# Static like noise while adjusting volume knob on radio?



## Frijid (Apr 15, 2013)

it's been doing it for about a month. I know it's probably from dirty connections. it really doesn't bother me at all, and i really don't wanna be bothered by cleaning it, and like i said, it's not a big deal and doesn't bother me. 

my main question is, will this hurt anything over time? like if i never clean it, and just leave it like it is with the static, will it tear up anything in the long run. It's an 80's era made in Japan boombox i bought used at a thrift shop. So if i leave it like it is, static noise and all alone, will it damage anything?


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## Frijid (Apr 15, 2013)

"pots" is the term i was talking about "connections" that when they get dirty, it makes a crackle noise.


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## Freax (Apr 16, 2013)

Nah it wont damage anything, if you do it when the volume is up really loud there is a very rare slight chance that the tweeters might blow, but aside from that I highly doubt any damage will occur.

The pot contacts are telling you that they are dry though, some deoxit faderlube sprayed into the pot will clear it up quick though 

Enjoy your vintage boomyboxen.


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## JCD (Apr 16, 2013)

Try turning the knob back and forth a few dozen times with the power off. That procedure eliminated the static for me on my receivers years ago.


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## will (Apr 16, 2013)

JCD said:


> Try turning the knob back and forth a few dozen times with the power off. That procedure eliminated the static for me on my receivers years ago.



+1


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## Flying Turtle (Apr 16, 2013)

Freax said:


> The pot contacts are telling you that they are dry though, some deoxit faderlube sprayed into the pot will clear it up quick though



Once upon a time you could get "tuner spray" at Radio Shack for this problem.

Geoff


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## Jumpmaster (Apr 16, 2013)

From personal experience, I will +1 the Caig DeoxIT recommendation. It should clear that up for you. It is meant for consumer electronics, is safe for plastic, and you can buy it on Amazon (and elsewhere) and have it shipped to you. It is in my opinion, the best quality cleaner/lube for electronics like this.


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## HotWire (Apr 16, 2013)

Static noise while adjusting the volume control used to be a wide spread problem. Newer devices are quieter. The fix has been to spray electrical cleaner or tuner cleaner on the working parts of the pot (potentiometer). You might have to remove the case of the device first to access the working parts. You could buy a new pot and solder it in. That shouldn't be necessary, though. Be sure to get plastic-safe cleaner. Most electronic stores sell it. In California the best sprays are sold only to licensed service centers--not to consumers. Many of those old-time sprays contained freon. I find that interesting. A service center would be spraying that stuff all day. If I had some I would spray it twice a year--maybe less! You will not hurt your device by leaving the static.


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 16, 2013)

I agree with the others here - it won't hurt anything unless your volume is turned up pretty high when it happens. The sharp, loud glitches can be a stressor for the speakers. The best cleaner/conditioner I've used over the years is called Blue Shower. The original formula that used freon was better than the newer "CFC-free" formula and was safer on plastics in my experience.


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## lildave (Apr 16, 2013)

Deox-it like jump said


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## Vesper (Apr 16, 2013)

Good topic. I have a few radios that do this. Thought there was nothing I could do. What is a pot connection anyway?


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 16, 2013)

Vesper said:


> Good topic. I have a few radios that do this. Thought there was nothing I could do. What is a pot connection anyway?



Potentiometer, a variable resistor. It consists of a ring of carbon with a metal wiper that moves up and down the ring, changing the resistance from the wiper to the carbon terminals and thus the volume.

Over time the carbon starts to flake off, causing intermittent spots on the ring, which causes the static. Spray cleaners rinse out the loose carbon particles. Cleaner/conditioner sprays also leave a thin film behind, helping to control future flaking.


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## Illum (Apr 16, 2013)

PhotonWrangler said:


> Cleaner/conditioner sprays also leave a thin film behind, helping to control future flaking.



err.. wouldn't that increase the dielectric coefficient?


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## Frijid (Apr 16, 2013)

My Sanyo record player also has this trouble to. it's got up/down slider stick things instead of left/right knobs. the volume on it is fine, it's the TONE lever that makes the same noise as my Toshiba. 

I looked at the boombox today (the one mentioned in the post) and i pulled the volume knob and the control didn't pop out, so i guess i would have to go in from the rear to get to the pots. with my shaky hands and being an all around klutz, doing something simple like cleaning the pots, i would wind up with 5 more things going wrong. 

I never turn it up loud. not even past say 25% 0 being off, 50% being half way and 100% being all the way up, i normally keep it around 20-25%. if a speaker does blow, i think it has an audio out jack i could plug external speakers up to. and what is ironic is, that when the static happens, it only happens in the range i listen to most. past 25% is all fine, it's just static when i turn the knob into the area i normally keep it. my sanyo's TONE lever does it all the way through the range.

i really like this radio. the antenna is VERY tall. tallest i've ever seen for an portable antenna. the cassette player doesn't work, but oh well.


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 16, 2013)

Illum said:


> err.. wouldn't that increase the dielectric coefficient?



Not appreciably. There is enough surface contact area between the wiper and the carbon strip to maintain a decent connection.


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## Rexlion (Apr 16, 2013)

My high school electronics teacher always said there was nothing better to clean a pot than carbon tetrachloride. Of course, good luck finding that stuff today. Considered hazardous.

Good to know about the newer alternatives that work.


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## Julian Holtz (Apr 22, 2013)

Flying Turtle said:


> Once upon a time you could get "tuner spray" at Radio Shack for this problem.
> 
> Geoff



Yep. Helped one guy from my dorm out using that. I probed around with a Multimeter in his amplifier for some time while making a pensive face and mumbling about transistors and relais, and finally sprayed a squirt of tuner spray in the pot while he was not looking.

He was so happy when it worked flawless afterwards and thought I was a wizard. :thumbsup:


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## spock (Apr 23, 2013)

not having tuner spray sometimes, i use wd40(with the power off)and it worked well for a long time. never seemed to damage anything.


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## AZPops (Apr 24, 2013)

I don't think it's static at all, but could be "white noise", which means someone's trying to contact you. .... I think?


OK, just fooling around!


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## mountaindewer (Apr 24, 2013)

might be dust


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## tjswarbrick (Apr 24, 2013)

I have a low-volume boutique tubed Pre-amp with 2 volume pots (1 left, 1 right.) The right one has been doing that since I got it (used.) Pure silence when operating, but static-like sounds when I turn that channel up or down.
I have operated the knob, slowly and quickly, volume up and volume down, probably 200 times to see if that would clean it off. Nothing. Opened up the case and sprayed the pot with compressed air, radio shack contact cleaner, and Caig ProGold. So far, none have done a thing for me.
Last time I replaced the tubes, the problem went away for about a month - then came back.

Probably doesn't help you much, but those static-like noises can often be easy, but can sometimes be very tricky.

It's probably the aliens. They know I'm there if I'm turning up the stereo...


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 24, 2013)

tjswarbrick said:


> Last time I replaced the tubes, the problem went away for about a month - then came back.



Have you tried spraying the tube sockets? I'm also wondering if there's a cold solder joint on one of the pins on the socket.


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## tjswarbrick (Apr 25, 2013)

PhotonWrangler said:


> Have you tried spraying the tube sockets? I'm also wondering if there's a cold solder joint on one of the pins on the socket.



Yes. Didn't mention that, but I sprayed them along with the pots when I first noticed the noise. I re-installed the same tubes, and it made no difference.
Also, This is my 4th set of tubes (1 set was so microphonic I had to pull 'em right out.) None of the others cleared up the issue at all, though iirc one set did make it seem worse.
Cold solder joint? No idea. Not even sure how to check. I'm sure not taking the socket out, but I can crack the cover again and take another look around.
It's an Audible Illusions Modulus 3A. He's no longer making them. A local record/HiFi shop offered to have a look at it, but they wanted to replace just the defective pot with the "current" Alps version -which I don't think is the right approach. So I haven't let them touch it.


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## Backpacker Light (Apr 25, 2013)

mountaindewer said:


> might be dust



I have had some very good results eliminating that clicky static like noise by pulling the volume knob off, and spraying inside and behind, the best I could, with a can of simple "compressed air" used to clean electronics. 

Immediate improvement, so I wondered if it was not just dust.


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