Again, don’t forget the power cords. Also be sure to hook up stage boxes to the console to verify that all remote functions are working correctly, and that audio passes cleanly through all inputs and outputs.
Now it’s snake time! Check the outer jacket for cuts and tears, and also slide your hand along the entire length of the cable, feeling for flat spots, twists or other irregularities.
Have a look at the connectors, paying extra attention to the rear of the connector to see if the cable has been subjected to excess strain, and thus has pulled away from the connector body.
For general cleaning of outer cable jackets, I use Simple Green followed by water. For removing sticky tape residue, I turn to Goo Gone.
When that won’t cut it, I switch to a stronger solvent called Goof Off, which contains acetone, so caution is strongly advised. It will eat through many materials, so just use enough to get rid of the gunk in the affected area, and then thoroughly wash the area clean of any remaining solvent.
Check each cable using a tester, looking for intermittent signals by wiggling the connector joints, and also flex the cable at any suspect spots to see if there’s a break. Many times a cable may have a break in one or more of the conductors, but the problem won’t rear its head until the cable is flexed or wiggled.
Clean the electronic connectors with a quality contact cleaner like Deoxit, while for fiber, Chemtronics Fiber Electro-Wash works very well. Use only lint-free cloth because other materials may leave behind particles that can obstruct the light pathway.
If the snake is on a reel, examine it, and then clean and lubricate the reel as needed.
Last but not least, don’t forget the road cases for the console, stage boxes and snakes. Evaluate the outside, looking for any damage, and pay extra attention to the handles, latches and wheels – now would also be a good time to lubricate the latter two. Give the inside a once-over, and check the foam and/or rack rails.
Yes, PM is a chore, but it really pays off in gear reliability, both in the analog and digital worlds.