Keeping A Patchbay Clean

  • Thread starter Thread starter fierojoe
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fierojoe

fierojoe

Pretzel distributor
Hey guys, I got myself a (Don't laugh) Behringer patch bay a few months back and I am noticing that some of my more commonly used channels are getting a little crusty already. Jiggle it a little and that channel comes back to life. Is there a good way to keep the patch bay clean?
 
How about something like the 'Caig' cleaning products?
If you can get to the contact surfaces and switches it should be fairly straight forward.
I worry more about the ones I can't get to -like all the insert jacks in the mixer. But if you're seeing noise in the first few months, that seems like a bad sign. It would make me question the integrity of the unit. (Don't know, never owned one:)
Wayne
 
noises and the pachbay

hi,

I have a Behringer console, and the speaker out beginning to have a some noises which was amplify by the active monitors, The old "Contact Spray", about three bucks at the Radio shack did the job.
 
Re: noises and the pachbay

aspectslink said:
hi,

I have a Behringer console, and the speaker out beginning to have a some noises which was amplify by the active monitors, The old "Contact Spray", about three bucks at the Radio shack did the job.
Click to expand...

My worries are mainly that I have only had the unit for a couple months and I'm getting a little noise already. It never really seems to be the patches inside the rack, just the outside patches. I am wondering if there is something I am doing wrong? Should I install a de-humidifier? I do live in Ohio, it gets pretty humid out here sometimes. Don't know, just a guess. Thanks for the info though.
 
I've had patchbays for years and never noticed that kind of "accumulation"..?!? How often do you dust?
 
There in lies the problem maybe. We have been doing some re-modeling and ripping carpet out and stuff over the past few months. Maybe It's just getting dusty from all of that, but I never really noticed an obcene amount of dust on things. Maybe I should pull it out tonight and check how dusty the inside is.
 
I usually vacuum the gear/console/studio once a week or so....
 
BB,
What kind of vacuum are you using on your equipment? ESP consol?
any special hose / brush adapter or such?
I tried one of those PC vacumms, and they suck.. well actually they don't do squat. They just seem to collect the dust and kick around .
Not that I have that must dust he he

T
 
Standard vacuum (no beater brush!) -- I use the furntiture attachment (thick, tall, soft bristle brush)..... works great!
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
Standard vacuum (no beater brush!)
Click to expand...

If you don't use the beater brush, then how are you suposed to get that deep down dirt and grime? :D
 
Along with the Caig De-oxit stuff you might want to get a couple cans of compressed air and blow out the jacks. Since you have been remodelling this might be especially helpful. Blow the jacks out first, then spray the de-oxit.
 
Skip the de-oxit, it collects dust like there's no tommorrow. Use a vacuum that is dedicated for that job only (the ones that use the 3M filter bags work really well), and compressed air from Sam's club or Radio Shack...otherwise the repetative motion of the connections will in itself keep it clean. If there is still a problem, then it is elsewhere...the wiring/connection either in the patch cable or in the patch bay itself.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com
 
Michael Jones said:
You have to take it out of the rack and beat it with one of these:
Unless its Vintage gear, then you have to use one of these:
Click to expand...

Perfect! My mother has a few of those lying around!


SonicAlbert and atlas, Thanks for the info. Both good points. Would I be just as well to use my air compressor or is there something better about compressed air in the can?
 
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