Ultrasonic machine cleaning fluid - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: cowasaki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 07:57:49 am
content: What do people use in their ultrasonic cleaning baths? For cleaning PCBs/switches etc?Thanks

author: cowasaki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 08:13:08 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on June 11, 2019, 08:04:49 amSo that's 50% acetone & 50% IPA which is then placed into another container which is placed into water in the ultrasonic..... Sounds good. Does that not massively reduce the size of item you can clean?

author: cowasaki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 09:29:05 am
content: My wife has a similar ultrasonic for jewellery making and has a basket that hangs from the top of the pot. She can then just lift that out.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 10:20:34 am
content: Quote from: cowasaki on June 11, 2019, 08:13:08 amThe dangers of atomized flamable solvents shouldn't be underestimated though. A second container being inside the water bath won't actually have any effect on this at all. It would be best to make the inner container closed, or at least lidded to prevent spread of the cloud and reduce oxygen availability.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 10:39:11 am
content: This stuff:https://asia.chemtronics.com/flux-off-aqueous

author: cowasaki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 11:01:16 am
content: Absolutely, I’ll find one or try and find a non flammable equivalent!

author: cgroen
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 11:23:21 am
content: Quote from: CJay on June 11, 2019, 10:39:11 amI use the same, was suggested by one of the users on this forum to me a year ago or so

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 11:24:22 am
content: May even have been me, it's excellent stuff, does a great job and even smells relatively pleasant

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 04:12:56 pm
content: Quote from: cowasaki on June 11, 2019, 07:57:49 amFor just cleaning and not flux removal, I use a little bit of TSP and just water for rinsing. Dish soap works well also.Switches and potentiometers are a problem though. Unless they are sealed or specifically specified to withstand the cleaning process used, they should not be submerged.Quote from: blueskull on June 11, 2019, 08:04:49 amFor filled printed circuit boards, I find acetone to be a problem with some parts and materials.

author: sn4k3
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 06:41:52 pm
content: I use 15-20% of SWAS and distilled water at 60ºchttps://www.electrolube.com/pdf/tds/044/SWAS.pdfNever had problems, but recently i found use only 100% distilled water at 60ºc works too for my needs.Chemicals are expensive, but easy filtered. The best workflow are with 3 dedicated tanks:1. distilled water to pre clean and preserve next tank solution2. distilled water + solution for the real cleaning3. distilled water to remove contaminants and solution4. Dry board on a oven at controlled temperature