On/Off Switch Impossibly Tight

BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
My D7000 was my first Nikon purchased in early 2011. In 2014 or so I had it converted to an IR camera since I had upgraded to other bodies. The on/off switch has always been tight, but after not shooting with it for about 2 years when I picked it up yesterday the switch was impossibly tight. By that I mean it took considerable effort to get it to switch from off to on and when it did it slid all the way to the bulb and stuck there until I pushed it back to the center "On" position.

I can deal with it as I generally just leave the camera on all the time, but I'm wondering if there's any way to loosen or lube the mechanism? Any suggestions?
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
BackdoorHippie said:
My D7000 was my first Nikon purchased in early 2011. In 2014 or so I had it converted to an IR camera since I had upgraded to other bodies. The on/off switch has always been tight, but after not shooting with it for about 2 years when I picked it up yesterday the switch was impossibly tight. By that I mean it took considerable effort to get it to switch from off to on and when it did it slid all the way to the bulb and stuck there until I pushed it back to the center "On" position.

I can deal with it as I generally just leave the camera on all the time, but I'm wondering if there's any way to loosen or lube the mechanism? Any suggestions?
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If I was feeling my oats I might consider trying to get some DeOxit D100L down into the mechanism. DeOxit makes several products with different delivery mechanisms (aerosol can, etc.) so you might want to search and see if you think a different DeOxit product might work better on your D7000. It's not cheap but a tiny little bit goes a long, loooong way in my experience. Good luck!
 
Danno_RIP

Danno_RIP

Senior Member
I too would use the DeOxit. It is good stuff. I would think the bottle with the needle might do well. You will not need much if lubrication is the solution. I wish you well in getting it resolved.
 
N

nickt

Senior Member
I would do both of the above suggestions. Wd40 is a good fixer for many things, right up there with duck tape. The carrier is a great solvent and cleaner and is electronics friendly. I used it for electrical contacts before I found deoxit. I've never seen it damage plastics either. The carrier evaporates and leaves behind some mediocre dry lubricant. It does well cleaning up old dried out lubes. If it works, I would follow up with some deoxit. Although made for contacts, its a bit more oily and if it gets to the right place might give a more lasting fix.
When I was a kid, I needed to carry wd40 in my first car. Every time it rained my wires would start sparking and I'd stall. I'd have to jump out and spray my distributor cap and wires with wd40 and it would start right up. Good times.
 
Danno_RIP

Danno_RIP

Senior Member
nickt said:
I would do both of the above suggestions. Wd40 is a good fixer for many things, right up there with duck tape. The carrier is a great solvent and cleaner and is electronics friendly. I used it for electrical contacts before I found deoxit. I've never seen it damage plastics either. The carrier evaporates and leaves behind some mediocre dry lubricant. It does well cleaning up old dried out lubes. If it works, I would follow up with some deoxit. Although made for contacts, its a bit more oily and if it gets to the right place might give a more lasting fix.
When I was a kid, I needed to carry wd40 in my first car. Every time it rained my wires would start sparking and I'd stall. I'd have to jump out and spray my distributor cap and wires with wd40 and it would start right up. Good times.
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I had a 72 Camaro that had the same problem. It was a pain but it worked. I had to chuckle a bit when I read your note.
 
Danno_RIP

Danno_RIP

Senior Member
nickt said:
It gets even funnier, I had a 72 Camaro!
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That is funny. I loved that car for all its faults. My first Hot Rod.

Horoscope Fish said:
Had a '69 Camaro. It was a POS.


/not sure if funny...
//wanted to play along...
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They were not the greatest or most reliable back than. But I bought mine for about $1200 in `75 and put a new junkyard motor, that I hopped up a bit, in 76. Nostalgia is not always based in reality, but I still wish I had that one back.
 
Fred Kingston_RIP

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
Needa said:
Me too!
Had a 75 Camaro.
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I had a ‘67 Camaro that I bought in Oct. 66… Was due back at Camp Pendleton in 4 days… Picked up a buddy in South Jersey and was at a Shell station at Hollywood and Vine in LA 40hrs later. Best car I ever owned. Sold it a year later to go to college…
 
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