[TowerTalk] old rotor contacts repair question

[Wayne Kline]

You can get replacement  terminal strips   but the terminials are steel.  As menitioned and I do also is  cut a plate out of scrap allunimum sheet drill a hole and solder  a  pig tail.

I make mine 16 inches and terminate  them on a terminial strip inside a plastic WX proof Box  .

As for the jumpy meter.  If you get full  meter read  360 deg . I have found the alunimum top housing  developes electrolysis and  it falls onto the  meter  pot causing it to be jumpy also at the copper grounding  strip mating surface in the top of the top bell.

My solution to rectifiy this delima is after a cleaning with steel wool I mask off the ground point  at the top and the mating surface and fog it with a coat of clear  paint.

As for the 500 ohm pot  burnish it with  a cardboard match cover and clean it with  CRC contact cleaner.



MY .02   YMMV



Wayne W3EA

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________________________________
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Steven Katz <stevek at jmr.com>
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2019 2:22:29 PM
To: David Huff; TowerTalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] old rotor contacts repair question

Most would just eliminate the terminal strip and install a cover plate with a hole and grommet to bring out a cable with a detachable connector, like the "rotator reconditioning" guys do.  But whatever works.

If the meter needle is jumpy, I'd think that's because the rotator's internal 500 Ohm positioning indicator potentiometer is worn out and needs replacement.   Those are available.

I've rebuilt or reconditioned several of these rotators over the decades.   The HAM-II is really old.

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of David Huff
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2019 11:03 AM
To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] old rotor contacts repair question

I have just acquired an old CDE / Ham II rotor and now I am reconditioning it.  I have 2 questions.


  1.  The previous owner used steel screws or washers on the rotor electrical screw terminals, which means I need to remove the rust.  My plan is to replace with brass or stainless screws and washers.  It rotates, and the meter needle moves, but is jumpy, probably because of the rusty terminals.  What do you recommend for a good cleaner to get the electrical pads clean again.
  2.  Is there something I can cover the screw terminals with to prevent the water from getting in and creating problems in the future?

Thanks,
David
W0IM


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