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Phil Coe
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Post subject: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 12:50 am |
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Joined: Jun Mon 20, 2011 6:09 pm Posts: 1071 Location: 56401
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Some pics showing the mold. and dripping on a wafer switch. How can I remove and clean this up Attachment:
IMG_1763.JPG [ 216.76 KiB | Viewed 300 times ]
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IMG_1761.JPG [ 277.58 KiB | Viewed 300 times ]
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IMG_1762.JPG [ 232.34 KiB | Viewed 300 times ]
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_________________ Prediction is difficult, especially about the future. Niels Bohr
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N2LXM
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 1:00 am |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 1190 Location: Wayside, NJ Monmouth
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Cadium. Happens to parts like this when stored in a high Humidify environment. Use a mask and a brush to clean it off, outside is best.
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stevebyan
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 1:27 am |
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Joined: May Wed 18, 2011 2:40 am Posts: 4235 Location: Littleton, MA
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N2LXM wrote: Cadium. +1 I use paper towels wetted with isopropyl rubbing alcohol (no need to waste the electronic grade stuff on this cleaning), then follow up with a brush or toothbrush wet with isopropyl. I do this outdoors, and ideally wearing a dust mask. You don't want this stuff in your lungs. I use wet cleaning because I want to minimize the amount of dust that becomes airborne.
_________________ Steve Byan http://www.byan-roper.org/steve/steve-at-play/
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electricboyo
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 1:39 am |
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Joined: Sep Wed 10, 2014 7:13 pm Posts: 545 Location: Urbana, Illinois
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The cadmium salt deposits are toxic. Use a mask, work outdoors, and wet everything down first with the isopropyl alcohol to prevent the dust from getting into the air.
-EB
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glue_ru
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 1:56 am |
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Joined: Dec Tue 01, 2015 5:31 am Posts: 2349 Location: Columbus Ohio
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A shop vac filter is no good for this, it will just redistribute the dust, in a bad way. I use a copier vacuum with a toner rated filter, outside if possible and a wet wipe up after, nasty stuff. Some of the smells that come out of old solder and gear makes you wonder about a quality mask or filter system
_________________ Joe - There's no shortage of cruelty to animals: http://joinASPCA.org
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Findm-Keepm
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 1:59 am |
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Joined: Sep Tue 30, 2014 6:08 am Posts: 4858 Location: Norfolk, VA
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Folks, IT ISN"T Cadmium, nor a Cadmium Salt - they all bear colors. What is present is Stannous Chloride (Tin(II) chloride) , common Tin corrosion in the presence of humidity or organic salts. We saw TONS of it in the navy, particularly in commercial gear. Humidity + Tin..........
Cadmium Sulfide - greenish/yellowish. Cadmium plated chassis that turn green. That's the ugly stuff. Cadmum Oxide - Brown. Rare to develop at room temperatures. We saw it in cadmium plated jet engine parts. Tin(II) chloride - whitish deposit, just tin trying to return to it's natural, ore state.
I'd be more suspicious of Cadmium Sulfide if the hardware was attacked - but just tin plated stuff? No way. Remember, those pot housings easily develop tin whiskers - a common problem in Striptrols, and not a new problem either - GE (Consumer Electronics) was aware of the problem in the 80s. Oil impregnated fishpaper solved their problems with tin whiskers in striptrols.
(Signed) He who had 6+ weeks of corrosion control training, plus the required corrosion training with each training track,
_________________ Brian "Capacitor Cosmetologist since 1979" USN Retired 1984-2006 (Avionics/Cal)
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Al Green
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 2:49 am |
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Joined: Mar Sun 25, 2018 10:50 pm Posts: 202 Location: 07960
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Brian, this is well-timed. I've been working on an old Thorens turntable with the same type of white powdery stuff on various parts. I don't see any yellowish or greenish tint to it, so I'm assuming I'm ok with what I've been doing to this point -- using my HEPA filtered vacuum to get off the loose stuff and removing the rest with Flitz polish.
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ampstamp88
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 4:05 am |
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Joined: Apr Sat 04, 2015 6:15 am Posts: 1336 Location: Dos Rios, CA. region
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Thanks Brian for fixing revisionist history here, I've never worried about the stuff cleaning off hundreds of old amplifiers. I usually use a small brush or dry rag to get the tight corners and dust off easily outdoors., all of my Weston testers when cleaning had a bit of "tin dust" on the pots and stuff...funny it carried over to the later Heathkit, too. Kent
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Phil Coe
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 4:48 am |
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Joined: Jun Mon 20, 2011 6:09 pm Posts: 1071 Location: 56401
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Thanks. for the help everyone. Will get in there with alcohol and rag to try and clean up.
_________________ Prediction is difficult, especially about the future. Niels Bohr
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Jthorusen
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 6:39 am |
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Joined: Nov Mon 02, 2009 7:01 am Posts: 3844 Location: Lincoln City, OR 97367
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Greetings, All! Stannous Chloride is also not fun, although apparently not as dangerous as Cd salts. Here is what Science Direct says: Quote: Stannous Chloride
Stannous chloride is a very strong reducing agent that absorbs oxygen from the air. The colorless crystalline solid or the white powder is severely irritating and corrosive, and reacts with alcohols, amines, alkalies, and oxidizers, sometimes with violence; the reaction with hydrogen peroxide is strongly exothermic, even in solution. As a food preservative, it can be added to canned asparagus packed in glass containers in a quantity not exceeding 15 μg g−1 calculated as tin (Sn), but up to 20 μg g−1 can be present if the container lid is lined with an inert material (FDA 155.200). It is also used as a stabilizer for colors and perfumes in soaps, and as a reducing agent in many other industrial applications. Note that it is supposed to react with alcohol. However, it would seem that the white powder we encounter is probably already somewhat oxidized and therefore is not pure stannous chloride. This might explain its lack of reactivity when cleaned with alcohol. Nevertheless, caution against breathing, ingesting or eye contact with the stuff is warranted. Regards,
_________________ Jim T. KB6GM
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Chris108
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 2:18 pm |
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Joined: Jun Fri 19, 2009 6:34 pm Posts: 8911 Location: Long Island
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The TT-1 and TT-1A were introduced around 1960. By that time cadmium plating was not common on things which were only going to see indoor use, though it was still common enough as plating on hardware for outdoor use. (Indeed, it is still used for that purpose sometimes today). Tin plating, on the other hand, was literally everywhere in electronics. Even if it was cadmium there are no recorded cases of anybody being sickened or worse by TT-1 tube tester dust.
Sanding down old radio finishes, many of which contained lead, is probably more dangerous than that white corrosion powder, but just the same it will not do you any good if it gets inside you. Therefore, the reasonable precautions given above are well justified. Just take care not to let any alcohol get inside the meter housing.
_________________ "Hell, there are no rules here--we're trying to accomplish something!"
Thomas A. Edison
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Barry H Bennett
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 3:18 pm |
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Joined: Nov Wed 30, 2016 7:35 pm Posts: 5349 Location: Sunbury, Ohio 43074
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I go out of my way to inhale the dust from cleaning up old tube testers. Due to this continued practice, I have acquired most of the functions of tube testers, and I do firmly believe I am now able to test tubes WITHOUT a tube tester. I can just feel the power .....
_________________ Preserving the hist. of electronics, one boat anchor at a time! :) https://www.bbtvtestequipment.com
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WoodchuckTN
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 3:57 pm |
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Joined: Dec Sun 21, 2014 6:37 am Posts: 2004 Location: Portland, TN, USA
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Barry H Bennett wrote: I go out of my way to inhale the dust from cleaning up old tube testers. Due to this continued practice, I have acquired most of the functions of tube testers, and I do firmly believe I am now able to test tubes WITHOUT a tube tester. I can just feel the power ..... This explains sooooo many things, Barry. 
_________________ 73, de Chuck K4CCW
If talk is cheap, it's because the supply usually exceeds the demand.
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Peter Bertini
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 6:44 pm |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 23187 Location: Somers, CT
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Barry H Bennett wrote: I go out of my way to inhale the dust from cleaning up old tube testers. Due to this continued practice, I have acquired most of the functions of tube testers, and I do firmly believe I am now able to test tubes WITHOUT a tube tester. I can just feel the power ..... The older I get, the less I use the three tube testers in the shop!
_________________ Just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done.
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Tim Tress
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Post subject: Re: Heathkit TT1 opened it up and it has a moldy powder Posted: Dec Tue 03, 2019 11:09 pm |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 9309 Location: Beaver Falls, PA. USA
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My National NCX-1000 chassis had the stuff on it. I used a paper towel with a little WD-40 applied, and it wiped right off.
_________________ Tim KA3JRT
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[ 15 posts ] |
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