- This topic has 16 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 7 months ago by Michael.
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Fellow Lectroneers, courtesy of Günther Stabe, here is an excellent overview and a series of recommendations for cleaning and maintaining legacy Lectron System parts to like-new condition.
In addition, Frank has also pointed to a YouTuber (8 Bit Guy) who offers recommendations on restoring yellowed plastics back to white.
Ground Plates
Block Remediation
White Covers
Magnets
Block Contact PlatesGround Plates
One of the more typical issues confronting the legacy Lectron System model purchaser is a blemished and ugly looking ground plate, especially common for the Egger and Braun ‘deluxe’ ground plates. This process will also work on the ‘economy’ ground plates (for example, those found in the MiniSystem, Buchlabor, Kimber, and Raytheon Series 1-3 models).
Günther’s cleaning process is as follows:
1. Use masking adhesive tape to cover the plastic parts.
2. Apply sandpaper (very fine ones, here: 400 particles of corundum per cm² ) to clean the metal surface until it is absolutely clean and shiny.
3. Use some steel wool or other fine polish material to get the silky finish – if required and available.
4. Apply chemical contact cleaner (for radio and TV) to achieve good electrical contact between the individual blocks and the ground plate. Simply spray and wipe clean with a cotton buffing cloth.
5. Make sure to use rubber or latex gloves to prevent the hands from getting black because of the surface residue. See residue on the buffing cloth in photo above.Once you have completed the cleaning process, your ground plate should look like new. A clean ground plate is ESSENTIAL to ensure a reliable electrical ground for the Lectron System circuits.
The end result will be a superior electrically conductive ground plate despite the burnished look finish.
Block Remediation
There were two types of block covers – the first type used in the earlier Egger Lectron systems had a glued on top white cover. This would make the cover’s removal difficult for internal block repairs – soldering of welds and component replacement. The second type of white cover (shown below) featured two nubs and sockets diagonally across from each other. This enabled the cover to be removed and then restored after effected repairs with little risk of damaging the block or cover. With either cover, the use of a glue geared toward plastics (other glues can cause physical damage (‘melting’) can be sparingly applied to two of the corners. Do not over glue!
The contact plates may also need to be remediated, especially if pitting has occurred. Replacing contact plates can be done but sometimes it is just simpler to use a replacement block. Make sure to examine the contact plates on the bottom of the block as well. The cleaning process for the contact plates is reviewed below.
White Covers
Unfortunately, long term exposure to sunlight can discolor the white covers resulting in a light yellow color. This cannot be corrected other than by replacing the cover. Long term storage conditions can also discolor the white covers. Where possible, avoid leaving the blocks exposed to sunlight or UV light and store the units in a temperature controlled environment.The white covers can also become dirty or show black or dark grey spots. Fortunately, there is a great solution for that problem.
This problem can be corrected by a careful application of a surface cleaning product such as the American made ‘Dash Away‘. Be careful not to overly scrub the schematic symbol itself. The result:
Magnets
Yet another vulnerability that occurs over time is due to how the larger size bottom magnets were secured inside the clear block case. A combination of tabs, glue, and sometimes a piece of clear tape were used. As the plastic aged, the tabs became brittle and broke, releasing the magnet inside the case. After 30 to 40 years, both the tape and the glue would lose their ability to hold the magnet in place if the tabs failed. The Pattex glue product shown in the last graphic below is a suitable glue to resecure the magnet to the base.
Block Contact Plates
The small contact plates on the block sides and bottom can also get corroded, pitted and/or blemished. Remediation can be done in a similar manner to the ground plate but smaller burnishing tools are more appropriate.
Some of the German cleaning products that Günther has used successfully. There are of course similar products available in any other country.
You will have good luck with restoring your legacy Lectron System to its physically pristeen appearance with excellent electrical conductivity at all the needed connection points by following the above cleaning procedures.
- This topic was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Michael.
- This topic was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Michael.
- This topic was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Michael.
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Hi Michael,
This is a great tutorial how to restore a Lectron system like new!
Clean contacts are a “must” to achieve flawless operation of a circuit.
Greetings- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Michael.
- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Michael.
- This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Michael.
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Hi all,
Taking care and cleaning the Lectron blocks is really of vital importance !
Thank you for the hints and tips.
After acquiring a Lectron legacy set in good condition, the contacts and blocks needed attention though.
With these guidelines and after 2 hours of cleaning, the Lectron cubes work as new, with perfect electrical contacts and looks.
A must do for every Lectron user !
Greetings
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I have managed to hold on to my Deluxe Ground Plate all of these years. And yes, it looked worse than yours. Sandpaper, how quaint, but alas, manual labor, ahh NO.
But I was inspired. So I pulled it out, lifted the edges and put metal duct tape under it to protect the plastic. Then, I used a wire brush wheel with my portable drill followed by the sandpaper wheel (in four directions). It’s REAL SMOOTH!
For now, I have coated with oil to keep it from oxidizing until I can get out and get something better to coat it with.
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I acquired my first set for Christmas of 68 or 69 and the later set off of eBay about 10 years ago. I have used them to help others to get a basic understanding of electronics. Lectron helps to remove the mystery and makes it fun.
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Hi DaFonz (nice nickname !)
Welcome to the forum, thanks for joining us.
I hope you’ll have a great time with us.
Maybe it would be great to design new circuits with only the blocks you have.
Can you also post a picture of some setup with your cleaned baseplate ?
Many greetings -
So, I think that it came out ok.
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Great work DaFonz !
Your groundplate looks like a mirror !
Hopefully you will try some experiments published on this forum with it.
Many greetings
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I have been evaluating my Lectron System 2 and 3 sets. After a great conversation with Michael, he directed me to send a forum thread to Gunther Stabe. My first question is do the disk capacitors actually go bad overtime?
Which component is most likely to fail over time?Something I want to stress with the business side is that the Lectron brand is excellent. From my perspective the issue is with marketing. Before really digging deep I was under the impression that the entire brand had gone away because the only sets I found were on eBay. The product is incredible but no one will know this unless you market it. In my opinion you might try signing up Adafruit.com as a distributor.
Another item that is very innovative is the DNA/RNA Genetics kit. This could be a real hot seller at many universities when the COVID19 Pandemic settles down. I personally find the documentation excellent. A major selling point will be its visualization of DNA/RNA theory. However, making money with the set will be difficult because nobody in the USA knows that it exists. This has to be marketed not because of the coolness factor, it has to be marketed for its potential outreach and its capacity to introduce and train the scientists of the future. I work at Kent State University in IT Support. I know of at least two faculty members that would purchase this if money had not been frozen right now.
Please do not throw in the towel on the Lectron Product line. It will a terrible waste. Thank you for putting up with me!
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I would like to open a new topic to describe the test of Lectron blocks, just to be sure that these will do their “job” with further experiments and don’t fail if the electronic parts in it are defect / dry / out of tolerances etc.
The actual thread contains several important posts, but with – sometimes – out-of-topic contents, so I will drop some lines for a new topic for measurement checks without the Universal Lectron Block Tester (initialized by the Logic Tester from Mr. Guerth for the use in the Braun Assembly & Packaging Hall in Munich-Allach for a couple of years) after the – above mentioned – cleaning of groundplate(s) and blocks.
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