Crackling when moving FC7 pedal

[DonABQ505]

I've got an MOX6 and S90ES. Great boards. Unfortunately, I'm hearing a crackling when moving either of the two FC7 expression pedals, for either keyboard. I also have a third FC7 I stopped using for similar reasons. Low frequency, especially bass, presets highlight this irritating sound more than higher frequencies. The contacts in the output jacks are clean, two different amps have been used, the mixer has been bypassed, and I exchanged each FC7 with the other to see if one or both is a problem. It's both. There is no crackling static if there is no signal from either keyboard...just moving the pedal creates no crackling noise.

I wanted to get inside to the rotary pots in each one, but I see no easy way to access them! Any clues to the magic entrance procedure will be appreciated. What am I missing? Is it that obvious? Is there a way to spray contact cleaner more intentionally at the pot when it can't be disassembled, or do I just shove the small straw in the opening I have in the assembled pedal and spray at every angle I can get to?

On the other hand, is this a problem not likely originating with the pedals? What else could be happening? No other volume sliders are exhibiting the problem. Thanks for the wisdom and help.

 

[DonABQ505]

An update to my recent post: After diving in to do my own exploring, I found out how to disassemble the pedal and get to the FC7's pot. A liberal dose of contact cleaner into all openings did not fix, nor even attenuate, the problem. I returned to bypassing, cleaning, and changing cables and any connection points (jacks and plugs) I could find in my rig, but without success in affecting the static when the FC7 pedal is moved. Then I got the bright idea to listen through headphones to both keyboards, bypassing all cables, mixer and amp. Problem was still evident.

I can likely live with this, but I'd rather not. Only recently have I needed to play keyboard bass, so the issue might have been there but I didn't hear it with any of my commonly used mid-and-higher range presets. It's slightly evident on the electric piano presets at lower frequencies, but not as bad. And, if I leave the expression pedal alone while "playing bass", it sounds pristine.

Would still like a tech savvy person to tell me what's going on with both of these keyboards, unless I've come up with a totally unique problem. Thanks. Don

 

[happyrat1]

At this point you've done all the logical steps to test. If contact cleaner didn't fix the problem then maybe crack it open and see if there's a noisy solder connection on the cable feeding in or on the connector plug end of the cable. Try wiggling the cable where it enters the pedal and see if it makes the noise. Connection might have to be resoldered.

If it's still not fixable then junk em and get new pedals. Not much else you can do.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Here's a few youtubes on how to repair a noisy connection.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+repair+a+scratchy+noisy+connector

Gary