Kester 5211 Circuit Board Cleaner - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2014, 03:06:45 pm
content: I have a bottle of liquid, not purchased by me, labeled Kester Formula # 5211. Written on the label is "circuit board cleaner". I've searched Kester's web site, and the web in general, for any information on this product and come up with nothing.Does anyone have any information on what this actually is?Is it just for pre-cleaning a board before soldering or is it for flux removal and cleanup after soldering?

author: denelec
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2014, 10:42:54 pm
content: The bottle looks very old. Probably more than 20 years old.That would explain the absence of information on the web.The product is probably obsolete.Unfortunately I don't have any information on the product.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 08:44:51 am
content: http://msdssearchengine.com/local_msds.php?id=224585Made up of Freon and IPA....which screams "flux remover" to me. That said, given that there's "Board Cleaner" scibbled on the bottle, and the bottle is full but looks fairly well used, I would guess that 5211 is NOT in that bottle. Someone just reused the bottle for something else. Buyer beware.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 12:03:37 pm
content: Also the fact that it's supposed to be a "CLEAR,COLORLESS LIQUID", while what the OP has looks more like it's greenish-yellow.

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 12:10:24 pm
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on May 31, 2014, 08:44:51 amThanks John,That link provides the most info so far. I was hoping to find something similar in my own searching but didn't know of this site.The fact that the MSDS calls it 5211Removeris another clue that it's flux remover.Based on where I got it from, I'm pretty sure that the bottle contains its original contents. The bottle looks used because it's been moved around from place to place over the years and has been stored in a crate next to other bottles and cans.

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 12:13:59 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on May 31, 2014, 12:03:37 pmIt's probably around 20 years old. It may have discoloured with age.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 12:31:50 pm
content: Alcohol plus light plus plastic bottle plus a lot of time means you produce other organic breakdown compounds, so likely the green yellow is a breakdown of the alcohol and a flourine compound from the CFC mix.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 01:23:12 pm
content: What's it taste like?

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 11:36:55 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on May 31, 2014, 12:31:50 pmThe bottle is clear glass. I don't know if that makes a difference.

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 11:41:17 pm
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on May 31, 2014, 01:23:12 pmEven if I were stupid enough to taste it, I doubt I'd be able to identify what I was tasting.I've now compared it to 70% isopropyl alcohol, 99.5% propan-1-ol, and M.G. Chemicals #414 Flux Remover for PC Boards.They all smell different from each other but I'd say the one that smells closest to the Kester 5211 bottle is the isopropyl alcohol.I tried all four on an old circuit board with heavy flux residue. The isopropyl alcohol worked quite poorly, possibly because it's only 70%, but I don't believe straight isopropyl is very good at dissolving rosin flux. The other three worked adequately and equally well and left the same thin amount of residue after evaporating.Based on this, I believe that the bottle contains Kester #5211, as marked, and it's intended to remove flux and clean boards after soldering.