contamination off as well.  

Just keep an eye open for the possibility of wafer burning with the Stabilent, especially if Stabilent leaves a residue and is applied to a contact that has hundreds of volts going through it.

[Jim, W5JO]

Bob:

This product is supposedly a non-conductive ploymer except in the presence of voltages.  The instructions say do not use on high voltage contacts.  The contacts on the oscillator bandswitch do not switch high voltage so it should be safe.

The insturctions say that when there is a signal on the mated contacts the polymer becomes conductive, when the contacts open the polymer becomes non-conductive again.  They do say to clean the contacts first to remove residue and corrosion before applying and flush the cleaner off the contacts before applying the liquid.  It then forms a very light layer of material on the contacts waiting for low level signals.

I sure hope it works and lasts, I don't want to change the bandswitch, if I can find one.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Yup. it's Stabilant 22, manufactured by DW Electrochemicals in Ontario, Canada.

It's some sort of polymer that conducts but only in a real thin film. Seems to take several years to wear off contacts. Stabilant 22 is the straight stuff that you blend with alcohol yourself, Stabilant 22A is pre-blended with alcohol.

Since it takes an incredibly tiny amount to do its thing, a 50 Ml bottle will last you a long, long time. I apply it with lintless swabs or with a small diabetic-type of syringe.

It doesn't work for long on switches that carry power as the arc when operating fries the stuff off. It does work great on bandswitches, meter switches and worn-out carbon pots.  It's kind of slimy, like silicon oil so it lubricates nicely. I use it on computer cables, switches, wipe down the contacts on computer memory boards, and it's terrific in automotive applications. It really is a contact enhancer, working in a similar way to mercury-wetted contacts.

http://www.stabilant.com/index.shtml

[LarryK2LT]

I use Stabilant 22A daily on Drakes and warts too.  Works good on the Drakes.  Still have the warts.

Larry  K2LT
drakerepair.com
800-687-9161