cleaning the boards

[Bob]

I stopped defluxing boards years ago.  Not worth the trouble and in most
cases the cleaning mechanism, while making the board "Pretty" to look at,
merely spread tiny particulates all over the board and made a nasty long
term mess to deal with.  HP published a number of papers on the subject of
flux removal and if memory serves me they basically said to forget it if the
circuit was not some Microwave circuit substrate.
    Another thing I've noticed is that if you don't get the nasty rosin
residue off the board right after the soldering is done,  the solvent
process is much more problematic.  Soap and water to take off the
atmospheric delivered crud is fine if all the parts on the board can deal
with the water and detergent, otherwise, leave the nasty  rosin crud on the
board or pick it off with a solder aid if you want to check your soldering
for proper flow and filet.

    Good luck.

    bob, KE6F
----- Original Message -----
From: wa1vwl <wa1vwl at GROLEN.COM>
To: <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 4:22 PM
Subject: Re: cleaning the boards


> Sometimes alcohol and a toothbrush does the trick. Only trouble is alcohol
> is pretty volatile and flammable. One time it also wiped out the silk
screen
> lettering on an SB-303 board I cleaned. Don't know why. Maybe it was the
ink
> they used. When I rebuild a PC board, I now use so-called water based flux
> which is very easy to clean.
>
> 73/Gerry/W1ID
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: kevin smith <kevin-0 at WEBTV.NET>
> To: <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 8:55 AM
> Subject: cleaning the boards
>
>
> does anybody know whats good to clean the circuit boards without hurting
> the components on it. i got one that's real dirty and to tight to get at
> by hand.
>
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