Rotary Switch Cleaning

Corrosion tends to build-up more on rotary switch contacts than on the contacts of most other types of switches, because they usually are uncased and exposed more to circulating air. As their contacts corrode over time it eventually becomes necessary to either replace the switches or clean the contacts. This especially is true where rotary switches seldom are rotated to certain positions, because frequent rotation wipes some corrosion off contacts as it accumulates. Most types of switches are replaced when they become unreliable, but some rotary switches are somewhere between extremely difficult and practically impossible to replace, making cleaning the only reasonable option. It is very important to not use oil or any substance that contains oil when cleaning the contacts, because oil is conductive and it is apt to spread to insulating material. Use a quality commercial contact cleaner or the result may be an unusable switch that cannot be replaced. ©2005 Tigertek, Inc. All rights reserved.

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