restoring switches

[Frotz]

I'm thinking about what would be the Right Way to restore the switches on my light-sixer. Currently they're very mushy and stiff. Blowing with compressed air doesn't do anything. A local hobby shop sells tubes of grease for lubricating the throttle switches of RC cars. Would I be safe popping off the tops of the switches and using that grease?

[Elw00d]

Wait for someone else to comment but my initial thought is.......NO! Like I said I am not an expert so wait for the other folks to comment.

 

El

[midnight8]

Wait for someone else to comment but my initial thought is.......NO! Like I said I am not an expert so wait for the other folks to comment.

 

El

 

I would think it would be easiest to just buy some from best electronics and replace them.

[tremoloman2006]

Radio Shack sells Precision Electronics Cleaner that I use to clean switches, cartridge slots, etc. This is not cheap stuff @ $10.99, but it lasts years since you only use it once in a blue moon.

 

Of course, new ones only cost $1-$2 at Best Electronics.

[BigO]

As others have said, "replacements are cheap". I would add to that, "so what do you have to lose by trying to fix the original?"

 

I've "rebuilt" both the momentary contact and toggle type switches from a 2600. I desoldered, completely disassembled them, cleaned them, (even sanded out a little rust on one), lubricated with some silicone grease, reassembled, reinstalled. Works fine for me.

 

If that grease is designed for the throttle controls that I'm familiar with, I would expect it to work fine on a slide switch mechansim; probably better than what I used.

[cosmosiss]

Another vote for cleaning them instead of buying new ones. I've never opened a Jr. but the 4 and 6 switch ones don't need desoldering. The switches are eclosed in a little box, and the cover has tabs that bend to close it. If you ever opened a paddle, you know what I'm talking about.

 

After cleaning the insides, I apply lube for belt-drive turntables, but I assume any lubricant would do fine. I mean, these are 2600s we are talking about.

[A.J. Franzman]

They actually work just fine (and stay clean inside longer) if you don't lube them after cleaning. If you really think you must lubricate them, try putting the grease only on the top part of the black slider.

[Frotz]

I wonder if some sort of sheath can be concocted to prevent dust from creeping in the sides.

[Frotz]

I got some contact cleaner from Radio Shack and that seemed to mostly fix the problem. The select and reset switches were still grinding, so I popped one open to more thoroughly clean it. I couldn't get it back together, so I desoldered those two switches. Then something occured to me -- the footprint of these switches seems fairly generic. Why not replace the switches with a standard tilt-bat toggle? Of course, one can get easily get exact replacements, but what do you guys think?

[midnight8]

I got some contact cleaner from Radio Shack and that seemed to mostly fix the problem. The select and reset switches were still grinding, so I popped one open to more thoroughly clean it. I couldn't get it back together, so I desoldered those two switches. Then something occured to me -- the footprint of these switches seems fairly generic. Why not replace the switches with a standard tilt-bat toggle? Of course, one can get easily get exact replacements, but what do you guys think?

 

I have replaced them with momentary pushbutton switches. I your switches could be used too.