UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Amateur and Military Radio

Notices

Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 22nd Feb 2023, 11:39 pm   #1
Alf Fisher
Hexode
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Potton, Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 292
Default Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

Hi,
I have recently been given one of these receivers and sadly the bathtub capacitors at the back have leaked as they do and whole of the rear section of the chassis and the rear of the case is covered with a film of oil also the wiring loom is saturated with the stuff.

I think if I had one, I would be tempted to put it in a dishwasher.
Has any one done this?
Apart from the valves, which parts should be removed before subjecting the radio to this treatment.
Alf
Alf Fisher is offline  
Old 22nd Feb 2023, 11:49 pm   #2
M0FYA Andy
Nonode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 2,510
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

I would look for parts which could fill up with water through small holes, and then retain that water and be difficult to dry out. Potentiometers and IF transformer cans spring to mind.

Andy
M0FYA Andy is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2023, 3:04 pm   #3
beamcurrent
Heptode
 
beamcurrent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Camberley, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 800
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

I am not at all sure i would put it in, with the oil film etc, the dishwasher which will have tomorrows dinner plates in it!!

However I have washed stuff in the dishwasher and as I write there are some Pye 20 way connectors, in it which are just dirty.

I would wash it in a big plastic tub lots of hot water and soap/degreaser. finish with distilled water ( from the dehumidifier?) and an air line will blow water out from crevices.

To some extent wetting everything will expose ( or future) faulty parts.
__________________
Regards Brian

Visit the Virtual Broadcast TV Camera Museum
beamcurrent is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2023, 6:11 pm   #4
mickm3for
Heptode
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Chatham, Kent, UK.
Posts: 947
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

Hi just remember some contain PCB nasty stuff wash hands after touching Mick
mickm3for is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2023, 8:41 pm   #5
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

Be sure not to burn anything contaminated with the oil. If it is PCB, then it's nasty, but if burned it forms to dioxins which are a whole league up for nastiness.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2023, 9:55 pm   #6
turretslug
Dekatron
 
turretslug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 4,385
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

Hot transition metals (i.e. soldering iron tips) can act as effective catalysts of organic reactions with some unpleasant end-products like the dioxins mentioned, so good ventilation is wise with oil-soaked components whether or not PCBs are suspected to be involved.
turretslug is offline  
Old 24th Feb 2023, 11:56 pm   #7
Silicon
Nonode
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Coulsdon, London, UK.
Posts: 2,152
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

I would take it outside and remove as much of the oil as I could with white spirit and rags.

I suggest using disposable mechanics gloves or nitrile rubber gloves.
Silicon is offline  
Old 2nd Mar 2023, 8:20 am   #8
FrankB
Heptode
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA.
Posts: 663
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

The oil in the bathtub caps is likely the PCB bad stuff.

Remove the transformers, pots and coils.
Take it to a local car wash and that may clean it up good. Dry in a warm place or an old oven. (XYL's seem to get upset when you use the dinner oven for some odd reason).

Wear PPG so you don't get oil soaked.
Dawn dishwashing soap is a great degreaser- if you have that brand there.

I used to have an old leaky dishwasher I set up outside to clean such items. (That oil is not good for septic systems either). Note: Drain ALL the water out of the dishwasher before the freezing weather hits. My pump froze up & cracked, so it went to the local scrap dealer. Waiting for good wx so I can get another that "Leaks but works good" free one for cleaning at the garage sales here.

I would put down oil absorber pads I got from the local auto parts store and ran my drain water through them to catch the oil, then the pads went tot he local hazo house for safe disposal.
FrankB is offline  
Old 3rd Mar 2023, 8:22 am   #9
M0SOE_Bruce
Pentode
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Deal, Kent, UK.
Posts: 139
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

You could look the part number up in the oem catalogue to get the specs. Many of the smaller bathtubs used in receivers are filled with mineral oil. PCBs appear more in high voltage and stressed components.
M0SOE_Bruce is offline  
Old 14th Mar 2023, 1:40 pm   #10
falcon123
Triode
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Angeles City, Philippines.
Posts: 27
Default Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps

saw an article and related to this on ARF,one member absolutely swore that soap and water and a pressure washer were magic for filth and grime welded to the chassis with nicotine goo. after a cursory dry in the sun they were then put next to halogen work lights for several days to complete the process. im not at all sure that cloth covered wire would endure this too well especially if the nozzle got too close but he had rebuilt a lot of radios and they all were quite pristine. he had pics detailing this process. i am not that brave myself and have used mineral spirits or what is also called alkyd enamel thinner to great effect but be advised it does attack beeswax. so getting it inside i.f. transformers and the like isnt a great idea.
falcon123 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 8:12 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.