Has anyone else seen this? I noticed it this morning when swapping some modules out - looks like the metalic rings on the faceplate have gone rusty I swear I’m not actually at sea, and I’ve never seen any corrosion on any of my other modules.
Seems it’s on all the rings, including the ones that don’t have pots (you can see a little of the dispersal input ring in the top photo), so I don’t think it’s a grease reaction or anything like that. I promise I haven’t spilled whiskey on it.
Thoughts? Should I try cleaning it with something?
Fortunately I have a replacement faceplate that I haven’t got round to installing yet (for a different issue) - but I’m hesistant to install it as it’s still in its bubble wrap and hasn’t gained any patina yet…
Funny for a sub-nautical module and worrisome at the same time. I have never seen anything like this, and I regularly use sensitive equipment in very humid places.
I prefer to pay a little more if only high-quality components are used.
Hmm, I just checked mine and unfortunately it is also starting to rust in the same areas, though it isn’t yet as bad as the original poster’s module. Mine has never been outside or in a moist environment and none of my other modules have this issue.
I don’t see any rust on the back of the faceplate or the PCB with the artwork.
I’ll check the rear when I get the chance. Never been outside my studio - which Id generally consider more dry than humid. I do let fresh air in.
Honestly if it happens to everyone then I’ll just accept it as part of its character Deep sea aesthetic.
Thank you, you folks are great, I have a new faceplate already because of another issue - but I’ll hold off on installing it until I understand this issue better. I wonder if there’s something I can do to ‘protect’ the rings on it…
Has there been any further consideration at Qu-Bit’s end regarding this issue? My faceplate looks even rustier now than it did when I posted my photo a couple weeks ago. I would appreciate a replacement faceplate. However, since at least two of us have this problem, I expect this may be a more widespread issue and the replacement will just rust again, in which case I may as well just wait until Qu-Bit addresses the problem with a production run of revised faceplates.
I’m guessing that the metal rings simply should not have been exposed. Looking at all my other modules, there is never bare metal around the holes in the faceplates - it as always finished (sometimes with a metalic paint to look like metal). Qu-Bit might want to look into this before the next production run of Nautilus modules/faceplates.
The artwork looks fine - but it’s a different material to that which has rusted.
The rings around the screw holes appear to have tarnished slightly on the rear where they have a bit more exposure to atmosphere (due to the rails), they look fine on the front but they’re tight under Befaco screws so that makes sense.
It seems to be the metalic material that’s silver in colour that’s causing the problem, I’m assuming it’s a ferrous alloy - where PCBs normally use tin? I’m just spit-balling.
As mentioned I do get fresh air around my eurorack but I’ve not seen any tarnishing on it or anything else nearby.
It has made me a bit more paranoid about it though…
Edit: In fact for it to have rusted so freely I’m wondering if it’s just lead?
It seems that a small percentage of the first batch had an issue with the surface treatment of the panel.
The panels that we have now do not exhibit this behavior, nor do any of the units we have shipped in the past couple months or so.
If anyone comes across this, we’ll be happy to provide a replacement panel!
Just reach out to support@qubitelectronix.com and they will get you taken care of.
Hopefully the replacement you folks already sent me (due to a minor imperfection) is from the good batch! (Early November) I’m going to unwrap it and expose it to atmosphere and see how it does - hopefully I already have my replacement I’d been keeping it securely packed away until we knew more…
I swear I’m not actually at sea, and I’ve never seen any corrosion on any of my other modules.
Deep sea aesthetic.
I’d been keeping it securely packed away until we knew more…
thank you for the replacement panel.