Replacement faders?
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  1. #1
    Tech Mentor rjw's Avatar
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    Default Replacement faders?

    So I had an accident involving half a can of beer and my SE the other week, not good! I took the SE apart and dried it out as best I could and all seems to be working OK for now...

    ..I've noticed that the left hand fader sometimes sends out false messages recently, eg the fader will be fully up but will tell traktor its being moved - resulting in the audio being faded out then back in again, as if i'd knocked it! :eek: I think there must still be some residue in there making a connection or something

    ..Also the crossfader has a little resistence to it know (stupid sticky beer!) whereas before it was smooth as silk.

    Does anyone know -

    a) A good way to clean the faders so they are smooth again, and not sending out false messages ?

    and/or

    b) A place to buy replacement faders for the VCI-100SE ?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    DJTT Super Moderator midifidler's Avatar
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    I would try removing the fader from the unit and washing/immersing it in isopropyl alcohol .

  3. #3
    Tech Guru Fatlimey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rjw View Post
    a) A good way to clean the faders so they are smooth again, and not sending out false messages ?
    Plenty of hits online for cleaning faders. The idea is to clean them using a Q-tip and distilled water or isopropyl alcohol, then add a thin layer of silicone fader lube to protect the carbon layer ( http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.293/.f ).

    It really depends on the type of fader. I'm betting the VCI crossfaders are sealed units so the best thing you can do is remove the crossfader circuit board, wash it out with a trickle of water, let it dry *thoroughly* overnight in a warm place, then do the lube as normal.

    Most electronics components are pretty waterproof, and it's safe so long as there's no power running through it while it's at all wet (q.v. running your keyboard through the dishwasher) - the exceptions being certain types of capacitor, transformers and other unsealed components are not water resistant. ICs, Resistors and boards are fine to wash, just not in the sink. Use a damp cloth where possible, and for other areas run a trickle of water or alcohol over the area or component and use a cotton bud to clean the crevices out.

    Unsoldering and replacing your faders should be an absolute last resort. Get competent with unsoldering components first, it's not a simple task and you can "lift a trace" destroying your motherboard if you heat up the pads too long. Try the washing route first.

    Hope that helps.
    Last edited by Fatlimey; 08-28-2008 at 12:41 PM.

  4. #4
    Tech Mentor rjw's Avatar
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    Thanks for the quick (and detailed) response! I will have another go at cleaning them with some isopropyl and see how i get on. Good information there, thanks a lot!

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