exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

Hiya,

I was wondering what you guys use to cleaning boards, especially the residues that flux leave behind?

I had and still have a hard time to get for example the H4 board clean. I am under the impression that flux residues are alcohol soluble, but when cleaning with IPA there is white residue left. When further cleaning with IPA and a brush, this residue gets spread and becomes sticky. Only after applying incredible amounts of IPA it will eventually get washed away.

I tried different board cleaners, like KONTAKT PCC for example, and it is bit better but still not great.

To me it looks like the main problem being not to be able to pick up the solved residue in the IPA, so the IPA avaporates and leaves the residue behind. The solder points on the board make it really hard to wipe the board and not leave fluff behind.

Any hints or methods?

Despite the solder points, I do use a cloth to wipe off flux with IPA. Where a cloth will get caught, I use a Q Tip dipped in IPA for the more fiddly bits between pins and use compressed air to blow off any bits of fluff.

The other thing I use is a small tray that the board can sit in and put just enough IPA in so the bottom of the PCB is submerged. Once soaked the flux should dissolve into the IPA over time.

I'd like a couple big enough ultrasonic bath, but I've spent all my spare cash lately on other tools, like my desoldering gun.

I don't recommend IPA for cleaning. Use water cleanable solder and use proper cleaning fluids . somewhere I posted my US cleaner with what I use.

EDIT:

https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 050#p20050

A bit tricky with a large board like a H4, but it can be manually done, just takes longer.

I use ipa in spray bottle and a lint free cloth. Also I use baking soda in different amount from light water mix to paste for stopping the flux reaction and it removes corrosion as well. The soda leaves a white powder that neeed water or ipa to remove

Tom

I soak in IPA overnight, toothbrush for the cleaning and then a quick run through the ultrasonic cleaner. My IPA cleaning is meant to get the cleaning time required down to under 3 mins as more than that seems to do damage ... but that’s just my process

I use for clean acetone with a hard short bush ...

Thanks for your feedback. Will try soaking in IPA over night, maybe there's no point in penny pinching at this point...

I do similar to terriblefire but I only soak for a few minutes before scrubbing with an old toothbrush. Then dunk in clean IPA... then from the IPA to the ultrasonic cleaner. I use Allendale PCB ultrasonic detergent in the US cleaner. Then 3 mins on each side in the the cleaner - rinse under the tap + brush. Put in demin water to soak then oven at 120C to dry. OK process for batches of stuff.

Or for one joint/chip the IPC method of brush with IPA then soak up IPA with a lint free cloth - poking it with the brush. I buy "lint free nail wipes" for doing fingernails - they are really cheap <£2 for 900 is typical.

Back at my old workplace we used to wash 'em in a sink full of hot soapy water and a dish brush, then dry them off with a blast of compressed nitrogen. I hear some people put their boards in the dishwasher, although I wouldn't recommend it!

Apparently, if you use the correct "salt" it has anti-corrosion chemicals which means that it's possibly even good for the electronic equipment. Just don't use the drying cycle!