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Re: [TowerTalk] Roller Inductors

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Roller Inductors
From: "K8RI" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 23:13:58 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
The  pillow case I can understand, but the washing machine?
A good detergent should have taken all the residue out of the machine.

> Ha!  I love stories like this.  Years ago I washed about 2000 Winchester 
> AA
> cartridges in the XYL's washing machine.  They were placed inside a zip-up
> pillow case.  The cartridges came out beautiful but the case was ruined. 
> It
> would have been cheaper to buy new, already loaded cartridges compared to
> the tab for a new washing machine and case I was forced to purchase.

That's only 4 cases of shells. If you were in competetion that's about two 
weeks worth of shooting.
When in competetion I shot only new shells.  Too much money riding on the 
line.  OTOH I saw several duds from brand new shells and the wad cleared the 
barrel.

>
>> I recently returned to the air after an eight year absence.  The
>> roller inductors in my Nye MB-V-A and my Ten Tec 4229 antenna tuners
>> have corroded and are intermittent.  I have squirted contact cleaner
>> on the coils and rollers and run the rollers back and forth with no

My *guess* would be the coil surface is OK. That oxidation is conductive.
Roller?  One drop of WD-40, or PB Blaster. Don't spray and don't get on 
anything else.
However there is a wiper for the coil itself (not the roller) that might 
need attention. I'd try a lubricating contact cleaner on that if need be.

The problem with lubricants is not their insulating qualities, but rather 
their great ability to catch and hold dust which creates an abrasive.

OTOH my MFJ989Cs (the one in the den gets far more use than the one in the 
shop) will start to complain if the roller isn't "exercised" every few 
months although I've never had any problems with them in actual use.  When I 
hear lots of static in the receiver while moving the inductor I know it's 
time to run it end-to-end a few times.


>> improvement.  Does anyone have any suggestions?
>> 73, Hank, W6SX
>> Mammoth Lakes, California
>
>
>
> The RCA manual for their AT3 transmitter (WW2) recommended a mixture of
> anhydrous lanolin and carbon tetrachloride as a lubricant for the roller
> carriages.
> I still have some anhydrous lanolin but carbon tet is no longer available 
> in
> NZ.
>
> My local chemist ('drugstore' in US) sold me a small bottle of
> trichloroethylene after
> strict examination and sure information from the RCA manual revealed that 
> my
>
> intentions were entirely legal.
>

What's illegal about tri-chlor? Other than being a proven carceogenic, it's 
a whale of a good degreaser. It's also directly absorbed through the skin. 
Just never use the "Orange" hand cleaners in conjunction with it.
BTW when used for cleaning, use perchloroethylene instead. It's not nearly 
as hazardous.
When over heated both will decompose giving off Chlorine gas.

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com (Use return address from home page) 

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