Author Topic: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?  (Read 5755 times)

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Offline 8086Topic starter

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Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« on: February 01, 2014, 07:24:10 pm »
I'm investigating different PCB cleaning techniques and options. I wonder if anyone knows of a non-flammable liquid that can be used to clean PCBs?

So no aerosols, no high purity alcohol etc.

Any ideas?
 

Offline Fsck

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2014, 07:28:49 pm »
water?
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Offline T3sl4co1l

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2014, 07:31:27 pm »
Add some ammonia and a bit of detergent.  Flux is basically organic acids, which is to say, nothing a good kitchen cleaner (high pH, but not the corrosive kind) can't handle.

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Offline Alphatronique

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2014, 07:52:29 pm »
Hi

zestron Vigon A201

mix 20% of zestron in water ,dip 15 min and rinse + dry (compressed air blasting )

and PCB will clean

Best regard
Marc Lalonde CID.  IPC Certified PCB Designer.
Alphatroniqe inc.   www.alphatronique.com
 

Offline 8086Topic starter

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2014, 03:22:02 am »
Hi

zestron Vigon A201

mix 20% of zestron in water ,dip 15 min and rinse + dry (compressed air blasting )

and PCB will clean

Best regard

Thanks very much.

Bit of further info, in case anyone's interested. I currently have one of these tabletop dishwashers (for washing dishes): http://www.reevoo.com/p/kenwood-kdwttb10

I'm thinking about purchasing another and using it to clean PCBs in bulk. So if there's anything that might work especially well in such a scenario, please let me know. Thanks.
 

Offline Alphatronique

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2014, 03:08:21 am »
Hi  whit zestron  you need all stainless ,whit time it dissolve most plastic

before i buy stainless filter case for my filter ever 6 -9 Mont have one that crack and lead to floor ..

but if you make it in was that once clean was complete you rinse whit DI water it may work
as long the zestron stuff not remain in contact whit plastic for to long .. 

thank for the table top dishwasher idea i not see it before but may make great machine to hack for PCB washing
first step was use it as is for rinse whit DI and dry   but later mod it for handle the zestron
« Last Edit: February 06, 2014, 03:58:55 am by Alphatronique »
Marc Lalonde CID.  IPC Certified PCB Designer.
Alphatroniqe inc.   www.alphatronique.com
 

Offline scientist

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2014, 05:36:50 am »
Soap & water?
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2014, 03:17:39 am »
I bought a wave soldering machine some years back from a large local electronics company - when I picked it up, they gave me a tour, and they were using regular dishwashers for cleaning PCB's, along with regular dishwashing detergent.  They said the boards were just as clean or more than using the special chemical mixtures.

They were using commercial dishwashers because they ran them non-stop all day long, but the boards were beautiful when they came out.
It's not always the most popular person who gets the job done.
 

Offline Alphatronique

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Re: Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover?
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2014, 04:04:48 am »
Hi that depend of flux it use

most flux was NOT soluble in water  so need a saponifer that turn organic acid into soluble salt
then it become soluble and then it may remove ...

but it have water washable flux ,but it much more acid (active) so if not really well cleaned it will dissolve trace under IC
and even if water washable it still hard to clean well so mos common flux was no clean  ,that shop still clean

but the dishwasher Trick was very common  ,but the "table top" was great idea for batch cleaning ;-) 

p.s. for environment concerns it much better to use closed loop system  that use Zestron  since it closed loop
it not put lot of bad stuff on sewage  ,instead it filter and filter cartridge was handle was dry trash
and rinse water may circulated back in filter array and Reverse osmosis  for got back to clean DI water .
whit 5L of zestron i mat run my shop for near 3 Mont (few thousand of PCB)
Marc Lalonde CID.  IPC Certified PCB Designer.
Alphatroniqe inc.   www.alphatronique.com
 


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