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#1
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
The most common problem with home stereo speakers is that they
deteriorate around the poly-foam suspension or surround. This usually happens from 10 to 15 years. Some people call it Speaker Foam Rot and is usually caused by aging of the surround, not by any abuse. When this happens you can buy a kit to replace the surround but what can you do when the foam is still good so this never happens? I'm told that this can be stopped by applying something to the foam to protect it, keep it soft and stop the cracking. Most people I talk to say amor all will NOT work but for some reason cause it to rot faster. Other people I spoke with said to use hair spray or even apply peanut butter (I seen this on a website). What is the best chemical substance that can be applied to the poly- foam suspension or surround that will protect it and keep it from rotting? I would like to know something that really works and will not harm the foam. |
#2
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
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#3
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
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#4
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
wrote in message ... The most common problem with home stereo speakers is that they deteriorate around the poly-foam suspension or surround. This usually happens from 10 to 15 years. Some people call it Speaker Foam Rot and is usually caused by aging of the surround, not by any abuse. When this happens you can buy a kit to replace the surround but what can you do when the foam is still good so this never happens? I'm told that this can be stopped by applying something to the foam to protect it, keep it soft and stop the cracking. Most people I talk to say amor all will NOT work but for some reason cause it to rot faster. Other people I spoke with said to use hair spray or even apply peanut butter (I seen this on a website). What is the best chemical substance that can be applied to the poly- foam suspension or surround that will protect it and keep it from rotting? I would like to know something that really works and will not harm the foam. You can buy stuff to treat them with from Simplyspeakers.com. Mark Z. |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
Eeyore writes:
What kills the foam seems mainly to be exposure to UV light and ozone. So if you avoid living near the seaside and mountainous regions and install your hi-fi in a darkened room you may avoid this problem. I'm sure that UV light and ozone wouldn't help the surrounds, or any other part of the speaker, but I've had foam rot in windowless rooms that don't have any sources of ozone in them. I think that the foam, over time, simply decomposes back into the chemicals from which it was made, much like most polyurethane-based materials. -- J. Porter Clark |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
Dear J. Porter Clark:
On Nov 16, 9:06 am, (J. Porter Clark) wrote: Eeyore writes: What kills the foam seems mainly to be exposure to UV light and ozone. So if you avoid living near the seaside and mountainous regions and install your hi-fi in a darkened room you may avoid this problem. I'm sure that UV light and ozone wouldn't help the surrounds, or any other part of the speaker, but I've had foam rot in windowless rooms that don't have any sources of ozone in them. I think that the foam, over time, simply decomposes back into the chemicals from which it was made, much like most polyurethane-based materials. If you have electric appliances, or even fan powered air movers, you are making some ozone. Also ozone is made by the natural background radiation that is part of all our lives, to say nothing of that produced by sunlight+NOx+VOC. You can place polyurethane or any other compound in an enclosure purged with pure nitrogen, it will have its life extended five times or more. Unfortunately such a purging system provides a significant health hazard. http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk/resources.../confined.shtm But polymer systems also do not have an infinite fatigue life, and will also fail based on the number of cycles they are put through, and the amplitude of those cycles. David A. Smith |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
The most common problem with home stereo speakers is that they
deteriorate around the poly-foam suspension or surround. This usually happens from 10 to 15 years. Some people call it Speaker Foam Rot and is usually caused by aging of the surround, not by any abuse. When this happens you can buy a kit to replace the surround but what can you do when the foam is still good so this never happens? I'm told that this can be stopped by applying something to the foam to protect it, keep it soft and stop the cracking. Most people I talk to say amor all will NOT work but for some reason cause it to rot faster. Other people I spoke with said to use hair spray or even apply peanut butter (I seen this on a website). What is the best chemical substance that can be applied to the poly- foam suspension or surround that will protect it and keep it from rotting? I would like to know something that really works and will not harm the foam. I have read several suggestions. Haven't tried any of them myself. The breakdown mechanism for the foam is usually said to be oxidation damage due e.g. to ozone exposure. That, I believe, is the rationale behind using products such as Armor-All. I haven't read reports that Armor-All would actually damage the foam faster, but since Armor All is reported to be incompatible with some materials (e.g. polycarbonate plastic, per the "put Armor-All on your CDs for better sound" debacle some years ago) it certainly makes sense to be cautious. I've read a report that indicates that foam "rot" is often just that - a biological rot due to a fungus of some sort which actually digests the foam. This report suggested that the application of some sort of anti-fungal compound to the foam could help extend its lifetime. The report suggested using one of the over-the-counter antifungals sold as an athlete's-foot remedy, but I don't remember the specific active ingredient recommended. One of the products which consist of tolnaftate in a talcum-powder base would probably be safe enough to use, although I don't know if it'd be effective. Some of these products used to use undecylanic acid (undecylanates were/are often used as industrial antifungals) in an alcohol carrier, but these seem to have gone out of favor in the market (possibly due to their odor). Some people have tried to protect/stabilize the surface of the foam by brushing on a thin layer of silicone sealant. This would probably change the compliance of the surround to some extent - I don't know if it would be enough to affect the driver's performance significantly. If I were to try this I'd use only a non-acid-bearing "neutral cure" silicone adhesive/sealant, such as those sold for electronics use or those sold as "metal safe" (they're more expensive than the vinegar- smelling acetic-acid-cure variety). -- Dave Platt AE6EO Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
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#9
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
I know of people who have tried all kinds of remedies against foam rot. In
the end, non of them worked. I spoke to a speaker rebuilder, and he told me that this is a common problem in the industry. He was not aware of any remedy that works. He told me that if the customer tampers with the foam, they will loose the warranty that he gives after doing a rebuild. I just recently had my speakers rebuilt. They lasted about 8 years before their foam rotted out. -- JANA _____ "Dave Platt" wrote in message ... The most common problem with home stereo speakers is that they deteriorate around the poly-foam suspension or surround. This usually happens from 10 to 15 years. Some people call it Speaker Foam Rot and is usually caused by aging of the surround, not by any abuse. When this happens you can buy a kit to replace the surround but what can you do when the foam is still good so this never happens? I'm told that this can be stopped by applying something to the foam to protect it, keep it soft and stop the cracking. Most people I talk to say amor all will NOT work but for some reason cause it to rot faster. Other people I spoke with said to use hair spray or even apply peanut butter (I seen this on a website). What is the best chemical substance that can be applied to the poly- foam suspension or surround that will protect it and keep it from rotting? I would like to know something that really works and will not harm the foam. I have read several suggestions. Haven't tried any of them myself. The breakdown mechanism for the foam is usually said to be oxidation damage due e.g. to ozone exposure. That, I believe, is the rationale behind using products such as Armor-All. I haven't read reports that Armor-All would actually damage the foam faster, but since Armor All is reported to be incompatible with some materials (e.g. polycarbonate plastic, per the "put Armor-All on your CDs for better sound" debacle some years ago) it certainly makes sense to be cautious. I've read a report that indicates that foam "rot" is often just that - a biological rot due to a fungus of some sort which actually digests the foam. This report suggested that the application of some sort of anti-fungal compound to the foam could help extend its lifetime. The report suggested using one of the over-the-counter antifungals sold as an athlete's-foot remedy, but I don't remember the specific active ingredient recommended. One of the products which consist of tolnaftate in a talcum-powder base would probably be safe enough to use, although I don't know if it'd be effective. Some of these products used to use undecylanic acid (undecylanates were/are often used as industrial antifungals) in an alcohol carrier, but these seem to have gone out of favor in the market (possibly due to their odor). Some people have tried to protect/stabilize the surface of the foam by brushing on a thin layer of silicone sealant. This would probably change the compliance of the surround to some extent - I don't know if it would be enough to affect the driver's performance significantly. If I were to try this I'd use only a non-acid-bearing "neutral cure" silicone adhesive/sealant, such as those sold for electronics use or those sold as "metal safe" (they're more expensive than the vinegar- smelling acetic-acid-cure variety). -- Dave Platt AE6EO Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
#10
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
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#11
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
wrote in message ... What is the best chemical substance that can be applied to the poly- foam suspension or surround that will protect it and keep it from rotting? I would like to know something that really works and will not harm the foam. The experts swear that rancid bear grease is really the only thing that works. The foolproof method of application is to smear all the surfaces of the loudspeaker, both inside and out. Possible side effects include significant degredation of the sound but those perfectly preserved foam surrounds will be on display in some future version of the Smithsonian anthropology museum millenia after armageddon. |
#12
Posted to rec.audio.tech
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How to stop Speaker Foam Rot before it happens.
Here is what I have learned on the matter: - Putting Armour All on plastic type substances causes the 'plasticizers' in the material to leach out, causing the brittle component(s) remaining to crack during use and thermal expansion (Think dashboards in the hot sun). From what I understand it is mostly the silicon in the mix that is the problem. - Foam surround can be replaced and if the speakers are worth it they should be refitted. (I am currently playing around with replacing the old foam in some Advents from the 70s w/ rubber surrounds. It'll change the sound somewhat I'm sure but if they live again vs heading for the junk pile i saved them from then it's OK.) So- replace old, worn surrounds & don't use silicon based products. TBerk |
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