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Cleaning Corroded Crossovers


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satfiles 
Member - Posts: 22
Member spacespace
Joined: November 18, 2005
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 11:31 AM / IP Logged  

I bought the Rockford Fosgate Fanatic Q Component system shortly after they were first released. The 6-1/2 Mid Range, Tweeter, and Crossover set.

The shop that I had install them put them inside the door panels. I removed them the other day so I could put them into a different vehicle and all of the gold plated speaker connections and several of the components on the circuit board are corroding. None of the corrosion appears to be something that would destroy the crossover but I would like to clean it and stop it from rusting further.

I have access to the full line of CRC electrical parts cleaners and other contact cleaners here where I work. These can be found at crcindustries.com and several state that they are safe for electronic boards and components. There are a lot of choices.

I don't want to screw any of the components up on the board. I'll need to use the nozzle to get down under the square ceramic block devices on the board to clean the point where they connect to the board because there's corrosion at those spots. Also the switch that says 0 or 180 is corroded about the worst of anything on the outside where it's painted black. On the back of the circuit board (I removed it from the plastic base) it appears to need cleaning where all the traces are it looks like a white film from moisture is there.

Can someone give me some suggestions on what I should use to clean, lubricate, and stop the corrosion?

Are there any components on the board that I need to be cautious of getting the cleaner into?

Thanks. (By the way I don't intend to reinstall them in the doors like the other screw heads did).

haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 12:17 PM / IP Logged  
Any speay component cleaner should work just fine. Make certain that it contains a corrosion remover.
Without sealing the board with a varnish, there is no way the corrosion will not return. Additionally, because the gold plating has been compromised, there will be no way to prevent the terminals from corroding again. A small THIN layer of some sort of water displacing film (WD-40) will slow the process, but it will continue to corrode, sadly.
If your crossovers are set the way you like them, and you are ABSOLUTELY certain you will never want to change them, spray them sealed with a clear coat varnish. It won't need much. Allow them to dry THOROUGHLY before returning them to use. The following goes without saying (that's why I am saying it) make certain you mask off the terminals, so you can still insert wires... Depending on the time and energy you want to spend on this project, you could mask off the jumper terminals as well, so you can change the settings later as well...
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
satfiles 
Member - Posts: 22
Member spacespace
Joined: November 18, 2005
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 1:19 PM / IP Logged  

haemphyst wrote:
spray them sealed with a clear coat varnish. ...

Just any spray clear varnish like Minwax from Home Depot?

Also, will it hurt to use a toothbrush and the cleaner to clean the back of the board where the traces are?

I took a second look and they are worse than I first thought. Some of the milky looking film is pretty thick looking in spots and even appears to be connecting the solder points but probably never actually shorted anything because it was all working fine when I removed them from the doors.

The right front speaker was distorting randomly and I thought I had blown it but it was weird because it wasn't a constant rattle it was only on certain songs (frequncies), so I am thinking that noise was a result of the corrision not letting the crossover work properly. Does that seem likely? I examined the speakers and they look like new.

Thanks

forbidden 
Platinum - Posts: 5,352
Platinum spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: November 01, 2003
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 1:37 PM / IP Logged  
Go back to the shop that installed them and insist that they replace them. This happend not due to anything you did but because the shop was negligent in their installation methods. I can't think of one professional installer that would put a crossover on the inner side of a vapour barrier in a door so that it would not be properly protected. Yikes....
Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 1:40 PM / IP Logged  
My mind actually went to Varathane, but yeah...
As long as you don't beat the traces or components to death, yeah, a soft toothbrush should be OK. Basically, just be gentle about it... pretend it's your significant other... firm, but gentle.
The milky stuff is lead and tin oxides, both non-conductive (or at a minimum, highly resistive), so yeah, there was no possibility of shorting the traces. If the trace is badly damaged, a quick filling of the damaged places with a load of solder (to restore the current carrying capabilities) might be not a bad idea.
Not likely the crossover was not working correctly - dumb hardware either works or not... No correctly or not correctly about it. If it was at the same place in the same song, every time, then it was the speaker itself or the installation. Test the theory by switching the crossovers - side for side.
::::EDIT::::
Also, take Rob's suggestion. IF the shop is even moderately respectable or in business any more, they should replace the crossovers for you. If not, you are stuck with the above suggestions...
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
satfiles 
Member - Posts: 22
Member spacespace
Joined: November 18, 2005
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 9:05 PM / IP Logged  

forbidden wrote:
Go back to the shop that installed them and insist that they replace them. This happend not due to anything you did but because the shop was negligent in their installation methods. I can't think of one professional installer that would put a crossover on the inner side of a vapour barrier in a door so that it would not be properly protected. Yikes....

If I am correct the Fanatic Q series has been replaced by newer models and I can't find anyplace the crossover is sold separately. So, what would they replace them with? I can go back and ask for a replacement but unless I know what's equivalent I might get something inferior to what I already have. They came as a component set and that set is no longer offered so they won't have the crossovers that I have.

If I were to ask for a refund on the crossovers I wouldn't even know what the cost would be since they come as a set. Then if I did get the refund what would I buy to replace them?

Until now I have had excellent luck with this shop and I couldn't believe what I saw when I opened the door panels. I really feel I am better off just cleaning and sealing them, not using the shop anymore, and reinstalling everything in my new car myself.

However, if I do go back I would like to know what to expect when I ask for a replacement that no longer exists so I don't get screwed again and lose the crossovers that came with my component set.

Thanks

forbidden 
Platinum - Posts: 5,352
Platinum spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: November 01, 2003
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: December 07, 2005 at 9:59 PM / IP Logged  
Even if the speakers are no longer available, the shop was negligent. If they cannot get the proper replacement crossover, then they are to replace the entire set of speakers. This was 100% a installation related issue. If they installed them properly, you would never have had this discussion now would you? Draw your line in the sand before you go into the store. Explain yourself calmly and thoroughly and see what they will or will not do for you.
Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

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