The volume control on my wifes car stereo is intermittent. If you hold it in and turn it just right it works. But most of the time it only works adjusting the volume up. Anyone else run into this and if so anybody have any fixes. Besides replacing the whole stereo I mean. Is it an LED out on an optical encoder or something like that, I used to see that problem in HP test equipment equipment all the time.
Thanks Rick.
If it is a mechanical encoder made by Alps, as is commonly fitted to many hifi's, the grease that they use to give the control its " treacle stirring " feel, has a habit of migrating onto the contact fingers. This is a very common problem with hifi's, and I guess that I probably fix one every couple of months. The encoder is easily stripped and cleaned. Once it is apart, I usually initially use some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud ( Q Tip ), which turns the grease to a sort of jelly, which is then easily picked off the contact fingers with pointy tweezers. The encoder disc and contact fingers can then be properly cleaned with IPA, and the contacts gently retensioned. Be careful when doing this as the contacts are quite fine and delicate. I normally finish off, just before reassembly, with a spot of contact cleaner / lubricant on the encoder disc. The finished job restores the operation of the encoder to original factory spec.
Arfa
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