| kilowattski |
| 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. |
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| Netlist |
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 :) |
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| uli |
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
:nod::nod: :nod: |
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| Netlist |
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 :) |
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| uli |
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
:nod: :nod: :nod: |
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| Netlist |
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 :) |
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| uli |
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
:nod: :nod: :nod:
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. |
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| Netlist |
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. :D
/Hugo |
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| uli |
You are right
:D :D :D
Seldom things are used for the application
the designer thought of...
Uli
:nod: :nod: :nod: |
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| kilowattski |
| Do you guy's think my method as mentioned in the opening post would be ok. I don't want to try it before I know it won't harm the electrolytics. |
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| grataku |
Before getting too creative you could pick up a spray can of flux- remover. In the US it's easy to find.
Netlist do yourslf a favor and don't use methanol anymore. It's bad for your health. Isopropyl or ethanol will work just the same, that is not as well as the CFC-type solvents in the flux remover. |
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| peranders |
| quote: | Originally posted by kilowattski
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. |
I use iso propanol (alcohol), 99% or so, a painting brush which I have cut the brush hairs so they are 10 mm making the brush stiff.
First I use propanol and the brush once or twice then rinse with water, next I use "Yes" once or twice, then rinsing. After that blowing dry with comressed air.
Most parts withstand propanol and water in washing purposes.
If you want to check the results, just check all pictures on my homepage. |
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| Mark A. Gulbrandsen |
If you use the spray can of flux remover try to do it right after you finish all the soldering. Its seems like the longer you wait the more difficult it is to remove the flux. I would skip on the ultrasonic cleaner method but that does work wonders for old TV tuners if you restore that sort of stuff.....
Mark |
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| ingvar ahlberg |
No| quote: | | Do you guy's think my method as mentioned in the opening post would be ok. I don't want to try it before I know it won't harm the electrolytics. |
It is not a good idea to use pure alcohol in an ultrasonic cleaner. Use the manual methods mentioned in the answers above. If You want to use the cleaner get Zestron or compatible ultrasonic cleaning fluid. Best is to use modern "no clean" solders and flux as cleaning is in itself a bad thing. (On electronics) |
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| grimberg |
| quote: | Originally posted by kilowattski
Do you guy's think my method as mentioned in the opening post would be ok. I don't want to try it before I know it won't harm the electrolytics. |
The alcohol won't damage the electrolytics but it may remove the print on the plastic wrap. It happened to me once with Mallory caps.
In the production line the choice is usually aliphatic alcohol, as it works faster. Make sure you dry the boards with compressed air right after you remove them from the cleaner. |
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| Mark A. Gulbrandsen |
"It is not a good idea to use pure alcohol in an ultrasonic cleaner. "
Ingvar is correct! Using flamable fluids in an ultrasonic is a BAD idea..... specially if yours has a built in heater. The manufacturer of mine, Branson, reccomended that I use Dawn Dish Detergent which is pretty much what I have used since buying it. Works well for alot of electronic stuff but I doubt it would work for flux.
Mark |
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| grimberg |
Ingvar and Mark already gave you good advice on refraining from using pure alcohol.
I would like to add to my prior post that despite its name, aliphatic alcohol is non-flammable and is meant to be diluted in water. It also reduces drying time, so you won't need to use the blow gun.
You can find it commercially under different brand names. In my area, MG Chemicals products are readily available.
http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/821.html |
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| Mike Gergen |
I use the manual methods listed but then I like to place the board under a heat lamp for an hour. It helps bake out any impurities left. You don't want the board real hot just warm.
If I get real mean I will then place the board in a vacuum chamber. This is done after chemical cleaning. It removes everything. I learned about this years ago when putting together photodiode circuits in which the current to detect can be in the picoamp range. After removal from the vacuum chamber the noise floor of the circuit drops a bunch. |
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| Elso Kwak |
| quote: | Originally posted by peranders
I use iso propanol (alcohol), 99% or so, a painting brush which I have cut the brush hairs so they are 10 mm making the brush stiff.
First I use propanol and the brush once or twice then rinse with water, next I use "Yes" once or twice, then rinsing. After that blowing dry with comressed air.
Most parts withstand propanol and water in washing purposes.
If you want to check the results, just check all pictures on my homepage. |
Better use an old tooth brush.:idea:
What is "Yes"?:rolleyes: |
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| Elso Kwak |
| Tanja Yes perhaps?:D |
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| Elso Kwak |
Hi, Can anyone inform me what that YES stuff is? Some house-hold cleaning fluid or a magic formulation?:confused:
We don' t have it over here.:bawling: |
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| SteveA |
This might be too radical for the non-chemists but acetone (very volatile, very flammable) with Q-tips works nicely. Nail polish remover would probably do the job also. Acetone and, I believe, MEK are available at Home Depot.
SteveA |
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| Mark A. Gulbrandsen |
"Hi, Can anyone inform me what that YES stuff is?"
Nope! Wish I knew its secret formula myself......
Mark |
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| ingvar ahlberg |
| YES is a green dishwashing detergent, propably sold under 648 different names around the world, and one of the last things i would use to clean electronics, it´s good at dissolving grease thou. |
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