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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment. |
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22nd Feb 2023, 11:39 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Potton, Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 292
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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 |
22nd Feb 2023, 11:49 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 2,510
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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 |
23rd Feb 2023, 3:04 pm | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Camberley, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 800
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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. |
23rd Feb 2023, 6:11 pm | #4 |
Heptode
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Chatham, Kent, UK.
Posts: 947
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Re: Bendix RA-1B receiver and bathtub caps
Hi just remember some contain PCB nasty stuff wash hands after touching Mick
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23rd Feb 2023, 8:41 pm | #5 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,801
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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
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
23rd Feb 2023, 9:55 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 4,385
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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.
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24th Feb 2023, 11:56 pm | #7 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Coulsdon, London, UK.
Posts: 2,152
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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. |
2nd Mar 2023, 8:20 am | #8 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA.
Posts: 663
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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. |
3rd Mar 2023, 8:22 am | #9 |
Pentode
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Deal, Kent, UK.
Posts: 139
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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.
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14th Mar 2023, 1:40 pm | #10 |
Triode
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Angeles City, Philippines.
Posts: 27
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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.
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