[TowerTalk] Crank-up cable lube (WD-40)

[Ian White, G3SEK]

SDINMAN wrote:

>The can does imply it will lubricate, it does contain petroleum distillates,

So does gasoline, but that's no lubricant. As others have pointed out,
the important thing for a cable lubricant is its long-term performance,
and that's where WD-40 is weak because it contains little of the heavy
oils that will stay in place.

>but many people know it better as a moisture absorber. I know that it did a
>magnificient job of preventing the total destruction of my son's HT when he
>dropped it overboard in the Virgin Islands. The PC boards and electomechanical
>components have to be thoroughly washed in fresh water, shake off the excess
>water, then thoroughly saturate wth the magic WD-40. I used almost a whole
>can. Voila - the HT worked fine for years afterwards.

WD-40 works for drying-out HTs, but it can also permanently de-tune
resonant circuits because it has a substantial dielectric constant. The
most important step is to wash out the salt water ASAP and then it's
better to move from fresh water to pure deionized water, followed by
pure alcohol (ethyl or isopropyl) and finally long, slow drying in
gentle heat.

WD-40 is great stuff, but it isn't a cure-all - use with caution.

 ... and that's as far off-topic as I'll go   :-)


73 from Ian G3SEK          Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
                          'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
                           http://www.ifwtech.demon.co.uk/g3sek

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