FL18 Bushing Cleaning

[anyfishaldo]

After reading a few posts I look up the procedure on teh Vexilar site and started tinkering. I can barely hang a picture so I was a little bit out of my comfort zone. My wife said I better not break it or I would be fishing blind. Well all went well and I am amazed at how dirty all of the components were not to mention the casing. Needless to say i need to be doing something other than putting it under the basement stairs on the floor!

[NCLaker]

I've never felt the need to clean the brushes yet. But after every use, I try to dry my Vex's out and get rid of any built up ice. Always stored in the blue case, charged and ready to go (always keep the terminals unhooked if not using for a few days so it does not drain the battery)

It is one of your most expensive pieces of equipment so I try to take care of it.

A friend never did any of this - after a season his Marcum unit had black mildew all over it (pretty disgusting) . He didn't pull the leads off his battery over the summer and now it is dead and won't take a charge.

[zamboni]

You could always get a Rubbermaid tote and store it in there. Beats getting really dusty

[BIG DS]

Cleaning the brushes and bushings on a Vex is a pretty simple procecure. I've done it for quite a few people and they are always amazed how much brighter and quieter they are. They do need to be cleaned from time to time.

[zamboni]

I wonder if that is whats wrong with my old mans FL18, that things noisy

[Rope]

Looks like I know what I'll be doing next weekend!Haven't done anything to my old 8SLT but wipe it off and use it.I saw that on their site and just spaced it off.

[fishnfool]

Where did you find the info on the Vex Site? Can't seem to locate it on there.

[sparkydm]

fishnfool, click on the FAQ tab. Then scroll about half way down. I believe the heading is "FL8 questions"

[Reservoir Dawg]

Here it is copied off the Vex HSOforum.

How to Clean You FL Unit's Brush Contacts

Remove the two screws from the back cover, unplug the power and transducer jacks from the PC board, and remove the back cover. Next, remove the control knobs from the front of the case (the allen size is 1.5mm). Remove the four screws that hold the PC board in place and remove the board.

Using compressed air, blow out all of the brush dust from in and around the wheel assembly and wash the front case, inside and out, with soap and water.

To clean the brush contacts, make a tool by stapling a small piece of fine sandpaper to the end of a popsicle stick. Connect the rear case power jack to the PC board and turn the unit on. Be careful of the spinning wheel! Insert the tool you made between the board and the spinning wheel. Clean the three brass rings until they are shinny. Clean the three brass rings until they are shinny. Run the unit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to re-seat the brushes. This should increase your light intensity to where it was when the unit was new.

If the brush contacts are worn significantly, you should replace them. You can order a brush kit here. Be sure to read the instructions available before you order, so you are sure you can do the job.

If you want to send it in for us to do, it will cost you around $60 plus shipping and it will be here for about five days.

[Ed Carlson]

Instead of sandpaper, an emery board type stick used to do fingernails would work and no staples to be concerned with snagging on a brush.

"Insert the tool you made between the board and the spinning wheel. Clean the three brass rings until they are shinny. Clean the three brass rings until they are shinny. Run the unit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to re-seat the brushes. This should increase your light intensity to where it was when the unit was new."

Note they say just until shinny....not for 30 min. The 30 min run time is to allow the brush's to seat. If you do it too long new brush's will be a sure thing. A couple more shots of air is wise to eliminate any copper dust residue from the touch up process. A can of computer/keyboard cleaner will do this job well.

If you suspect new brush's are needed or the bushings are shot and you need the $60 maintenance at Vex, than you should also consider the new Cool Blue LED upgrade as a option. The Cool Blue LED upgrade is also $60 + shipping to do, and they will look things over for problems and you will own a unit now better/kewler than new.