Ultrasonic cleaners

[John Coloccia]

I was hoping someone with experience could help me here. I'm going to be transitioning to RoHs compliant builds soon. My experience so far is everything works much better with a little added flux, especially with the ENIG finish I've selected. I'll still be using rosin based solder wire and flux. I'm looking for an ultrasonic cleaner and cleaning solution that won't break the bank and will work well for me.

My boards are typically small. Largest is about 3" x 4". I usually build in batches of 5 or 10, though I don't have to fit them all in at the same time. At least a few, though.

And what do I do about rinsing and drying? Just a squeeze bottle with water to rinse it off, and a hair dryer? Do I need a small over or something like that?

Anyhow, you can see what I'm asking. I don't know anything about using an ultrasonic cleaner and would like a bit of guidance and advice.

Thanks!

[trevwhite]

You can get everything no clean these days so you do not need to wash the boards? No clean solder, no clean solder paste. I have not heard great things about Ultrasonic cleaners but maybe they are better these days.

[Royce]

Louis Rossmann has spoken about the cleaners he uses in the past:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=louis+rossmann+ultrasonic

A specfic comparision between two models:

I think he pretty much comes down on the side of a Crest CP500

[rx8pilot]

At my previous shop, I had a Crest with sweeping transducer controller. The sweep is critical as is the heater. It is also critical that you use the proper detergent, DI water, and you should de-gas the fluid. There are a lot of details in the ultrasonic process. I used it for both electronics and metal parts.

With that said, I eventually went to the no-clean flux and solder paste and have not been using it for electronics.

[John Coloccia]

You know, now that I think about it I may have asked this once before, maybe a year or two ago, and the Crest was recommended then too. I knew there was one particularly good brand that wasn't just insanely expensive.

When you rinse off the cleaning fluid (with water/alcohol/whatever) how do you dry it? Is it sufficient to just shake it off and hit it with a heat gun or hair dryer? If you use alcohol instead of water (can you even do that?) can you just shake it off and leave it? I'm wondering if I really need to go through the hassle of getting some sort of drying oven.

[rx8pilot]

I did an ultra sonic rinse in DI water and let them air dry.

[vze1lryy]

Buy a small crest, distilled water, and some branson ec. The crest cleaner is worlds better than a lot of other cleaners, as I have demonstrated, some costing more than the crest. I love that little machine.. it prints money.

[XOIIO]

I'm just going to post this in here instead of a new thread.

Hello all, I came across someone selling old lab equipment, mostly glassware, but also an ultrasonic cleaner, and I've heard how these things are amazing for cleaning up old circuit boards and components, they sure would get the dust out of areas I couldn't.

I'm wondering if you guys consider it to be a good tool to have for an electronics hobbyist, and what sort of price you would pay? I'm waiting on the part number to find out just how big it is, but right now I'm thinking of offering $30-40 or so. It will set me back from my new server a little bit, but the way I see it, it would be hard to find one for that sort of price if they do accept the offer.

I'd also love some before/after pictures of board you have put into them, and am curious what you used for the cleaning solution. (Not sure if just plain water would work, or maybe some soap as well)


This one seems to be fairly simple, but maybe it has controls hidden around the back, not sure yet. Might also be small, but I figure there's no harm in cleaning half a board at a time.

[rx8pilot]

Fixed frequency is no good for PCB's. Old ones are most likely fixed.

[XOIIO]

Hmm, hopefully it has some sort of auto sweep fuction then?

I could probably make something with an arduino to drive the transducers but I don't know if I have the parts kicking around to actually drive them with, or if it would be worth the effort.

[lacek]

At my previous shop, I had a Crest with sweeping transducer controller. The sweep is critical as is the heater. It is also critical that you use the proper detergent, DI water, and you should de-gas the fluid. There are a lot of details in the ultrasonic process. I used it for both electronics and metal parts.

With that said, I eventually went to the no-clean flux and solder paste and have not been using it for electronics.

Thing is that Branson on their page also claims that they have sweeping frequency solution. So to me it remains a mystery why apparently Crest product is so much better?