Clean or Replace Potentiometer?

[codeena]

Hi all,

The crosshair on one of my Terminator 2 guns is shaky and jumps around when moved in a certain spot. I'm guessing this is due to a potentiometer. If so, is there a way of fixing this type of issue by cleaning the pot or does it usually mean it needs to be replaced?

Thanks in advance!

[processedmeat]

It probably doesn't hurt to try to clean it first.  Some people may disagree but I have good success with taking the pot apart and then spraying deoxit into it.  Then turning the pot from the min to max positions a few times to work the cleaner in. 

Not sure about how rare the gun pots are but for my atari yoke it saved me some money by not having to buy those rare pots.

[Howard_Casto]

Pots aren't very expensive (they are cheaper than the cleaning spray) so as a rule replace them when they start wigging out.  That being said, make sure you can find a replacement first..... A pot might have the same resistance value as the original, but the turning radius or the shaft might be different. 

[codeena]

Thanks guys! 

[jennifer]

   Those new pots are wirewound with a conductive plastic wafer and case,don't last very long under game stress, although in your situation it may be fine and they are rated for like 50k cycles I believe (don't quote jenn ).... The carbon replacement is very hard to find anymore and usually are quite spendy when you do.  I would most definitely attempt to clean it first, you don't have to go all restoration on it however, just blast it full of pot cleaner woosh it back and forth a few times every couple of minuets while its drying, and don't put power to it until its completely dry, (so they say anyway never seen one burst into flames yet)

[jennifer]

  OR... You could make sure it is the pot and not a positioning problem by putting it on a scope.