Spray cleaner for printed circuit boards

[hardworkingstiff]

My son works on video games and they are having problems with games near the ocean getting sand and dried salt buildup on the boards. He asked me (and I don't know so I'm asking y'all) if there is a spray solvent that would clean the board and not damage it.

Also, is there a product that can be sprayed on the board that will help keep the salt build up from getting on the components and still allow heat dissipation and not interfere with the operation of the electronic components?

Thanks to all that help.

 

[kwired]

My son works on video games and they are having problems with games near the ocean getting sand and dried salt buildup on the boards. He asked me (and I don't know so I'm asking y'all) if there is a spray solvent that would clean the board and not damage it.

Also, is there a product that can be sprayed on the board that will help keep the salt build up from getting on the components and still allow heat dissipation and not interfere with the operation of the electronic components?

Thanks to all that help.

He is not going to like my answer - leave the game at home if going to the beach.

This is more of a parent answer than an electrician answer:happyyes:

 

[mgookin]

My son works on video games and they are having problems with games near the ocean getting sand and dried salt buildup on the boards. He asked me (and I don't know so I'm asking y'all) if there is a spray solvent that would clean the board and not damage it.

Also, is there a product that can be sprayed on the board that will help keep the salt build up from getting on the components and still allow heat dissipation and not interfere with the operation of the electronic components?

Thanks to all that help.

In a beach house you're going to have salt and sand and it gets everywhere. Add in kids and video games and you've compounded it. So let's address it.

To clean a board you can use a spray cleaner off the shelf from Radio Shack.

To protect a board from like situations, in the industry we use what's called a "conformal coating" which allows heat dissipation and conforms to standards for flamespread and smoke development. We use this on the pcb's in our outdoor light controls for coastal environments and when specifically requested by the customer.

 

[gadfly56]

He is not going to like my answer - leave the game at home if going to the beach.

This is more of a parent answer than an electrician answer:happyyes:

I think he means his son repairs games for commercial video arcades, not for personal use.

 

[zbang]

Clean water, preferably distilled, and a toothbrush for the stubborn deposits. Once place I worked, we had a regular dishwasher designated for board cleaning (without soap). Note- don't use this on cheap pressed-paper PC boards.... Shake the excess water off and dry with a hair dryer on low.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I think he means his son repairs games for commercial video arcades, not for personal use.

Correct.

 

[hbiss]

Clean water, preferably distilled, and a toothbrush for the stubborn deposits. Once place I worked, we had a regular dishwasher designated for board cleaning (without soap). Note- don't use this on cheap pressed-paper PC boards.... Shake the excess water off and dry with a hair dryer on low.

There's your answer. Of course if there are any components like paper coned speakers or switches that may be damaged by water you want to remove them first. Also you want to make sure nothing is powered so that means removing any on board memory retention batteries or caps.

After cleaning and drying spray the board with a conformal coating as recommended above.

-Hal

 

[GoldDigger]

Just recognizing that the conformal coating may interfere with troubleshooting or repair later and parts of it will then need to be removed.

Tapatalk!

 

[kwired]

I think he means his son repairs games for commercial video arcades, not for personal use.

Sand should be easily removed with compressed air, salt deposits, first these are not likely right at the shore, but if still getting deposits for some reason, maybe some kind of treatment for the board - though it likely already has some coating already, and your average contact/electronics cleaner and a light brushing if needed will probably do the trick.

 

[gar]

140221-2036 EST

Remove vulnerable components as mentioned above. Then hot distilled water, about 150 F, in a dishwasher as above. You need high velocity water flow. Dry. Repeat as needed. Next into fresh 120 F denatured alcohol. Be careful about the flammability of alcohol. Also excess alcohol in the air will cause galvanized heating ducts to rust and fail because of the loss of residual grease on the metal. Possibly repeated in a second fresh alcohol bath. Use hair dryer to dry, not a heat gun. Non-sealed electrolytic capacitors may not survive. In times past one used a Freon alcohol mixture.

Alcohol does a pretty good job on grease.

There are certain solder flux residuals that don't wash off with alcohol, and something like Kester 5235 flux remover may help. However, it is much more expensive than alcohol which is already rather expensive.

.

 

[dereckbc]

I have been prototyping circuit boards for 30 years as a ham radio operator and a professional for over 30 years. Onlything I ever use is what manufactures use,95% DENATURED ALCOHOL.

 

[zbang]

Ugh, no. Some (most?) denatured alcohol contains non-alcohols that will leave a deposit. In no way can it be considered 'purely' alcohol. It can also attack some plastics. When I was in manufacturing, we used hot deionized or distilled water to clean boards. I suppose if you need to remove alcohol-soluble residues, then you need an alcohol. But after that, rinse with pure hot water.

For cleaning salt off a board, water will work better, anyway, Salt is more than 20 times more soluble in water than in methanol (359 v 15 g/L). And water is a lot cheaper.

 

[gar]

140221-2343 EST

Water is needed to remove water soluble salts, but won't touch rosin based flux, and grease. Alcohol will remove most of rosin based residues, and grease. That which is not removed requires other cleaners. Mechanical high pressure of the solvent is very useful.

.

 

[Rampage_Rick]

I'm partial to Wurth Contact OL. I've used it for everything from battery terminal corrosion to water seepage inside Motorola walkie-talkies. You can follow up with Wurth Circuit Board Cleaner.

 

[kwired]

Ugh, no. Some (most?) denatured alcohol contains non-alcohols that will leave a deposit. In no way can it be considered 'purely' alcohol. It can also attack some plastics. When I was in manufacturing, we used hot deionized or distilled water to clean boards. I suppose if you need to remove alcohol-soluble residues, then you need an alcohol. But after that, rinse with pure hot water.

For cleaning salt off a board, water will work better, anyway, Salt is more than 20 times more soluble in water than in methanol (359 v 15 g/L). And water is a lot cheaper.

If removing salt, you probably don't want methanol, but if using Tequila you can make margaritas with the runoff

140221-2343 EST

Water is needed to remove water soluble salts, but won't touch rosin based flux, and grease. Alcohol will remove most of rosin based residues, and grease. That which is not removed requires other cleaners. Mechanical high pressure of the solvent is very useful.

.

OP was mostly concerned with removing sand and salt that came from the operating environment, and not necessarily deposits left from making soldering repairs.