Originally Posted by
52telecaster
Often those pots and switches need cleaned because of leaking coupling caps. It's a job but replacing coupling caps can work wonders. Faulty ones let DC voltage leak to your pots and switches which helps them become intermittent.
Electrolytic caps can leak, and that will be something to check. These can be used for coupling, especially when you need a large capacitance to avoid losing the low frequencies. I can see that leakage would put current through a pot's wiper contact, but that shouldn't harm it. Pots are designed to deal with DC currents as well as AC. As long the current is within the pot's rating, there shouldn't be a problem.
Pot wiper contacts, like switch contacts, can oxidize, especially when good plating materials aren't used (as is typical in consumer grade items). Stuff like "De-oxit" seems to do a pretty good job in most cases, although if the plating is worn through, the underlying steel is never going to work well.
.. but.. while leakage current in electrolytic caps isn't likely to hurt switches or pots, it does indicate that the cap is losing its ability to operate properly. Electrolytic caps lose their electrolyte, increasing their internal resistance (not good), and reducing their capacitance (also not good).
Maintenance on the receivers is somewhere in the middle of the "to do" list. Right now, I need to get on the bike and run down to Trefzgers for some cinnamon rolls and then do some other errands. ... might get a donut while I'm at Trefzgers too.
Steve in Peoria (possibly the only place with a bakery located in a former bike factory)