[R-390] Current thoughts on washing

[Tom Frobase]

I was fortunate to pick up a Motorola R-390 at the Belton Hamfest last weekend.  That is the good news the bad news is that the radio looks as if it was stored in a barn.  Mud dabbers nests in the coax sockets and lots of dirt, good news is no mouse droppings or blood hi hi !

Although I have restored numerous r-390 and r-390a's, I have never totally immersed anything but the  chassis plates and the gear assembly after removal.  I have a large ultrasonic cleaner that I use to clean the gears.  I usually clean the chassis with ajax or other mild cleanser and of course the normal paint and powder coat refinish on the knobs and other parts

So if I were to immerse the modules would I use a mild dish washing detergent in the ultrasonic cleaner and use DI water in the ultrasonic to rinse?   What about the IF covers and BFO, do I remove the covers to keep from trapping moisture,  RF cans are removable they can be cleaned otherwise.  

I would be tempted to try it with this radio, I know this has been covered a million times before but I would like to hear the current thoughts ... tom, N3LLL