Non-flammable PCB cleaner/flux remover? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 07:24:10 pm
content: 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?

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 07:28:49 pm
content: water?

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 07:31:27 pm
content: 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.Tim

author: Alphatronique
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 07:52:29 pm
content: Hizestron Vigon A201mix 20% of zestron in water ,dip 15 min and rinse + dry (compressed air blasting )and PCB will cleanBest regard

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2014, 03:22:02 am
content: Quote from: Alphatronique on February 01, 2014, 07:52:29 pmThanks 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-kdwttb10I'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.

author: Alphatronique
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2014, 03:08:21 am
content: Hi whit zestron you need all stainless ,whit time it dissolve most plasticbefore 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 workas 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 washingfirst step was use it as is for rinse whit DI and dry but later mod it for handle the zestron

author: scientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2014, 05:36:50 am
content: Soap & water?

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 03:17:39 am
content: 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.

author: Alphatronique
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 04:04:48 am
content: Hi that depend of flux it usemost flux was NOT soluble in water so need a saponifer that turn organic acid into soluble saltthen 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 ICand even if water washable it still hard to clean well so mos common flux was no clean ,that shop still cleanbut 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 loopit not put lot of bad stuff on sewage ,instead it filter and filter cartridge was handle was dry trashand 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)