In all of the places I worked beginning with the Air Force we used isopropyl alcohol to remove flux from repairs on boards with the exception of one. At I believe General Radio(GenRad) in Rockville, Md we used banana oil for flux removal.
Has anyone else used something other than alcohol?? Jim/W3FA On Sun, Jan 2, 2022, 10:13 Dr. William J. Schmidt <[email protected]> wrote: > During my under-graduate and graduate school careers, I worked at > Honeywell's circuit board fabrication shop for about a year and a half. We > had two machines in the shop that dealt with flux: a reflow machine and a > parts set machine. The reflow machine was used to reflow the solder after > plating so that it looked shiny. The board was emersed in a 601-type flux, > heated to about 425F, cooled down, and then scrubbed (brushed) with > Isopropanol alcohol three times (stages) with a water rinse and force-air > dried (all automagically). The solder was beautiful and shiny at the end > of > this process. The parts-setting machine was similar... the whole > (pre-reflowed) board was fluxed, the parts set, heated, and then cleaned. > All fluxes come off with Isopropanol alcohol (remember IPA is polar like > water and works that way). > > > > Fluxes come in various forms... some are more corrosive and some not... so > you should follow the directions (right off the website). Rosin can remain > on a board, but also can be problematic because it can collect debris (dust > and other unwanted materials) because its plastic (flows at room > temperature) sticky. Many of the water-soluble fluxes are more acidic, and > will tarnish the solder joints if not removed. > > > > On the subject of using water on electrical components... most components > (particularly if they might be mil spec) are made for water emersion (NOT > ALL!). In my office lab we routinely clean circuit boards by scrubbing > them > with just water and force-drying them. Works fine. About a decade ago, I > used to buy up surplus AM/ broadcast band transmitters for repurposing to > other countries (mainly south America) for the Christian broadcasting > markets. Once back at my shop, the first stop was a good through power > washing in the driveway (paper and other water damaged goods removed of > course) followed by a good drying (leaf blower). Works fine! > > > > > > Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ > VP2EHZ > > > > > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > https://www.avg.com > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
