John T Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Hi Guys, I don't know if anyone out there has an answer to this one, but I've got a Watt meter with a hard rubber style plastic case that seems to be slowly decomposing and leaving a sticky residue on my hands or anything else it touches. At the moment I've cut up a plastic bag to put it in so I don't have to wash my hands whenever I use it, but I wondered if there was anything I could paint the case with to stabilise it? I know new ones don't cost very much, but I don't like binning what in other ways is a perfectly good bit of kit. TIA John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Time is the enemy of soft plastics and rubber John, it must be old. Is it old? Time, oxygen in the atmospher, and stuff laying around, turps, nitro fuel, all add to degredation. Is practically irreversable. Edited By Denis Watkins on 23/08/2020 10:36:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Has it been contaminated with glow fuel / oil at any time ? It could just be oil from your skin affecting it. Try rubbing over with a damp cloth. Early soft touch rubber on car switches used to go like this with some folk. Edited By Engine Doctor on 23/08/2020 10:46:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Wrap it in gaffer tape? Maybe a coat of epoxy resin or water based varnish such as Poly-C after washing in soapy water and rinsing clean would isolate the surface and stop it degrading further? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Open the case, remove the innards, take a few measurements, then run up a new one in 2mm ply - what a great little project! Alternatively, just wrap in sellotape or armoured-tape. PS - the same happened to the plastic tuning-knobs on my little Roberts radio - just became increasingly gummy. Edited By Jonathan M on 23/08/2020 11:06:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrman Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I've got the same problem on a couple of Panasonic cameras which have a thin plasticised rubber coating. I've found wiping/rubbing with IPA helps but it's impossible to stop it happening. The V&A museum has got similar problems with some plastic exhibits decomposing into a dry granular state or oily/sticky condition depending on what plastic it is and I don't think they have found a solution. I had some drawing lettering stencils and adjustable squares that crumbled or developed an oily surface as well. Neither the cameras or the drawing equipment had been in contact with any hazardous chemicals and in fact the drawing equipment had been in a case and untouched for the last 40 years! Edited By jrman on 23/08/2020 11:07:25 Edited By jrman on 23/08/2020 11:16:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I think breaking down and decomposing may be two different things judging by the reports of micro-plastics being found in all manner of things. Decomposing implies a molecular structure change, breaking down says to me that polymer strings are fracturing allowing the structure to crumble with no change in molecular structure, ie it's still a plastic. Layman's take on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I had this happen to the the controls on a toaster, I cleaned the surface sticky off with methanol and it didn't re appear. You may be lucky John, if it's just a coating on the surface. It also happens regularly to the inside surface of the buttons on TV remotes although it is easily removed with methanol. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Kremen Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I had struggled for years with various devices covered in this pseudo rubber. Tried most alcohol and similar solvents to no avail. Then, on a 'Pure' portable internet radio that had become horrible to touch, put some 'Rainex' rain repellent treatment ... Ureka! With a little bit of elbow grease too, ALL the gooey, sticky 'rubber' coating came off. Don't know what is in 'Rainex' but it works where other solvents, (alcohol, acetone, meths, turps etc.) barely if it all, touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrman Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Capt. K Did you use the Glass version or the one for plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Kremen Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Here are photos of the actual 'Rain*X' bottle as used (200ml size). (Can't recall where I bought it. Maybe Halfords, possibly even Aldi on one of their motoring specials Thursdays). It didn't require a great amount, applied on a kitchen towel and of course rubbed in. It does, (obviously) get very sticky as the 'rubber' loosens but on my radio it ALL came off and revealed a beautiful smooth plastic casing. I did this quite a while ago and the application in no way harmed the plastic case. Obvious health caution, do this outside application as the 'Rain*X' has quite a bouquet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I've had exactly the same problem on a variety of items, a Lidl-sourced rechargeable multi-tool, a set of small desk mounted high intensity work lights and a Nikon research microscope which cost the same as a new car at the time that I bought it. None of those items had ever been in contact with any glow fuel or other solvents. Haven't been able to find anything which works to remove the stickiness, so I'll definitely give that Rainex a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I've used white spirit successfully and as Capt Kremen says it reveals nice smooth hard surface. Also, used Betterwear Sticky Stuff Remover, with good results. GDB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Thanks for all the replies so far. I can't remember exactly when i bought the meter but I think it's probably 5 or 6 years old, so probably not quite ready for the V & A yet. It won't have been in contact with methanol as I don't use glow engines nowadays, although it may have shared the car boot with model diesel fuel at some point, Although I find the thought of a varnished plywood Watt meter strangely pleasing, I thought I would try a few of your other suggestions first on small patches of the casing. A damp cloth had no effect. I don't have any Rain X but I have got some RAC Clear View, which I thought might be similar. While it did remove a lot of the gummy stuff the surface still felt tacky to touch. The last thing I tried was IPA. Without wanting to temp fate this appears to have worked! The surface now looks and feels like new again. If it still seems ok tomorrow I'll clean off the rest of the meter with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Happened to an electric drill I had, dusted it with talcum powder and it didn't feel sticky any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Posted by John T on 23/08/2020 17:01:09: The last thing I tried was IPA. Without wanting to temp fate this appears to have worked! The surface now looks and feels like new again. If it still seems ok tomorrow I'll clean off the rest of the meter with it. Was that Greene King or BrewDog or some other IPA ? Before or after you drank it ? Edited By PatMc on 23/08/2020 17:52:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Rain X available from Wilco's....approx.... £6 .. ken anderson...ne...1...RX dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 Yesterday I thoroughly cleaned the casing with IPA.There were one or two small patches that remain slightly dull, but all the stickiness has gone Only time will tell if it lasts. I see from the photo that Captain K posted that Rain X contains IPA. Perhaps that is the magic ingredient. Perhaps now is the time to break out the other sort of IPA that PatMc was referring to to celebrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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