Cleaning Aleph X Boards

kilowattski · 26th December 2004, 11:44 PM

I have just finished stuffing and soldering my Aleph-X boards (Hifizen Vintage). I have just bought an untrasonic cleaner to clean the flux and rosin off a board when I finish it. I plan to use plain old Alcohol (98% water free) to do the cleaning. Will the Alcohol damage the electrolytics in any way? Should I use a different cleaner instead of alcohol? How long should they go into the ultrasonic cleaner? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

kilowattski · 27th December 2004, 06:48 AM

bump

Netlist · 27th December 2004, 07:26 AM

I soak a brush in methanol and clean the PCB. I rinse with methanol and let the thing dry or use a hairdryer. If well done, you get a shiny PCB and no harm is done to components whatsoever. I’m doing this for more then twenty years now and this simple method never let me down.
Hope this helps.

/Hugo

uli · 27th December 2004, 08:57 PM

I use contact cleaner called "Kontakt 61".

After that I spray some special lacquer (for pcb use) on the board.

This makes a fine finish and kind of seal.

Uli

Netlist · 27th December 2004, 09:24 PM

I assume you mean "Kontakt 60"?
I have to try that one of these days. Never thought that would work.
Thanks for the tip.

/Hugo

uli · 27th December 2004, 09:45 PM

Hi Hugo,

there are 2 versions K60 and K61.
one is contact fluid the other one is to wash the contacts.
AFAIK either is ok for this method.
You have to wip it away before applying the lacquer.
I once tried it when I worked for Sony being tired to throw
boards into that ultrasonic bath.
It turned out that this method is very reliable. None of several
hundreds of boards (TFT control electronics) came back.

Uli

Netlist · 27th December 2004, 09:52 PM

Interesting, didn't know about the K61.
I went to my bench and found "Kontakt WL" perhaps another variant of what you have but also marked as contact washer.

/Hugo

uli · 27th December 2004, 09:57 PM

Yeah, the K WL is a contact cleaner (to wash) but
if I remember correctly there are isolation issues with the WL.

Another alternative is the "Kontakt Gold K 2000" if its available
anymore. Just a bit expensive though.

Uli

edit: found the K 61 at RS comp Belgium Part# 233-828

The K61 cleans and does impregnate the board, the K60 and
the WL only clean up.

Netlist · 27th December 2004, 10:03 PM

At the end of this thread we will be able to make a top ten of perfectly working cleaners who are not designed to clean PCB's.

/Hugo

uli · 27th December 2004, 10:06 PM

You are right

Seldom things are used for the application
the designer thought of...

Uli

26th December 2004, 11:44 PM	#1
kilowattski diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Long Island, New York	Cleaning Aleph X Boards I have just finished stuffing and soldering my Aleph-X boards (Hifizen Vintage). I have just bought an untrasonic cleaner to clean the flux and rosin off a board when I finish it. I plan to use plain old Alcohol (98% water free) to do the cleaning. Will the Alcohol damage the electrolytics in any way? Should I use a different cleaner instead of alcohol? How long should they go into the ultrasonic cleaner? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me. __________________ ----------------------------------------------- Kilowattski

27th December 2004, 06:48 AM	#2
kilowattski diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Long Island, New York	bump __________________ ----------------------------------------------- Kilowattski

27th December 2004, 08:57 PM	#4
uli diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria	I use contact cleaner called "Kontakt 61". After that I spray some special lacquer (for pcb use) on the board. This makes a fine finish and kind of seal. Uli __________________ 'Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny' F.Zappa

27th December 2004, 09:45 PM	#6
uli diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria	Hi Hugo, there are 2 versions K60 and K61. one is contact fluid the other one is to wash the contacts. AFAIK either is ok for this method. You have to wip it away before applying the lacquer. I once tried it when I worked for Sony being tired to throw boards into that ultrasonic bath. It turned out that this method is very reliable. None of several hundreds of boards (TFT control electronics) came back. Uli __________________ 'Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny' F.Zappa

27th December 2004, 09:57 PM	#8
uli diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria	Yeah, the K WL is a contact cleaner (to wash) but if I remember correctly there are isolation issues with the WL. Another alternative is the "Kontakt Gold K 2000" if its available anymore. Just a bit expensive though. Uli edit: found the K 61 at RS comp Belgium Part# 233-828 The K61 cleans and does impregnate the board, the K60 and the WL only clean up. __________________ 'Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny' F.Zappa


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27th December 2004, 07:26 AM	#3
Netlist diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003	I soak a brush in methanol and clean the PCB. I rinse with methanol and let the thing dry or use a hairdryer. If well done, you get a shiny PCB and no harm is done to components whatsoever. I’m doing this for more then twenty years now and this simple method never let me down. Hope this helps. /Hugo

27th December 2004, 09:24 PM	#5
Netlist diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003	I assume you mean "Kontakt 60"? I have to try that one of these days. Never thought that would work. Thanks for the tip. /Hugo

27th December 2004, 09:52 PM	#7
Netlist diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003	Interesting, didn't know about the K61. I went to my bench and found "Kontakt WL" perhaps another variant of what you have but also marked as contact washer. /Hugo

27th December 2004, 10:03 PM	#9
Netlist diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003	At the end of this thread we will be able to make a top ten of perfectly working cleaners who are not designed to clean PCB's. /Hugo

27th December 2004, 10:06 PM	#10
uli diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria	You are right Seldom things are used for the application the designer thought of... Uli __________________ 'Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny' F.Zappa

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