Leaky CDI

[Striker1423]

MEK bath seems the least likely to destroy the components. Any other method I read about makes the inside a wasteland unsuitable for function.

Soak it clean it and repot.

If using phenolic resin like Caswell, buy a large motorcycle tank kit, seal an old leaky tank and dump the excess into the cdi. Bam. Two birds one resin.

[IR8D8R]

The stuff that leaked out is likely to be the insulating oil for the caps and not potting. Some of that old stuff is nasty toxic.

Potting material comes in a few flavors. I prefer Dupont Flexane 80. It won't continue to harden and crush delicate components. But it is not a replacement for the oil in a cap.

The stuff used for potting high frequency electronics is cured in a vacuum oven. I used to do it a long time ago. I think you are going to need a capacitor shop that knows how to refurb custom capacitors. They exist. Especially in the audio world.

If I had to guess, whoever made this just poured some old-school potting resin on top of the capacitor oil to close it. If you just pot the whole thing in something I doubt it will work. If you try it had better be something you can get back out.

IR8D8R

[Diablo007]

@ IR8D8R:  Thanks for the input.  I'll check out the potting compound you mentioned.  One of the posts I've found while trying to figure out the best way to take care of this they did mention using a vacuum method to make sure there are no bubbles in the potting compound.

As for leaky capacitors; there's WAY too much 'gunk' that's come out of the CDI to be from the capacitors, the volume of 'gunk' is larger than all the electronic components combined.  I've attached pics of the 'gunk' that I've collected so far, not including what leaked out in the box in an earlier post.  Your comment did make me wonder if capacitors can leak even when potted, and if that was the catalyst for the decomposition of the potting compound though.

I plan on making sure the CDI works before deep cleaning and repotting it.  I have a lead on a replacement that is in good shape.  It may make more sense to go that route.  There is a eBay vendor selling them, but from the description they also have decomposing potting compound.

[m in sc]

throw it in front of a low temp space heater, like an electric/ceramic one. will come out much faster. .02

[Diablo007]

Thanks M,  didn't think of using heat.  Space heaters aren't common in Hawaii, but I'm guessing a hair dryer may also speed up the process.  I'll give it a whirl this weekend.  Or maybe just put it out in the sun, if it's sunny.  Winter is rainy season here.

[m in sc]

lol. i would guess not. heat will speed it up a lot though.