Cleaning and Inspection
Edit on GitHubThe post-trip cleaning and inspection routine: what to clean, what to look for, and the signs that mean replacement.
Cleaning and Inspection
The post-trip inspection is where the next trip’s reliability is decided. This page is the routine: clean what needs cleaning, inspect what fails, replace what is worn.
The cleaning routine
| Item | Clean with | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Case exterior | Damp cloth | Remove grit before it abrades |
| Antenna threads | Dry brush, dielectric grease renewal | Corrosion starts in the threads |
| Audio jack | Compressed air | Dust and grit |
| Buttons | Dry brush around the edges | Debris causes sticking (see Button Troubleshooting) |
| Electronics | Dry, soft brush only | Never wet-clean the board unless drying fully (see Water Damage Recovery) |
The inspection list
| Sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cracks in the case or seals | Replace: water will find them (see Waterproofing) |
| Corrosion on any connector | Clean or replace now |
| Antenna kinks or cracks | Replace: broken conductor (see Antenna Troubleshooting) |
| Loose screws | Retighten; check the thread is not stripped |
| Swollen battery | Remove and recycle immediately (see Battery Troubleshooting) |
The after-rain special
After any wet trip: open the case, check for droplets, dry everything, and renew the grease on the seals and antenna threads. Water that dried “on its own” has already started corrosion.
The log
Write the inspection result into the beacon log (see Beacon Log Template): date, findings, actions. Next season’s inspection then has a baseline.
Related pages
- Beacon Care Seasonal for the season rhythm
- Water Damage Recovery for the wet case
- Field Maintenance and Storage for the field version