Altenative to isopropyl alcohol

[Cerebus]

Acetone attacks very few things.  Plastics are wholly unaffected.  Semiconductors are made of epoxy, and other parts (like capacitors) are made in polymer boxes that aren't harmed.

Err, would you like to test that statement with a bit of ABS?

Or some rare, and getting harder to find, polystyrene capacitors?

[David Hess]

Toluene is another possibility but it also attacks some plastics.  Common rosin flux thinner used to be 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and toluene.

In the past we used lacquer thinner without problems for cleaning boards after soldering but like acetone, it will attack many plastics.  If necessary, certain parts like polystyrene capacitors and DIP switches were soldered on afterward and cleaned by hand.  Parts which are not sealed like DIP switches should not be submerged in flux cleaner anyway.

I do not know if it would work but naphtha as found in lighter fluid might be suitable.  It has the virtue of not attacking plastics and is commonly used in plastic safe cleaners and lubricants.

[Neomys Sapiens]

It can be also helpful to know or look up which substances have a pharmaceutical relevance.
(EU = Ph. Eur., US = USP-NF, etc.) Because everything that is in there is available through a pharmacy, even if they don't know or whatever. I needed petroleum for filing aluminium parts and I did not want to buy litres of it because too much combustibles, so I got my Apotheke to order me nice little 250ml bottles.
And they can obtain both IPA and Ethanol which is nearly water-free.

[wraper]

Acetone attacks very few things.  Plastics are wholly unaffected.  Semiconductors are made of epoxy, and other parts (like capacitors) are made in polymer boxes that aren't harmed.

Err, would you like to test that statement with a bit of ABS?

Poorly worded.  I meant plastics used for components.  Few if any are ABS.  (Only thing that comes to mind: mechanical parts that aren't nylon or better.  ABS might be used for guide rails, support brackets, light pipe mounts, etc.  These are usually snapped in place after washing, so it's not a problem in manufacture.)

Note that polystyrene capacitors are very solvent sensitive, but, they're practically unavailable today, so they aren't a problem.  If you're using them in some special project, you'll know better.

Again, RTFDS for solvent compatibility.

Tim

Still a very good chance to wash off markings from many parts.

[Bud]

In the US, we can buy 100% denatured alcohol at the hardware store.

It can't be 100% if it is denatured. Unless you mean there no alcohol left in it!
 

[The Electrician]

Acetone IS methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and it attacks many case plastics so must be used with care. A source of small quantities is nail varnish remover.

Acetone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

is NOT methyl ethyl ketone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butanone

MEK has one more carbon on a side chain.

[David Hess]

Still a very good chance to wash off markings from many parts.

I only rarely had acetone or lacquer thinner affect parts or take the markings off but they will remove most writing from a printer or a pen.  We had special ink for our identification stamps which was only slightly affected.

My ultrasonic cleaner with hot water and a little bit of dish soap sure took the markings off of the 741 ICs and some of the plastic packaged transistors on a couple of my power supply boards though.

[Vgkid]

My ultrasonic cleaner with hot water and a little bit of dish soap sure took the markings off of the 741 ICs and some of the plastic packaged transistors on a couple of my power supply boards though.

That same  method will also remove the paint from hp power supplies.  

[Ash]

It is also possible to purchase "industrial pure alcohol" (IPA) which is basically undiluted Ethanol and the denaturing agent. I actually purchased this for making violin varnish and shellac, but that is a whole other hobby..

I normally reach for the Isopropyl or the IPA, but I've also used Acetone on some things.

I'm not sure if you are calling things with right words. Isopropyl alcohol and IPA is one and the same. I never heard about "industrial pure alcohol" as a name for denaturated alcohol. Denaturated alcohol is anything but pure. When it dries out, usually it will leave a thin layer of a crap it was denaturated with.

My apologies -you're correct. Late night slip up.. 

IPA is isoproyl.

I was thinking of DAA - denatured absolute alcohol.

http://www.recochem.com.au/index.php/products/industrial_products/ethanols/item/daa_industrial

This stuff doesn't leave much if anything of a mark. You may be using something that isn't as pure. Also If you're getting crap left behind, perhaps you need to wash and rinse off to remove the residue. I've had some stuff on older boards from test gear that was hard to clean, it too a few goes.

Ash.

[ahbushnell]

India Pale Ale (IPA)

[Ian.M]

It might work in an ultrasonic cleaning tank,  but I think you'd have a problem with excessive foaming, and at only 5% alcohol, you'd better be using a water washable flux.  <Need Beer Smiley>

[jmelson]

In the US, we can buy 100% denatured alcohol at the hardware store.

It can't be 100% if it is denatured. Unless you mean there no alcohol left in it!
 

Right, for pedantic purposes, it must be some 97% or better.

Jon

[IanB]

If you drink enough IPA you won't care about the flux residues on your circuit boards anymore 

[poorchava]

I actually prefer to use nitrocelulose paint thinner (commonly known in middle and eastern Europe as "nitro thinner").

Its composition is not standardized, but it commonly contains about 70% toluene and 30% acetone. Manufacturers also add stuff like xylene, ethylobenzene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and various alcoholes.

It generally smells worse than IPA, but is much more effective at removing stuff and evaporates much more quickly. It is also much less hygroscopic than IPA, so it doesn't leave the white residue.

[ebastler]

If you drink enough IPA you won't care about the flux residues on your circuit boards anymore 

Actually you won't care about anything anymore...
And you don't have to drink a whole lot; the lethal dose is around 5mg/kg 5g/kg body weight.

EDIT: Fixed three-orders-of-magnitude typo -- thanks jpanhalt!

[G7PSK]

Lighter petrol (benzine)

[jpanhalt]

If you drink enough IPA you won't care about the flux residues on your circuit boards anymore 

Actually you won't care about anything anymore...
And you don't have to drink a whole lot; the lethal dose is around 5mg/kg body weight.

You are only three orders of magnitude off.   Lethal oral dose (LD50) is more like 5g/kg in mouse, rabbit, and rat.   Volunteers are needed to establish the limit for humans.

Considering some of the other "chemistry" advice in this thread, though, that is not too bad.

[ebastler]

You are only three orders of magnitude off.   Lethal oral dose (LD50) is more like 5g/kg in mouse, rabbit, and rat.   

Oops, sorry -- small typo, but with a major impact on the content... 
Thanks for catching that one! I'll add an edit to my post above.

[sasa]

Thanks to all for comments.

Actually, some suggestions are more practically feasible for me, as finding isopropyl alcohol (and based solutions on it) at different places than electronic stores. Personally, I would never though it is possible to connect cosmetic shop with isopropyl alcohol... Certainly weird, but also worth to try.

Thanks again.

[Muttley Snickers]

I am fortunate to have a contact who works at a hospital in the supply chain and I asked him once what they did with the out of date alcohol wipes that are used prior to a needle injection and he said they simply get discarded, I told him to keep an eye out for some and a few weeks later he turned up with a big box of them, I still have hundreds of them left and a constant supply if required.

I remember Dave mentioning once that he buys them from the supermarket and I have since seen them in boxes on the shelves but they are relatively expensive compared to IPA in a bottle, certainly worth a look otherwise another option would be to ask your local doctor to put some aside, these wipes are fine to use for most clean up applications but they can leave the odd fibre behind, no big deal considering how quick and convenient they are.

[Cerebus]

If you drink enough IPA you won't care about the flux residues on your circuit boards anymore 

Actually you won't care about anything anymore...
And you don't have to drink a whole lot; the lethal dose is around 5mg/kg 5g/kg body weight.

EDIT: Fixed three-orders-of-magnitude typo -- thanks jpanhalt!

I think you'll find he was referring to the India Pale Ale variety, in which case the LD50 is a bit over 12 bottles (based on Green King IPA, 500ml bottles, a 70kg male human and the unrealistic situation of taking it all at once, rather than over some time - the latter allowing the beginning of the 'dose' to have been metabolised well before you get to the end of the 'dose'). Of course beer can have an LD99 as low as one bottle, if that bottle is applied with enough force.

[chris_leyson]

I've sometimes used Electrolube flux cleaner for more stuborn deposits, don't know why they bother to call it lead free ? Always wondered what was in it apart from the obvious limonine and found a data sheet http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1526102.pdf.

[Muttley Snickers]

I could plaster myself with alcohol wipes.   

[tooki]

Look for ethanol fuel at fireplace stores and fireplace sections in big box stores. In Canada we have Bio Fuel brand which is 95% ethanol

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/bioflame-ethanol-3-78l-0643537p.html

Also go to woodworking stores and look for ethanol based lacquer thinners such as this one
http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=20107&cat=1,190,42942

I've used ethanol fireplace fuel, and while it's a good cleaner, the Bitrex (denatonium) denaturant makes everything bitter, from my fingers, to the outside of my spray bottles... even just grabbing them later spreads bitrex everywhere. (I don't know what the electrical properties of bitrex are, either.)

Here in Switzerland, most solvents cost a fortune at retail, to the point that commercial flux remover is only slightly more expensive than IPA. ::sigh::

I'd love to use ethanol instead of IPA, since the smell is far less offensive, but non-denatured ethanol (i.e. 96% alcohol from the liquor store) costs $70/liter. 

Meanwhile you can get 40% vodka for $12/l, meaning just $30/l of pure alcohol, if only the water could be removed easily.

[Ian.M]

Here in Switzerland, most solvents cost a fortune at retail, to the point that commercial flux remover is only slightly more expensive than IPA. ::sigh::

I'd love to use ethanol instead of IPA, since the smell is far less offensive, but non-denatured ethanol (i.e. 96% alcohol from the liquor store) costs $70/liter. 

Meanwhile you can get 40% vodka for $12/l, meaning just $30/l of pure alcohol, if only the water could be removed easily.

Separating the alcohol from the water is easy enough - any high school chemistry laboratory has the apparatus required, and any competent handyman could build it from commonly available hardware and domestic utensils.   However, safety when distilling it is more difficult - Ethanol vapour is dense and has a lower explosive limit in air of only 3.3% and a flash point of 14 deg C - and in most countries obtaining a licence to distill alcohol legally is even more difficult (and expensive), or totally impossible for a private individual.