General > General Technical Chat
What are your favourite electronics smells?
johnboxall:
An electronics store. I worked at various DSE stores in the 90s, and the older ones had a certain smell. Metallic, damp cardboard, dusty TV antenna boxes, sweat and a little despair at stocktake time.
Ed.Kloonk:
Quicklag circuit breakers.
Those that know, know.
mc172:
--- Quote from: eti on November 29, 2021, 04:55:54 am ---~ Rosin flux evaporating
~ A hot iron heating a cheap phenolic PCB
~ Overheating of a fibreglass PCB (it says "Warning: remove iron!")
~ The smell of overheated transformer varnish
~ Burning diode/IC smoke
~ The scent of a venting electrolytic cap
~ PVC insulation melting (a little bit, not too much)
~ The unusual smell when an LED explodes 😁
~ "Old electronics" smells
--- End quote ---
Most of these are horrible, rancid smells. I can't say that I've ever exploded an LED but the rest from memory smell absolutely disgusting. I didn't even think they could be an acquired taste but then again some people enjoy the taste and smell of burning tobacco so there you go. :-//
The exception would be that "old electronics" smell, especially where there's also something mechanical going on like a cassette deck or VHS/VCR or even an old video camera. I think the grease adds nicely to the smell for a well-seasoned old-timey flavour.
One of my favourite electronics smells is/was soldering with Alpha brand solder with about 3% silver content, with lead of course. It used to come on a blue spool, not sure if they make it any more. It's probably really bad for you but I used to enjoy soldering with that stuff until I ran out.
RS sell an anti-corona lacquer (https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/electronics-varnishes/0569313) that smells nice, kind of like marzipan. It looks like they've stopped doing it, probably because as usual with things that smell nice, it's really bad for you.
Another not quite so electronics-related favourite is machining stainless steel from virgin bar stock, also TIG welding stainless steel. Machining any kind of stainless smells nice, but machining 316L for example right from the mill-finished outer faces has this particularly nice smell to it.
Ice-Tea:
The smell of a RIFA that has puked out its guts. Because chances are the previous owner saw the cloud of smoke, decided it was beyond economic repair while all it will probably take is replace a few caps from my RRS (RIFA Replacement Stock) and it's good to go.
Neper:
--- Quote from: helius on November 30, 2021, 01:48:30 am ---Smoke from burning selenium rectifiers.
--- End quote ---
In German, a rectifier is - quite literally - a Gleichrichter. Pronounce it a little differently and you get a "gleich riecht er" -> it'll smell soon.
My favourite smell is and remains that of a freshly unpacked new piece of equipment. Can't get enough of it. ;)
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