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Post by husker on Feb 8, 2018 23:46:25 GMT -5
I picked up a Cobra2000, the inside is pretty nasty. Looks like 20+ yrs of dust bunnies, hair/skin and cooking oils. What is the best way to clean this? I would use water and a mild soap, but that can't be good for some of the parts can it? I am looking for any pointers, I like a nice clean radio  |
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Post by 2600 on Feb 9, 2018 0:05:53 GMT -5
Water is a bad idea. The small metal cans with the tuning slug in the middle contain copper wire fine as frog hair. Doesn't take much moisture to corrode those wires. Shuts down that part of the radio when this happens. The tiny spaces inside those cans will soak up any moisture and make it tough to dry back out before the damage is done.
Denatured alcohol and a brush will not harm plastic materials. Harsher solvents can soften plastic components. In a pinch, 91 percent (or higher) isopropyl alcohol should be okay.
Compressed air and a blow gun will speed up drying it out, and help to dislodge loosened gunk that a brush doesn't reach easily.
73
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Post by husker on Feb 9, 2018 0:49:16 GMT -5
Water is a bad idea. The small metal cans with the tuning slug in the middle contain copper wire fine as frog hair. Doesn't take much moisture to corrode those wires. Shuts down that part of the radio when this happens. The tiny spaces inside those cans will soak up any moisture and make it tough to dry back out before the damage is done. Denatured alcohol and a brush will not harm plastic materials. Harsher solvents can soften plastic components. In a pinch, 91 percent (or higher) isopropyl alcohol should be okay. Compressed air and a blow gun will speed up drying it out, and help to dislodge loosened gunk that a brush doesn't reach easily. 73 Perfect! Thank you sir! |
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Post by husker on Feb 9, 2018 1:02:40 GMT -5
 And it begins |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss 
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Post by Sandbagger on Feb 9, 2018 8:50:05 GMT -5
ANOTHER 2000? Wow, this looks dangerously like the beginning of a collection....  I would echo 2600's comments WRT water although I still have my original 1971 vintage Midland 13-885, which was the unlikely victim of a flood back in the 80's. Caked with muddy water inside, I had little choice but to spray the gunk out with pressure water and then dry out with a hair dryer. 30 years later and it's still working. Alcohol is a good solvent. Another is a chemical called "DeOxit". It dissolves crud. I would first blow the entire chassis out with compressed air. That will get rid of the loose particulate matter. Then, whatever tarnish and gunk is left over, you can remove with a solvent, preferably one that dries quickly and leaves no residue. If any residue is left (Stay away from "tuner cleaners" that have lubricant in them) it could affect the tuning of some of the circuits, especially variable caps. |
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Post by husker on Feb 9, 2018 9:08:38 GMT -5
ANOTHER 2000? Wow, this looks dangerously like the beginning of a collection.... I would echo 2600's comments WRT water although I still have my original 1971 vintage Midland 13-885, which was the unlikely victim of a flood back in the 80's. Caked with muddy water inside, I had little choice but to spray the gunk out with pressure water and then dry out with a hair dryer. 30 years later and it's still working. Alcohol is a good solvent. Another is a chemical called "DeOxit". It dissolves crud. I would first blow the entire chassis out with compressed air. That will get rid of the loose particulate matter. Then, whatever tarnish and gunk is left over, you can remove with a solvent, preferably one that dries quickly and leaves no residue. If any residue is left (Stay away from "tuner cleaners" that have lubricant in them) it could affect the tuning of some of the circuits, especially variable caps. lol, yes...after all it is an addiction I blew it out first then used denatured alcohol to clean all the grease looking stuff off the board.It was some what nasty  Waiting on a new front plate, the one the seller sent had the toggle switch mounts destroyed. He found me a new one and is sending that. The only thing I don't like about this radio is the "channel mod" has been done to it. I wish I could remove it and put the radio back to stock, but traces have been cut etc. I prefer stock |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,250
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Post by Sandbagger on Feb 9, 2018 11:21:29 GMT -5
ANOTHER 2000? Wow, this looks dangerously like the beginning of a collection.... I would echo 2600's comments WRT water although I still have my original 1971 vintage Midland 13-885, which was the unlikely victim of a flood back in the 80's. Caked with muddy water inside, I had little choice but to spray the gunk out with pressure water and then dry out with a hair dryer. 30 years later and it's still working. Alcohol is a good solvent. Another is a chemical called "DeOxit". It dissolves crud. I would first blow the entire chassis out with compressed air. That will get rid of the loose particulate matter. Then, whatever tarnish and gunk is left over, you can remove with a solvent, preferably one that dries quickly and leaves no residue. If any residue is left (Stay away from "tuner cleaners" that have lubricant in them) it could affect the tuning of some of the circuits, especially variable caps. lol, yes...after all it is an addiction I blew it out first then used denatured alcohol to clean all the grease looking stuff off the board.It was some what nasty Waiting on a new front plate, the one the seller sent had the toggle switch mounts destroyed. He found me a new one and is sending that. The only thing I don't like about this radio is the "channel mod" has been done to it. I wish I could remove it and put the radio back to stock, but traces have been cut etc. I prefer stock Mine was "all done up", with all sorts of mods. The tone control was repurposed as a power adjustment, there are two holes drilled in the front panel for channel switches, someone installed a roger beep board, and there was a rat's nest of wires connecting it all. I removed all of that stuff and put everything back to stock, except I set the clarifier at +/- 5Khz for the coarse, and +/- 1Khz for the fine. Hopefully this radio works when you're all done cleaning it. They're notorious for the "10V blues". |
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Post by husker on Feb 9, 2018 14:41:17 GMT -5
lol, yes...after all it is an addiction I blew it out first then used denatured alcohol to clean all the grease looking stuff off the board.It was some what nasty Waiting on a new front plate, the one the seller sent had the toggle switch mounts destroyed. He found me a new one and is sending that. The only thing I don't like about this radio is the "channel mod" has been done to it. I wish I could remove it and put the radio back to stock, but traces have been cut etc. I prefer stock Mine was "all done up", with all sorts of mods. The tone control was repurposed as a power adjustment, there are two holes drilled in the front panel for channel switches, someone installed a roger beep board, and there was a rat's nest of wires connecting it all. I removed all of that stuff and put everything back to stock, except I set the clarifier at +/- 5Khz for the coarse, and +/- 1Khz for the fine. Hopefully this radio works when you're all done cleaning it. They're notorious for the "10V blues". What is the 10v blues? |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,250
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Post by Sandbagger on Feb 9, 2018 19:48:19 GMT -5
Mine was "all done up", with all sorts of mods. The tone control was repurposed as a power adjustment, there are two holes drilled in the front panel for channel switches, someone installed a roger beep board, and there was a rat's nest of wires connecting it all. I removed all of that stuff and put everything back to stock, except I set the clarifier at +/- 5Khz for the coarse, and +/- 1Khz for the fine. Hopefully this radio works when you're all done cleaning it. They're notorious for the "10V blues". What is the 10v blues? The "10V Blues" is when a handful of 10V electrolytic capacitors can, and usually do, short out causing problems. Usually found in audio stages, but can be found elsewhere. Evidently, back in the mid-late 80's, Uniden purchased these caps from one of their vendors, and they must have had a bad electrolyte mix, which caused these caps to fail prematurely. It only seems to affect 10V caps. Other voltage caps don't seem to have the same issues. I've seen these 10V caps fail in dozens of Uniden-based radios both domestic CB's and "export" types as well. But older pre-1980 Uniden radios (like the 858 PLL chassis) don't seem to have the problem. My Cobra 2000 had 2 of them fail. |
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Post by husker on Feb 9, 2018 19:54:56 GMT -5
The "10V Blues" is when a handful of 10V electrolytic capacitors can, and usually do, short out causing problems. Usually found in audio stages, but can be found elsewhere. Evidently, back in the mid-late 80's, Uniden purchased these caps from one of their vendors, and they must have had a bad electrolyte mix, which caused these caps to fail prematurely. It only seems to affect 10V caps. Other voltage caps don't seem to have the same issues. I've seen these 10V caps fail in dozens of Uniden-based radios both domestic CB's and "export" types as well. But older pre-1980 Uniden radios (like the 858 PLL chassis) don't seem to have the problem. My Cobra 2000 had 2 of them fail. I kind of thought that was what you meant. I am doing all new caps just to be safe |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2018 13:38:28 GMT -5
I picked up a Cobra2000, the inside is pretty nasty. Looks like 20+ yrs of dust bunnies, hair/skin and cooking oils. What is the best way to clean this? I would use water and a mild soap, but that can't be good for some of the parts can it? I am looking for any pointers, I like a nice clean radio I am going to have to disagree on the water being a bad idea. I have done numerous restorations on both tube and transistor, and have never had a problem. My method is to spray Krud Kutter and douse the entire unit. Then wait a minute (no more), and do a mild water rinse using the hose spray on light or mist. But there are some pieces of advice. 1. Has to be done in weather warm enough to completely dry and evaporate the water. Hot spring or summer is perfect. A hot shed, garage, or attic work great to dry. I have left it in the hot sun outside foe a day, and it dries completely. 2. After the water rinse, use a compressor to blow out any excess water. 3. As Nomad said about the cans, you can put a drop of wax or something that can be easily removed later, but keeps the water out. I have done it both ways with and without the wax, and have not had an issue either way. 4. I remove an meters and tubes. The meters will trap moisture. You would have to open the meters and allow them to dry. I just remove them. Water does not hurt the tubes, but will remove their labeling and you won't know which tubes are what. 5. Transformers. I used to cover them with foil or Saran wrap when washing, but then I tried it without and there was no difference. 6. Krud Kutter is the best thing I have seen at removing Nicotine and grime. Does not damage any paint, with the exception or painted aluminum surfaces like a Robyn 240D, which is painted on bare Aluminum, and will remove the paint. Never had an issue on any other unit. 7. Snake Doctor or someone like that has a Youtube video somewhere, on Cobra 2000 in which he is washing it with a hose, during a restoration. As for knobs, I put them in a small cup with Krud Kutter, and let them sit in there foe a couple minutes, then water rinse. They will look new. |
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Post by cbrown on Feb 14, 2018 16:10:27 GMT -5
I'll add my 2ยข; I would never mix water and electronics. Water contains minerals that will stay behind when the water evaporates.
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