echnique WATER CORROSION AND YOUR RC SYSTEM After few hours flying RC systems get covered fine layer silicone oil engines exhaust stuff gets everywhere may have observed hard remove chemist friends looks forward day far future world will covered one-molecule-thick layer silicones wonders what effect will have life isnt biodegradable know layer silicone provides pretty good protection kind corrosion might expected parts country away chemical plant smokestacks sea-shore Thats RC system lacks specific protection corrosion what about folks want fly seaplanes may expect occasional off-field landing swamp live high humidity areas sea fogs blow night folks have corrosion problems letters tell see green tinge around gold plated pins sockets youve got corrosion problems friend fresh pond water conosive because contains salts fertil izer highway runoff salt melts ice remember miscellaneous indigenous wildlife like ducks So what should about Step should soak anything green tinge white vinegar Ten minutes should long enough swish around bit Vinegar contains acetic acid strong enough eat off corrosion yet mild enough hurt radio Wash off fresh water dry parts hair dryer Step Two will inspect corroded areas strong magnifying glass Replace anything needs replacing lay film solder over minor stuff get ready prevent happening again Step Three gets repeated over over Open up receiver Next protect servo sockets crystal socket Scotch Cellophane Tape spray both sides circuit board two coats Krylon * 1302 Crystal Clear Make sure get under components boards reason specifying material specially formulated pro tection electronic circuits will burn off soldering temperatures should repairs neces sary Remove tape reassemble re ceiver coating dry Tape over case seams Scotch Plastic Tape #191 equivalent cant use mending tape because gets immersed water tape separates glue leaves mess speak experience Now open up servo turn treat same way receiver battery may already potted silicone sealer keep batteries shifting under vibration spray pot GE Silicone House hold Glue & Seal *361 stuff may cause corrosion itself hence spray mention because its available hardware store bubble card sticks almost anything holds great hasnt yet corroded anything though use hold aluminum parts together under water Still smells acetic acid might corrode something right situation warn possibility stuff works great sealing point wires exit servo case battery case switch harness another matter no way waterproof kinds switches used airplane RC systems want waterproof switch buy use replace what have transmitter wants treated like receiver primary concern switches control potentiometers some built openings might let Crystal Clear spray happens will have trouble Tape over openings switches pots spray around Remove tape close up box flying off salt water ugh might want consider replacing unsealed pots switches Mil-Std sealed types thats too much work Im sure repairman can found take job Salt spray travels long way air will get inside transmitter given half chance Step Four may realize plastic insulated wire potential water pipe Wherever possible should seal ends wires Zap grease Silicone Seal positively amazing water vapor humid air will travel up inside insulation wires start corrosion inside receivers servos switches etc Youve got block possible entry point because never know wire will get knicked somewhere along its see plane like Glen Nesbitts WW Moraine Saulnier floats shades Don McGovern prompted think terms waterproof ing plane radio Folks never fly off water have need waterproofing too Read find out George M Myers length Remember receiver antenna insulated wire too Step Five deals airplane fly seaplane landplane might land water want seal up possible points entry Silicone Seal helps lot Another good trick borrowed boaters coat end Nyrod innertube white grease about inch end provides waterresistant sliding seal low friction Plasticene another handy tool temporary seals Stick wad switch after turn sheds water easily removed Plasticene works fine plug other holes find last minute such place receiver antenna exits plane use strip ailerons water can enter around bearing grease Keeping water out half job return seaplane flying watery mis adventure wash plane equipment down fresh water dry Standard Navy practice recovering electronics have dunked briney deep soak fresh water alcohol scavange up water dry gentle heat forced air Corrosion partly due water also has corro sive agent present Ask machinist about rusty fingerprints appear fine steel parts youll learn salt perspiration enough job little high humidity around help along Lets say come home convinced water stayed outside airplane rinse off dry set aside till next week chargingjack mounted side plane neednt take wing off dont few weeks radio starts act up air inside plane humid Bring plane inside temperatures bit cooler moisture condenses stuff inside plane just like bathroom mirror gets steamed up take shower dont notice because wing besides wood isnt very shiny absorbs water right away water hangs around waiting its chance message ventilate airplane may have wrapped receiver foam packed plastic bag Great idea open bag let system breathe think no water got inside bag Remember steamy mirror bathroom Let bag breathe Ive left plugs sockets last may shudder what tell next works boats water always manages get shouldnt spray plugs sockets WD-40 doesnt seem interfere electronic contacts hasnt damaged plastics stops corrosion may lucky Maybe plastic set will damaged Try WD-40 some inconspicuous place first find out have rubber insulation may affected WD-40 too Very few RC systems have rubber few exceptions Ive tried list items you likely have already Use what youve got Its lot better experi ence last week listening RC sailboater complain about $165 bill paid have unprotected system repaired after boat sank fresh water pond Keep letters coming George M Myers 70 Froehlich Farm Rd Hicksville NY 11801 February 1982 69 waterproofing materials should include L R Plasticene oily modeling clay WIJ-40 spray can very thin oil Krylon No 1302 Crystal Clear protective spray electronics white vinegar remove corrosion GE Silicone Household Glue & Seal Scotch plastic tape waterproof variety white grease screwdriver use dismantling radio need electrical genius waterproof servo small screwdriver loosens four screws servo taken far apart necessary allow spray circuit board pot wires Crystal Clear After servo reassembled spot GE Silicone wires exit servo caseis thats needed keep water out
Edition: Model Aviation - 1982/02
Page Numbers: 68, 69
echnique WATER CORROSION AND YOUR RC SYSTEM After few hours flying RC systems get covered fine layer silicone oil engines exhaust stuff gets everywhere may have observed hard remove chemist friends looks forward day far future world will covered one-molecule-thick layer silicones wonders what effect will have life isnt biodegradable know layer silicone provides pretty good protection kind corrosion might expected parts country away chemical plant smokestacks sea-shore Thats RC system lacks specific protection corrosion what about folks want fly seaplanes may expect occasional off-field landing swamp live high humidity areas sea fogs blow night folks have corrosion problems letters tell see green tinge around gold plated pins sockets youve got corrosion problems friend fresh pond water conosive because contains salts fertil izer highway runoff salt melts ice remember miscellaneous indigenous wildlife like ducks So what should about Step should soak anything green tinge white vinegar Ten minutes should long enough swish around bit Vinegar contains acetic acid strong enough eat off corrosion yet mild enough hurt radio Wash off fresh water dry parts hair dryer Step Two will inspect corroded areas strong magnifying glass Replace anything needs replacing lay film solder over minor stuff get ready prevent happening again Step Three gets repeated over over Open up receiver Next protect servo sockets crystal socket Scotch Cellophane Tape spray both sides circuit board two coats Krylon * 1302 Crystal Clear Make sure get under components boards reason specifying material specially formulated pro tection electronic circuits will burn off soldering temperatures should repairs neces sary Remove tape reassemble re ceiver coating dry Tape over case seams Scotch Plastic Tape #191 equivalent cant use mending tape because gets immersed water tape separates glue leaves mess speak experience Now open up servo turn treat same way receiver battery may already potted silicone sealer keep batteries shifting under vibration spray pot GE Silicone House hold Glue & Seal *361 stuff may cause corrosion itself hence spray mention because its available hardware store bubble card sticks almost anything holds great hasnt yet corroded anything though use hold aluminum parts together under water Still smells acetic acid might corrode something right situation warn possibility stuff works great sealing point wires exit servo case battery case switch harness another matter no way waterproof kinds switches used airplane RC systems want waterproof switch buy use replace what have transmitter wants treated like receiver primary concern switches control potentiometers some built openings might let Crystal Clear spray happens will have trouble Tape over openings switches pots spray around Remove tape close up box flying off salt water ugh might want consider replacing unsealed pots switches Mil-Std sealed types thats too much work Im sure repairman can found take job Salt spray travels long way air will get inside transmitter given half chance Step Four may realize plastic insulated wire potential water pipe Wherever possible should seal ends wires Zap grease Silicone Seal positively amazing water vapor humid air will travel up inside insulation wires start corrosion inside receivers servos switches etc Youve got block possible entry point because never know wire will get knicked somewhere along its see plane like Glen Nesbitts WW Moraine Saulnier floats shades Don McGovern prompted think terms waterproof ing plane radio Folks never fly off water have need waterproofing too Read find out George M Myers length Remember receiver antenna insulated wire too Step Five deals airplane fly seaplane landplane might land water want seal up possible points entry Silicone Seal helps lot Another good trick borrowed boaters coat end Nyrod innertube white grease about inch end provides waterresistant sliding seal low friction Plasticene another handy tool temporary seals Stick wad switch after turn sheds water easily removed Plasticene works fine plug other holes find last minute such place receiver antenna exits plane use strip ailerons water can enter around bearing grease Keeping water out half job return seaplane flying watery mis adventure wash plane equipment down fresh water dry Standard Navy practice recovering electronics have dunked briney deep soak fresh water alcohol scavange up water dry gentle heat forced air Corrosion partly due water also has corro sive agent present Ask machinist about rusty fingerprints appear fine steel parts youll learn salt perspiration enough job little high humidity around help along Lets say come home convinced water stayed outside airplane rinse off dry set aside till next week chargingjack mounted side plane neednt take wing off dont few weeks radio starts act up air inside plane humid Bring plane inside temperatures bit cooler moisture condenses stuff inside plane just like bathroom mirror gets steamed up take shower dont notice because wing besides wood isnt very shiny absorbs water right away water hangs around waiting its chance message ventilate airplane may have wrapped receiver foam packed plastic bag Great idea open bag let system breathe think no water got inside bag Remember steamy mirror bathroom Let bag breathe Ive left plugs sockets last may shudder what tell next works boats water always manages get shouldnt spray plugs sockets WD-40 doesnt seem interfere electronic contacts hasnt damaged plastics stops corrosion may lucky Maybe plastic set will damaged Try WD-40 some inconspicuous place first find out have rubber insulation may affected WD-40 too Very few RC systems have rubber few exceptions Ive tried list items you likely have already Use what youve got Its lot better experi ence last week listening RC sailboater complain about $165 bill paid have unprotected system repaired after boat sank fresh water pond Keep letters coming George M Myers 70 Froehlich Farm Rd Hicksville NY 11801 February 1982 69 waterproofing materials should include L R Plasticene oily modeling clay WIJ-40 spray can very thin oil Krylon No 1302 Crystal Clear protective spray electronics white vinegar remove corrosion GE Silicone Household Glue & Seal Scotch plastic tape waterproof variety white grease screwdriver use dismantling radio need electrical genius waterproof servo small screwdriver loosens four screws servo taken far apart necessary allow spray circuit board pot wires Crystal Clear After servo reassembled spot GE Silicone wires exit servo caseis thats needed keep water out