How to Remove Cigarette Smoke from a Newer Solid State Transceiver?
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| Aug 8th 2011, 18:15 | |
WB1GCMSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
An ARRL Staff Members has come to the Lab today: "Help Bob, I've just purchased this rig from an on-line auction and it's from a smoker". "What can I do to remove the strong smell?" I've cleaned up a number of "smokers", but they were all tube sets; I've never tried to remove the smell from a solid state set that's only a few years old. Maybe a charcoal oder eater type filter you see hanging from a rear-view mirror might help. Members, we need your suggestions, please! Bob Allison, WB1GCM ARRL Test Engineer |
| Aug 9th 2011, 01:10 | |
W1RFIAdminTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Many folks just use the tincture of time and let the smell gradually fade. Cleaning the outside helps, and what is inside seems to slowly have the volatile components of the tar that is deposited inside the rig dissappear. For the most part, the techniques used for tube rigs should apply to solid state rigs. One thing that may help is a "tuner degreaser" spray. Some tuner cleaners are also lubricants, which should be avoided except where you WANT some lubricant, like inside a low-power switch or potentiometer. If someone does try the tuner cleaner, one should be careful not to have the polluted runnoff remain inside the rig. It may run onto a more sensitive area of a PC board and there is always a possibility that the tar gunk is somewhat conductive. If it were me, I'd clean the outside, clean the inside as best I could, spray the inside with tuner degreaser, upside down over the sink, let it sit for a few hours, and let time take care of the rest. Or, just skip the bidding the next time. If the tobacco stench was not mentioned in the eBay Product Description, that's probably not bad enough to warrant a negative, but I would have my positive feedback note that the unit smelled heavily of tobacco, and give a reduced rating on how well the unit was described. And Bob, do tell us what you do for old tube rigs! Folks other than the original poster will read the answer and it may be useful. I suspect all the good answers we get will go into a nice FAQ page. I did a Google search on "removing tobacco smell from electronics" and a lot of the results looked useful. 73, Ed Hare, W1RFI ARRL Lab Technical forums moderator |
| Aug 11th 2011, 07:56 | |
KB0HAETotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
PLEASE do not ever use TV tuner cleaner on Amateur radio gear! Most TV tuner cleaners contain a lubricant that will cause problems if it gets on any circuit board, and is hard to remove! Also DO NOT use WD-40!! WD-40 will damage plastics and other non-metal materials. Use Caig DeOxit D5 sparingly on contacts and controls. Simple Green works well on the outside of a radio. Try puting a fabric softener sheet inside (with the radio off and disconnected) for a few days. You can also wipe down the outside with these. I live with a smoker. I have added a couple of fabric softener sheets to radios sold and shipped. Seems to help a great deal with smoke odors. ttyl |
| Aug 11th 2011, 17:01 | |
w1rfiSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Absolutely right. That is why I was clear to use a tuner degreaser, not a tuner "cleaner" with lubricant. I've never seen electronics damaged by the "Tunowash" degreaser I used to use in the TV-repair days. 73, Ed W1RFI |
| Feb 6th 2012, 17:59 | |
WD0GOFTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I have been restoring rigs for years and have developed a method that has served me well for over 15 years. Contact me cateswa at msn dot com and I'll send you a pdf file. 73 WD0GOF |
| Apr 19th 2014, 18:54 | |
K6JJRTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I had great results on smoky panels using pure hydrogen peroxide. The smoke just dissolved and the rig looked and smelled clean. Just use a clean rag with the HP. Mark |
| Oct 6th 2015, 14:54 | |
NX1PTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I acquired a 'trunk' full of stinky ham radio gear from an estate. Several interesting pieces (ic735, semlex 1235M) the rest going to the dump. The stuff stunk so bad I refused to take it into the house. In researching, the stink is caused by very slow evaporation (oils, moisture) and it carries with it lots of toxins. It turns out that the kitty litter people have really figured out how to trap the evaporate. The 1235M was awful inside. Covered in brown specs. I opened the cover and burred the 1235M in kitty litter, left it for a week. When I took it out, all the brown specs simply fell off. I blew the unit out with compressed air and ALL of the nicotine specs were gone. Cleaned up the box and fan with deoxit and now have a spare 1235M that looks and smells great! Same deal with the IC735, although there is more disassemble and reassembly to get all the kitty litter particles and dust out. Works great. No scrubbing! |
| Apr 9th 2018, 15:33 | |
n3uasTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
to fellow ham. I purchased a yaesu FT-726R and as it turns out the former owner must have used it a smoke filter it reaks of smokers odor.I am at a loss as how to deskunk this radio it has very low time and it seems to be in good condition.thanking you for your help in this matter roobert c dalley n3uas rcduke@tds.net 73 and have a good day ps I received the information from the arrl web site thanking you again bob. |
| May 18th 2018, 08:46 | |
henry.d.turner@gmail.comTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Here is what I have done in the past. Clean the outside of the rig using a very light soap and water. You may want to remove the covers and clean them inside and out. After this, place the rig in a plastic bag. With the rig throw in a couple or three fabric softer sheets. In addition to this take some fresh coffee grounds, 2 or 3 spoon fulls wrapped in a paper towel place that in the bag. Seal the bag or tie it off. Be patient, check every couple days. Depending on how permeated the radio is, it may take two days or two weeks. This has worked for me, good luk, hope this helps someone. |
| Mar 27th 2019, 13:19 | |
KE0ZUTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
The answer to effortlessly and instantly removing Nicotine is Ammonia. For the exterior, just moisten a paper towel and wipe it off, or spray and wipe. Either way its gone in a swipe or two. The plus side of Nicotine is that it is an EXCELLENT finish protectant. I've used it on literally hundreds of radios, across several years now and it works VERY well. Only two caveats, don't use it on equipment that used water soluble inks on dials, and have plenty of ventilation or do it outside. For the interior, I often just spray it on using a spray bottle both soft and stiff bristled brushes, while the radio is setting in the sink, rinse it with the sinks spray nozzle then use distilled water to rinse off a second time. This removes dissolved minerals in the tap water. I blow off excess water with compressed air or a leaf blower, then let the unit dry in sunlight for a couple days, or use a few heat lamps. I have also used a pressure washer for chassis cleaning. Tubes and other water sensitive items removed, transformers not filled with water, and RF can/transformer holes covered with a bit of tape. Both of the Viking II and National 2-40D chassis were filthy from years of smoking exposure and storage in somewhat pitiful conditions. The Valiant II took about five minutes soaking with standard pressure washer soap, then a pressure wash. Maybe ten minutes total, max. The receiver I did with Ammonia and brushes and a double rinse. It took about an hour to do.   |
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