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I checked the ones on a PCB I found of that old project at work. They are about 0.5..1 year older than mine, but interestingly enough, their detent is still as crisp as I remember it, while that of the ones at home is completely gone.<br/>
There are some comments on the sparkfun page which disagree about there being a detent in that model, though, which is also, hm, interesting...<br/>
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<div>Steve</div>
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<div style="margin:0 0 10px 0;"><b>Von:</b> "Richie Burnett" <rburnett@richieburnett.co.uk><br/>
<b>Betreff:</b> Re: [sdiy] Incremental encoder to up / down counter or pots and an ADC</div>
<div name="quoted-content">This sort of failure of encoders is unfortunately quite common. We had a<br/>
lab at work full of high-end Agilent (Keysight) function generators that all<br/>
had to have their incremental encoders replaced. Not because they were worn<br/>
out from too much use, but because they weren't being used often enough!<br/>
Something about oil seepage into the electrical contacts when the part isn't<br/>
used for a long time. Unfortunately each faulty encoder made the parameter<br/>
being adjusted jump around in a random fashion, and rendered that £3k piece<br/>
of equipment unusable until it was replaced.<br/>
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-Richie,<br/>
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> I did not use them then, then checked them a few years after having them<br/>
> laying around - for some funny reason, the indent is completely gone.<br/>
> (some sort of chemical material decay?) But also, one of the outputs has<br/>
> now a garbage signal, so the encoder does not work anymore. Used to work<br/>
> perfectly when new.<br/>
> This is the case with all >20 pcs I bought.<br/>
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