Dirty Faders?

[Eric Barker]

This is currently a minor problem, but it could get worse.

On my Keylab 88, I've started to notice that some of my fader CC values jump. Does anyone know about cleaning this? More curious/worrisome, is that moving one fader will slightly change the value of another. In my case, the very last fader, when moved up and down, ends up adding about +10 CC values to the output of fader 1! This strikes me as some kind of voltage leak, and makes me a bit nervous. This stuff only tends to effect the very edges of the fader run, so it's not a big deal, isn't impeding on my performance at all, but I worry that it could if it gets a lot worse.

[Tausendberg]

"This strikes me as some kind of voltage leak"

EEK! For your sake I hope you're still under warranty because from what I've seen of these forums, this is the first time I heard about that particular issue which is saying something considering that the Keylab 88 has the same fader hardware as the rest of the Keylab line, which has been around for years now.

[Eric Barker]

Problem is, I'm in Hawaii... shipping it back would be extremely $$$$, and I would be without my main board for way too long.

[Tausendberg]

Well, if you're really having voltage leak, then maybe your best bet, under your current circumstances, might be to just look up on craigslist if anyone has a Keylab 49 for sale for really cheap and cannibalize the board that the faders and knobs are attached to or alternately you can contact Arturia and ask them to ship you that part.

I feel you about the whole business with the shipping, I bought supplemental warranty coverage that would cover shipping when I got my Keylab 88 and it nearly paid itself off when I had to send my first Keylab 88 back for warranty (smudging paint issues).

But given the costs of shipping and the consequences of being without the board (I hated being several weeks without an 88), I think your best bet really might be to just get your hands on the part and void the warranty (how much time do you have left on it anyway?)

Also, if the faders are just dirty, I recommend buying contact restorer (which is kind of like a notch above run of the mill contact cleaner) and just spraying miniscule amounts in the faders. Lemme see if I can find the exact brand... there's one particular contact restorer that my father used to fix a light assembly on a Mercedes (20 dollars for the contact restorer instead of buying a 400 dollar part)...

Update:

I think it may have been this one. Good luck and let me know how it goes. Hope Hawaii treats you well!

http://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Chemicals-Cleaning-Supplies/Chemicals/Contact-Cleaners/ES1629-9700

[Eric Barker]

I actually did buy supplemental insurance too (about $100 through Amazon). I don't remember if it covers shipping or not, but if it's the same as yours, it probably does. I also have the paint smudging issue, but I've decided it doesn't bother me enough to warrant getting a new board. This, however, would if it gets worse.

I may try using the cleaner you suggested. Would that void the warrenty?

I DO have my old QS8 I could use in a pinch, but boy, I'd rather not.

[Tausendberg]

"Would that void the warrenty?"

I don't think it would, it's common electronic maintenance to spray cleaners like that around components.

The key is that you're not actually disassembling anything.

[Eric Barker]

Well, I think I've got the problem almost fixed. I went to town on the faders with some canned air and they're working almost perfectly. The first one (which I use for volume), still has a slight issue at the very bottom of the fader run. Sometimes when I run it all the way to the bottom it jumps up to midi CC value of 3-4, which isn't a problem, however, when it does that, moving the LAST fader (F9), it will spit out some values. Not a situation that's likely to lead to any problems, but it is weird.

My guitarist is going to lend me some DeoxIT Contact Cleaner, which he uses all the time to clean out Neve boards, maybe that'll clear the last bit up.

My pots could probably use a little cleaning too, but I almost never use them. I like faders way better, especially over endless encoders, that's the one thing about the board that I'm not crazy about, I'd take traditional pots any day.

[Eric Barker]

Yay! I used some DeoxIT (borrowed it from my boss who used to use it to clean Neve's), and it TOTALLY cleared up all problems I was having. Only thing is now the faders are a little dry and gritty to run, I kind of figured doing this would kill the lubrication, now I just gotta lube 'em up, and all will be good!

SO, for anyone else out there who has a little bit of problems like me: DeoxIT D5... wow!

[Steve_Karl]

Yay! I used some DeoxIT (borrowed it from my boss who used to use it to clean Neve's), and it TOTALLY cleared up all problems I was having. Only thing is now the faders are a little dry and gritty to run, I kind of figured doing this would kill the lubrication, now I just gotta lube 'em up, and all will be good!

SO, for anyone else out there who has a little bit of problems like me: DeoxIT D5... wow!

Good work Eric!