What to use for cleaning switches, pots and rotary encoders?

[analogix]

Vaseline -the same kind as some people use as a skin moisturizer?
Won't this act as an electrical insulator on the pot's carbon track? I assume that's where the vaseline is applied in order to make it glide easily?

Well, if this works at least it will be absolutely no problem to get hold of!

[joseph nicholas]

I can say this is for the ball bearings, if your multimeter uses these, in the range switch outer tracks.  This is how some manufactures ship their products.

[analogix]

So the vaseline is used only for the mechanical parts of the multimeter range switch and the shaft in the potmeter, not on the actual electrical connection?
This probably means I have to open up the pot to make sure the vaseline only goes to the metal shaft, and the Deoxit F5 or Oszillin T6 only goes to the carbon track?

UPDATE: another thing: won't vaseline "melt" and become more like a liquid when it heats up, and thereby flowing all over the place?

[SeanB]

There are different grades of petroleum jelly, of different viscosities, so some are pretty liquid at room temp while others are nearly solid waxes.

[analogix]

Which brand/type is known not to melt at room temperatures?

Some good news about my "scratchy" (as in feeling like it scratches when moving aound) -the Deoxit F5 seems to have "settled" a bit, so the pot is a little smoother now. But still not as smooth as before. I might have to desolder and open it up to be able to lubricate the pot spindle with some kind of grease.

[SeanB]

Well, the brand name Vaseline is pretty runny at room temperature, and getting liquid at body temperature, but I bought some locally made generic that is almost a wax at room temperature, which was perfect for the use I wanted it for, as a hotfoot bird deterrent. Worked well there, and lasts a long time even in the heat.

[Kjelt]

Just be sure you use acid free vaseline!

[Stuggi]

I use Taerosol Kontakt PRF 6-68 for the same exact purpose. Works like a charm. You can probably get it in Norway also.

Yes, I can buy it here!
I checked its contents which says Naphtha and isopropyl alcohol, so this means no lubrication.
I'm confused, because alm says it's very important with lubrication for switches, but does this only apply if it has gold contacts?

The place I found the PRF 6-68 also sells other Taerosol products, but I don't know what they're suitable for:
PRF IPA Kontakt (isopropyl alcohol, non-lubricative), PRF 7-78 Kontakt (Hydrocarbons C9-16 hydro-treated dearomatized, isopropyl alcohol, lubricative) and PRF TCC contact cleaner (naphtha, non-lubricative).

I haven't had any success in finding Cramolin, KF F2 or Servisol here, and ordering from abroad is either very expensive or not possible (because of shipping restrictions for dangerous goods).

Sorry to revive an old thread, but as I saw people talking about PRF sprays here I'd add a couple of cents;

PRF sprays are quite highly regarded within the electronics industry here in Finland. PRF IPA Kontakt is just isopropyl alcohol in a spray can. PRF 6-68 is a non-lubricating contact cleaner, while 7-78 is the lubricating kind. Both are non-conductive and people generally recommend 7-78 for scratchy potentiometers. There's also TCC, which is a speciality cleaner for sensitive electronic equipment, as well as HFE, a non-flamable variant, which is 30-40% tetrafluoroethane, aka. R-134a refrigerant, but it's almost 3 times as expensive as the others. Personally I've used IPA Contact and 6-68 at work for cleaning RF connectors in the field, and both have worked well for that.

I've emailed the manufacturer, and will post back when I get their opinions for the different uses of these cleaners.

[IconicPCB]

WD have a contact cleaning spary.

and NO .. dont abuse me it is different to wd40 water displacement concoction.
I am talking of fast drying contact cleaner.

[Stuggi]

I use Taerosol Kontakt PRF 6-68 for the same exact purpose. Works like a charm. You can probably get it in Norway also.

Yes, I can buy it here!
I checked its contents which says Naphtha and isopropyl alcohol, so this means no lubrication.
I'm confused, because alm says it's very important with lubrication for switches, but does this only apply if it has gold contacts?

The place I found the PRF 6-68 also sells other Taerosol products, but I don't know what they're suitable for:
PRF IPA Kontakt (isopropyl alcohol, non-lubricative), PRF 7-78 Kontakt (Hydrocarbons C9-16 hydro-treated dearomatized, isopropyl alcohol, lubricative) and PRF TCC contact cleaner (naphtha, non-lubricative).

I haven't had any success in finding Cramolin, KF F2 or Servisol here, and ordering from abroad is either very expensive or not possible (because of shipping restrictions for dangerous goods).

Sorry to revive an old thread, but as I saw people talking about PRF sprays here I'd add a couple of cents;

PRF sprays are quite highly regarded within the electronics industry here in Finland. PRF IPA Kontakt is just isopropyl alcohol in a spray can. PRF 6-68 is a non-lubricating contact cleaner, while 7-78 is the lubricating kind. Both are non-conductive and people generally recommend 7-78 for scratchy potentiometers. There's also TCC, which is a speciality cleaner for sensitive electronic equipment, as well as HFE, a non-flamable variant, which is 30-40% tetrafluoroethane, aka. R-134a refrigerant, but it's almost 3 times as expensive as the others. Personally I've used IPA Contact and 6-68 at work for cleaning RF connectors in the field, and both have worked well for that.

I've emailed the manufacturer, and will post back when I get their opinions for the different uses of these cleaners.

After talking to the manufacturer I got the following;

6-68 Kontakt - General "Dry" Contact Cleaner - Non-conductive
7-78 Kontakt - Lubricating Contact Cleaner - Non-conductive, specifically intended for cleaning potentiometers
TCC Contact Cleaner- Speciality Contact Cleaner - Evaporates quickly, "dry", intended for precision components and contacts
HFE Precision Cleaner - Non-flammable Speciality Contact Cleaner - Especially pure, non-flammable, evaporates completely - removes flux, light oils, fingerprints and other impurities.

My take on TCC and HFE are that they are intended for more high end applications, such as cleaning circuit boards in metrology equipment, especially HFE since the main solvent is R-134a (tetrafluoroethane) which is a bit exotic to say the least. 

[Kjelt]

Before buying Kontakt spray cans make sure you look at the manufacturing date and use them within one or two years or you can clean your cupboards as I had to do last year, what a mess, it leaked the stuff all over. Google it and you can find more victims.