Cleaning CH Fighterstick Pots

[Max]

After 7 years my Fighterstick is acting up a bit...doesn't want to hold auto-pilot. I'm guessing it's spiking a bit. What's the procedure for cleaning pots?

The other option is simply replacing them but I'm not finding parts on the CH website. Anyone have a source?

Thanks

[zack1234]

after 7 years its a disgrace, what shoddy workmanship!

Compressed air in a can usually does the trick

[bj229r]

After 7 years my Fighterstick is acting up a bit...doesn't want to hold auto-pilot. I'm guessing it's spiking a bit. What's the procedure for cleaning pots?

The other option is simply replacing them but I'm not finding parts on the CH website. Anyone have a source?

Thanks

after numerous emails, I got them to send me some hat switches for my Flight-Stick (less than easy to install) But at any rate, I started by emailing cuztomer service

[SIK1]

Max just an fyi make sure that the trim pots are centered before you do anything drastic. I had my CH gear for more than ten years in a very dusty environment before moving to a Warthog, and the only time they failed to hold auto pilot was when the trim pots were not centered. In fact I went so far as to put tape over the trim pot wheels to keep me from bumping them off of center.
If the trim pots aren't the issue then some electronic contact cleaner should do the trick. Just make sure that what ever you use doesn't melt the plastic of the base.

[Ack-Ack]

After 7 years my Fighterstick is acting up a bit...doesn't want to hold auto-pilot. I'm guessing it's spiking a bit. What's the procedure for cleaning pots?

The other option is simply replacing them but I'm not finding parts on the CH website. Anyone have a source?

Thanks

It's really easy to clean the pots.  You'll need to use a contact cleaner like DeoxIT (or you can use Isopropyl alcohol, which I heard works quite well) and then follow the instructions below.

1.  Soak it by spraying it with contact cleaner
2.  Rotate it several times.
3.  Spray it some more to get anything that broke loose out.
4.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary
5.  Let the pot dry completely

If it's just the contact that needs cleaning (the little tabs that stick out that you connect the wires to), just spray a little on the contacts and gently (so you don't bend the physical contacts) rub with a Q-tip and then let dry.

ack-ack

[Bizman]

Just a warning, WD-40 is not the contact cleaner you'd like to use, nor is CRC 5-56. Although both may work in cleaning any corrosion from the pots, they also contain a lubricant which doesn't vaporize off. Any dust will stick to the lube, making the situation quickly worse than it was in the beginning. "Leaves no residue, Non-conductive" are the key phrases for the cleaner. Brand doesn't matter, cheap is good.