Cleaning movement/indutance fluid ?

[frank_p]

How do you clean a movement from an analog meter that had been taking water in a shed and had  been left with a battery in it.  Can I resusrect with isopropyl alcohol ?  Ethylic ?  Contact cleaner ?
What will not melt the lacker on the coil ?

[Earthscum]

Alcohol will attack lacquer, even old stuff. It's "iffy" to use. I'd start with a gallon of water and a couple drops of dish soap (or a smaller amount in about that ratio). Basically just enough soap to break the surface tension. That should get you started, and maybe even finished.  Someone else probably has better experience, but that's at least how I'd start... on the safer side. Other than that, maybe an auto-body cleaner made for old vehicles... see what someone uses for lacquer paint jobs.

Enamel, on the other hand, will take a bit more punishment, but I'd still stay away from alcohol, personally. I use it at work and have screwed up a couple things you wouldn't have though alcohol would affect. 

[frank_p]

I have a bottle of head cleaner...  (for cassettes).  I wondered if coils in heads were made with a special lacquer or it's like other enamenemeled    coils.  (scratch head)

Thing is there is a tad of rust in there. I don't want to corrode more with water.  

Long story short, somebody sold me a lot of stuff that took water and I am wondering it I try to do something with it.

[Earthscum]

Coils in cassette heads aren't coated. They are basically 2 pieces of metal (the core) in kind of a "V" (upside down). They grind and polish them until the gap is at a certain width. Coatings can become unstable over time, rub off and contaminate the tape material. The cleaning fluid is highly fluid (alcohol based, probably) to get all the gunk out from between that ultra-tiny gap. It probably dissolves some stuff to get it clean without scratching the surface.

You might look into CLR Cleaner... I'm not sure how it will react with some of the stuff, though.

[frank_p]

Coils in cassette heads aren't coated. They are basically 2 pieces of metal (the core) in kind of a "V" (upside down). They grind and polish them until the gap is at a certain width. Coatings can become unstable over time, rub off and contaminate the tape material. The cleaning fluid is highly fluid (alcohol based, probably) to get all the gunk out from between that ultra-tiny gap. It probably dissolves some stuff to get it clean without scratching the surface.

OK,  I get it.

Thanks a lot, I am going to dissect.  There is something broken in there...
It needs a tiny mechanician.

Still, it looks cool inside: i wonder how the contacts floats for the moving bobbin.

[Earthscum]

It needs a tiny mechanician.

Careful what you wish for... buddy of mine once asked a Genie for a tiny pianist... guess what he got! 

[frank_p]

 

Genie is good when the light does not smoke.

I've should have taken that broken dream to the watchman...

That thing is absolutely genius.

The pivots are rusted and one of the spiral spring too.  What I don't understand is how the 3 contacts are interconnected to the bobin...  There are two wires connected to each side of the outside chassis and one to the moving bobin...  The japanese electro-mechanic is so well done.