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I left one of my projects in my pants pocket and it got washed in the washing machine. The circuit spun dry okay, but I'm concerned about the submini toggle switch. It still works reasonably well now. But since it's mechanical, and water got into it, it might fail later. Seems that many of the parts are made of brass, which doesn't rust or corrode like iron. But I figure that most of any lubrication that was there in the switch before got washed out. Should I drop a teeny bit of oil into the povot point? Or shuld I leave it alone? Oil might get on the contacts if I use too much, or is that not a concern?

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My email address is whitelisted. *All* email sent to it goes directly to the trash unless you add NOSPAM in the Subject: line with other stuff. alondra101 hotmail.com Don't be ripped off by the big book dealers. Go to the URL that will give you a choice and save you money(up to half).
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You'll be glad you did! Just when you thought you had all this figured out, the gov't changed it:
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Reply to
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, th
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If you have to spend more than a minute of your time worrying about a 50 cent part, it's just as well to replace it now.

Reply to
Garrett Mace

Dunk the whole thing in Denatured Alcohol and set aside to dry.

...Jim Thompson

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I love to cook with wine.      Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply to
Jim Thompson

of

I think I would remove it from the alcohol first and give it a shake though.

I'll get me coat...!

-- Graham W

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Wessex Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.

Reply to
Graham W

After which, I generally recommend dunking the designer in ethanol and setting HIM aside to dry, too....:-)

Bob M.

Reply to
Bob Myers

"Bob Myers" schreef in bericht news:W9bmc.932$ snipped-for-privacy@news.cpqcorp.net...

A toggle switch next to a rotating designer :-)

petrus

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Reply to
petrus bitbyter

I had a job once where I actually washed circuit boards by hand in a solution of water and "simple green" detergent. After a thorough rinsing, they then went into a 120 degree oven for forty minutes. Then we sold them.... I figure, that's about the same treatment your switch got in the washer and then dryer. If it still works, don't worry about it.

Reply to
Some Guy

Thanks for the volt - er, I mean, vote of confidence.... :-(

Yeah, I can replace it easily, once I melt all the hot glue out of the corner so I can get to it. But I'm just trying to size up the situation with what might happen in the future, not only with this switch, but with switches in other equipment as well. If you're unwilling to contribute to the collective experiences of the newsgroup, you're welcome.

Oh, by the way. I was lucky and got a bunch of these switches for under a buck. Much cheaper than the 3 or 4 bucks that rat shack usually charges for a switch of this type..

Reply to
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the

The alcohol soaks up any remaining water, I presume. I'd guess that the water will eventually evaporate. But then, some alcohol is 30 percent water? Like 70 percent denatured, most of the remaining being water. So I'd guess it's a better idea to use 99 percent denatured. But what about lubrication? Will the alcohol help redistribute the remaining oil or grease?

Long ago, I worked in a test equipment manufacturing facility, and we used some freon based board cleaner in the machine. Well, on a Monday morning they changed over to some supposedly envronmentally friendlier board cleaner, and I walked into the door, and my eyes started watering. Well, the first batch of boards that week came thru with the plastic switch buttons beginning to turn to mush, it was melting the plastic. Needless to say, we quickly switched back to the old stuff!

Reply to
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the

Well, I was commenting on the specific situation with this switch, not the repercussions of water damage for all Switchkind. I am pretty much in the absorption phase of experience rather than the contributing phase, but in my limited experience, switches that weren't designed to be waterproof are often a little wonky after being subjected to water.

If the rest of the container is waterproofed, it might be possible to glue down a square of bike inner tube rubber over a pushbutton switch. I don't see waterproofing a toggle switch without some kind of special boot.

Reply to
Garrett Mace

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Reply to
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the

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