99% isopropyl?

[glockjs]

i've been to a few stores searching for the 99% but the highest i can find is 91%? is it still safe to clean the heat sink and cpu with 91% or if not where is the best place to find the 99%? or what else is common and a good cleaner? thanks in advance

[dicecca112]

91% is fine to use. I never used 99%, because its near impossible to find.

[Jawadali]

I've even used 70% with no problems, although I switched to 91% when I ran out. The guys at Arctic Silver recommend 91% or better (I e-mailed to ask them about the 70% one, and they're the ones who said it'd be ok to use, but said 91% would be better).

91% should be fine.

[godofgorks]

Accidently got the 70% just this weekend. I used it and worked fine. Just make sure its all dried because there's 30% H20 that doesn't evaporate like isopropyl does. Next time I'm out I'll pick up the 91% and place the 70% in the medicine cabinet.

[glockjs]

i don't get it then. my cpu is idleing at 47-52C. but thats what bios says. i wanted to blame it on the 70%..but no? i put AS5 on the chip alone and not the HS. everything was cleaned well. i guess temp reading is another prob with my new mobo. everything else is off so why not the temps :bang head there's no way i went from idleing in the low 40's with the all copper HS w/ 34cfm fan to when i switched to my new setup with the a7v880 i switched to a 53cfm and now im idleing at 47-52C :bang head :bang head :bang head

[SewerBeing]

I use 70% and its great, you don't need to let it dry much a few min at most.

[subtotal]

the stuff i use claims to be 100%, not that i believe it, i'd say it's reasonably strong though as it dries quickly and does a good job

[fldrice]

99% is lab grade...you can't just buy that stuff from the drug store.

[schnikies79]

70% and above should be fine for cleaning stuff. Thats a pretty high molarity anyway so what little water is in the bottle shouldn't matter.

100% is kinda rare outside of a lab setting..

Dayton

[glockjs]

thanks for the input everyone. picked up the 91% and used it. everything seems to be working fine. it's been a rough week :bang head maybe my brain will kick in some time this weekend. but now i know which to use. soft optical cloth+91% ispropyl works pretty good

[Matt761]

Does anyone know if 99% ethyl alcohol is alright?

[PAWO]

99% is lab grade...you can't just buy that stuff from the drug store.


Not really, I bought some from Meijers here, Meijer brand 99% isopropyl Alcohol, $1.17 a pint. Its good stuff. They had 71% and 91% too of other brands, but they carry the 99% of their own brand, so thats what I got.

[schnikies79]

99% isn't necessarily lab grade, 100% is. A regular consumer isn't going to notice a diffrence between 99% and 100%, a chemist will..

Dayton

[fldrice]

Well 100% is lab grade, but because of the vapor pressure of the isopropanol it's difficult to maintain 100%.

[Dreamstalker]

MicroCenter online has 99% alcohol wipes...when they say "use under well ventilated conditions" they mean it :p

[RoadWarrior]

Ahhh, isopropyl alcohol, useful stuff.

I have been using 70% for years, mostly because it's what the dollar stores sell, never had problems. However they are cheaping out down to 50% no which is no good. I just discovered that a grocery store here "No Frills" keeps 99% in stock at $1.47 CAN for 500ml. So I'm using that now. Mostly it's Pharmacies and Drug Stores that keep in the 99% though. But often it will be $2 or more a bottle there.

The funny thing about isopropyl alcohol, is that you probably pay a lot more for it, unsuspecting, depending on how the bottle is labelled and what it claims to do. So say we can get 99% for $3 a litre....
as Tape head cleaner 50ml $1 and up, = $20+ a litre
as Fuel line antifreeze 125ml $1 and up = $8+ a litre
as Fuel injector cleaner 250ml $5 = $20 a litre
as Octane booster 250ml $5 = $20 a litre
as Emissions cleaner 125ml $5 = $40 a litre
... ... ...

So when you see 99% somewhere for a decent price, get 2 bottles, and add half a bottle to your gas tank every few fills :D

Road Warrior

[shellshock]

Were would I get 91%

[SolidxSnake]

CVS, Brooks

pharmacys

[Karbon]

I always get 99% at stop&shop...it's very very cheap there.

[Rumrunner]

Ahhh, isopropyl alcohol, useful stuff.

I have been using 70% for years, mostly because it's what the dollar stores sell, never had problems. However they are cheaping out down to 50% no which is no good. I just discovered that a grocery store here "No Frills" keeps 99% in stock at $1.47 CAN for 500ml. So I'm using that now. Mostly it's Pharmacies and Drug Stores that keep in the 99% though. But often it will be $2 or more a bottle there.

The funny thing about isopropyl alcohol, is that you probably pay a lot more for it, unsuspecting, depending on how the bottle is labelled and what it claims to do. So say we can get 99% for $3 a litre....
as Tape head cleaner 50ml $1 and up, = $20+ a litre
as Fuel line antifreeze 125ml $1 and up = $8+ a litre
as Fuel injector cleaner 250ml $5 = $20 a litre
as Octane booster 250ml $5 = $20 a litre
as Emissions cleaner 125ml $5 = $40 a litre
... ... ...

So when you see 99% somewhere for a decent price, get 2 bottles, and add half a bottle to your gas tank every few fills :D

Road Warrior

Really, you gotta be yankin our chain right?

[wizard james]

MicroCenter online has 99% alcohol wipes...when they say "use under well ventilated conditions" they mean it :p


yeah ... i was cleaning some stuff ..i poured the whole bottle into a tray.. and after 40 mins i had to stop casue i was sooo high.. lol :santa:

think i lost a few brain cells tho.... wonder if had any to beagain? :eh?:

[ghettocomp]

Really, you gotta be yankin our chain right?

Road Warrior is not really kidding.. many of the products he listed are only the isopropyl alcohol/variants and sometimes are 'a little watered down as well'
I have actually used 99% alcohol to help start my car similar to starting fluid, It idled a little rough at first but it works.

[JoT]

91% is what I often douse my motherboard or other components in (SOAK them), and I've always had working parts come out of the mess. I wouldn't trust my parts to less than 91%.

[larrymoencurly]

i've been to a few stores searching for the 99% but the highest i can find is 91%? is it still safe to clean the heat sink and cpu with 91%

NO! You could be KILLED and make the Earth to break out of its orbit and hurl into the sun!!! Which is more important to you, a clean heatsink & CPU or the fate of the entire planet?

I've read that the only reason alcohol more pure than 70% is needed for cleaning purposes to prevent metal from rusting, and I've noticed that 70% leaves drops (of water?) behind while 90% doesn't.

99% pure alcohol can be bought semi-easily because I have a bottle of Medalist brand 99% isopropyl alcohol distributed by McKesson (dairy co.), NDC #37938-005, that I bought a long time ago from a drugstore chain that no longer exists in my area. Denatured alcohol should also be 99% pure.

[DamienKC]

yeah ... i was cleaning some stuff ..i poured the whole bottle into a tray.. and after 40 mins i had to stop casue i was sooo high.. lol :santa:

think i lost a few brain cells tho.... wonder if had any to beagain? :eh?:

Nope.

I use 91% and it dries up pretty fast, I wouldn't be worried about 9% water.

[skou]

Does anyone know if 99% ethyl alcohol is alright?

Yes, it's great!!

Especially, with some orange juice!

Where can you find 99% ethanol?

steve

[Karbon]

I use "100%" pure acetone. It works pretty well, and easy to find. I got it from Wal-mart for a couple bucks.

[The Unforgiven]

Yes, it's great!!

Especially, with some orange juice!

Where can you find 99% ethanol?

steve

Just buy a bottle of Everclear. When I was installing the XP-120 two weeks ago and didn't have any isopropyl that was above 50%, so I asked dad if he did, and he said (as a joke) to use Everclear because it's 190 proof(95%). But he had a gallon of Denatured Alcohol, so I just used that.

[Nico3k]

?? my local grocery store (pavillions) has 99% and they even sell it in liters. I just got a big bottle and I've been using it on LOTS of things. 99% is defenately nothing special and you should be able to find it at most of your local stores.

[gvblake22]

I'm sure 91% would be fine. I also got my 99% at Meijer for $1.17, you should check it out!:)

[XTTX]

Not really, I bought some from Meijers here, Meijer brand 99% isopropyl Alcohol, $1.17 a pint. Its good stuff. They had 71% and 91% too of other brands, but they carry the 99% of their own brand, so thats what I got.
Oh sweet. I just moved to Chicago, and we got a Meijers near by (none in New York).

[JoT]

I use "100%" pure acetone. It works pretty well, and easy to find. I got it from Wal-mart for a couple bucks.
It eats through plastic and other things, though.

[XTTX]

It eats through plastic and other things, though.
Depends what plastics correct? I believe Polypropylene, Polyvinyl Chloride and High density polyethylene is not affected.
Don't quote me though.

[larrymoencurly]

You can find how materials interact with chemicals from the Cole Parmer Chemical Resistance Database (http://www.coleparmer.com/techinfo/chemcomp.asp) and the Harrington Plastics Chemical Resistance Guide (http://www.harringtonplastics.com/ChemSearch.cfm).

Acetone, lacquer thinner, and carburetor spray are nasty to PVC, ABS, polycarbonate, and styrene, all which are used for computer and monitor cases. Polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET (soda pop bottles) seem to be inert.

[David]

Acetone does like to eat various plastics - I wouldnt trust it. Personally isopropyl would be my choice.

Generally in an organic lab acetone, light petrol, water, and ethanol are usually the chosen solvents although this can vary.