[TMC] TMC PTE more cleaning!

Mon Sep 5 18:35:04 EDT 2016

    FWIW, when I was with Hewlett-Packard at a repair center we washed 
many older instruments.  The procedure was simple.
First, remove anything that can be water damaged. This was mostly meters 
but some sealed transformers were risky because if the seal is not good 
water can get in and doesn't get out again.
    Anything make of paper or cardboard should be removed, not much of 
that in -hp- stuff
1, Rinse thorough with warm tap water, we used a hose and wash rack.
2, Wash using a mixture of liquid dishwashing detergent in warm water. 
This was in a paint spray gun. The soap mixure was sprayed on and helped 
where necessary with a brush. Dishwashing detergent is very mild and 
safe for nearly everything.
3, Rinse again with the hose.
4, Blow off as much water as possible with an air hose.
5, Bake in an oven at about 130F for at least 48 hours, I liked to leave 
things longer, maybe three or four days.
     I don't think a distilled water rinse is necessary especially if 
you blow off with compressed air. However, a Brita filter will remove 
enough "hardness" so the water does not leave water spots or mineral 
deposits. Blow it off with compressed air anyway.
     Our oven was electric and thermostat controlled. Baking is very 
necessary but there are ways of makeshifting an oven using a box an 
heating elements which can be plain incandescent lamps. Stick a 
thermometer in to keep track of temperature. You don't need high 
temperatures to dry things and too high a temp can do damage.
     While I have used a gas oven set on low there tends to be vapors 
from the gas even though the burner is in a separate compartment an is 
supposed to be vented.  Most gas ovens will operate at around 150F or a 
bit lower.  I think they are OK for small items.
     Once instruments were washed they were treated with contact cleaner 
and sometimes the outer cases were painted. The paint was also baked.
     The idea was that anything going through our place would come out 
as close to new as possible.

On 9/5/2016 3:10 PM, W2HX wrote:
> Hi Tony. Thanks very much for the info and background. For cleaning, very simple. I use diluted simply green in a spray bottle. Then I use the garden hose to clear it all out. Let it sit in the sun for a day or two and voila!
>
> It will likely be some time before I can try to power anything up with work and life obligations. But I will be sure to reach out to you for the help I will undoubtedly need!
>
> Regards
> Eugene W2HX
> PS is the romeo net still going?
>
> From: arfaiola [mailto:arfaiola at starpower.net]
> Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2016 10:19 PM
> To: W2HX
> Cc: TMC at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [TMC] TMC PTE more cleaning!
>
> OMG does the first picture bring back memories!  It was one of my projects at TMC. Eugene.  Did I misss something or has age got me..what did you use as a cleaning agent, it looks good.
> Now, the big question is when you run the vfo from 2 through 4, do you see a smooth output?  Reason I ask this question is that over the many years, you may (as some others) find some drop outs over the course of the very slow sweep of the frequencies.  If this is the case, then removal of the vfo will be necessary.  The vfo removal procedure is not in any of the manuals. We had the customer send it back for repair.  I have assisted others with this process with much success, and it is explained step by step in the TMC web site repair section.  Have fun with the two-tone linear amplifier testing with the PTE.  73, Tony, K3WX (ex W3GBS TMC engineering department)
> ________________________________
> From: "W2HX" <w2hx at w2hx.com<mailto:w2hx at w2hx.com>>
> To: TMC at mailman.qth.net<mailto:TMC at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, August 29, 2016 5:59:44 PM
> Subject: [TMC] TMC PTE more cleaning!
>
> About a year ago I began working on the TMC PTE which is basically a spectrum analyzer for transmitter testing.  Some of you may have seen my posts from then.
>
> Some pictures of what a PTE-3 is:
> http://www.virhistory.com/navy/xmtrs/test/tmc-pte-03.JPG
>
> At the end of the fall last year, I still had more unit to clean that I just didn't get around to until now.  This is the VOX-5 unit that provides the RF that is mixed with the desired signal to get the IF sweep for the display.  Part of the reason I didn't get to it last year was it looked like a huge cleaning project that I just couldn't muster up the energy to tackle! But now I have. Still some pitting from the mouse piss but looks very nice.  Here are some before and after pictures.
>
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-panel-before.jpg
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-panel-after.jpg
>
> This was very dirty. Top left removable unit...
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-topleft-before.jpg
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-topleft-unit-after.jpg
>
> And once I removed that unit I found that Mickey and Minnie hung out their "home sweet home" sign in the lower unit.
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-bottomleft-before.jpg
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-bottomleft-after.jpg
>
> and I am always a happy man when I have a nice clean bottom and rear.
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-bottom-after.jpg
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-rear-after.jpg
>
> And under one of the covers, all of the tools still intact!
> http://w2hx.com/x/TMC/PTE/Cleaning/VOX-tools.jpg
>
> Next step? Reassemble everything, and start bringing everything up and see what it does. Its quite a complex system (at least for me, anyway) so it will be some time.
>
> 73, Eugene W2HX
>
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-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL