How to clean BOSS switches

[fernieite]

Hey Laurie. I'm curious as to the reason you desoldered the purple wire from the PCB in the procedure. Why not do it on the switch end, as you did with the black wire? Is it so as not to confuse which wire goes to which lug on the switch?

If so, I'd probably prefer to desolder both wires at the switch end, because I'm not experienced enough or confident enough to mess with any PCB. Of course, I'd take note of the wire to lug locations before desoldering...

[laurie]

Desoldering the switch is actually more difficult and more likely to cause damage...

[Pepe]

[...] I managed to do it without desoldering anything at all. It works like a charm again.

[fernieite]

Desoldering the switch is actually more difficult and more likely to cause damage...

I see. Thanks.

[fernieite]

[...] I managed to do it without desoldering anything at all. It works like a charm again.

Good to know man. Thanks.

[visserman]

My feeling is not many people will encounter many problems with this switch since it is very concealed.

Hmmm... I've cleaned or replaced over 30 Boss style switches over the years in various pieces of equipment. Even though they are "sealed", dust does get inside and it doesn't take much dust or oxidation to stop it working.

Okay Laurie, I can see your point: As a tech. you deal with a lot more repairs than anyone of us does here.
My above comment was based on my observation with my own experience with repairs: I have not had many problems with Boss pedals whereas other pedals seem to be more prone to all kinds of issues such as wiring, broken pots and broken switches. More often than not, the failures come from old age or poor quality of components/footswitches and soldering.

[jrh60]

I've lucked out with a shot of tuner cleaner rejuvenating a couple of old intermittent Boss switches in the past.

[bigtone23]

Very cool, thank you for the repost!
I got lucky in the past with the switch on my PH1 that just needed Deoxit sprayed down the post with no disassembly. It may have been a Deoxit swimming pool in there, haha. Still works great to this day.
My DD2 needed a replacement switch, I wonder if this full cleaning would have fixed it?

Well, here we are, 5.5 years later and the PH1 is not working again. This time I will pull the switch apart and do the full fix.
More news at 11...

[laurie]

Well, here we are, 5.5 years later and the PH1 is not working again. This time I will pull the switch apart and do the full fix.
More news at 11...

[bigtone23]

Well, got into the PH1 and easily cleaned the switch.
It’s a momentary/silver screw/clear switch version. Just popping the switch from the chassis, easily opening the switch up with a screwdriver and squirting Deoxit into the contacts was enough to get it working again.

The grommet had disintegrated into a ball of rubber, I had plenty of replacements, so the pedal is running again!