Tragic WC accident

[noxqzs]

I work with surface mount PCBs all day, and actually have a 5 gallon container set up for giving all the final boards a good cleaning. I use Acetone.

Have you noticed how each circuit board from (insert any manufacturer) are always spotless, no residues from manufacturing etc...they wash too.

 

[sunrunner20]

First off....
DO NOT USE RUBBING ALCOHOL
Rubbing alcohol potentially has impurities that can be worse off for your electronics than straight water... (PURE water is non conductive...)

Second:
Submersion can destroy the electronics. This was discovered the hard way early in water cooling when direct-die blocks were popular. So, to clear up the issue, find and use 95%+ PURE ISOPROPYL Alcohol ONLY.

Third:
The idea of using the Isopropyl alcohol is that it evaporates. However, because I have been unable to find Ethylene glycol's solubility in alachol, I'm going to have to say Play it safe. Use generous portions of Isopropyl alcohol sprayed into and around the socket and anywhere it might have leaked. By "generous" I mean enough that its all pouring down the board. This way it will wash off if it can't evaporate with the alcohol.
Also, instead of of just using a fan, I would recommend either caned air, or an air compressor(NO OIL!!!) that you have made sure is properly maintained(Have you drained yours lately??).
If you use the air compressor... Don't be stupid and use the full 120PSI, turn it down to 30-40.
PS: Don't forget Under the chips. That is where most the alcohol will collect.

An alternative to rubbing alcohol would be to put the items in an enclosed environment with a dehumidifier and run it constantly for a day or two.

That would not clear off the impurities that would be left behind by the water. Chances are there are minute salts and other things that when exposed to air again would absorb moisture and possibly conduct more electricity.

 

[downer]

If you're going to soak it in anything, I would use acetone.

 

[sunrunner20]

If you're going to soak it in anything, I would use acetone.

That would destroy it.

 

[kimochii72]

As said earlier you really be careful putting isopropyl or methyl alcohol from OTC sources on a mb. It's nearly imposible to get any isopropyl alcohol other than 70, 91 or 99% from the stores. You really need access to labs to do this. However, I've done some crude density testing on two types of alcohols in the automotive depart under the HEET brand logo. both came extremely close to being 99% of both methanol and isopropanol by density. But who knows what the impurites were. If it were me and I had to use the one I would get USP 99% isopropanol from the drug store or order hplc grade isopropanol or methanol from a chem supply warehouse that doesn't restrict the sales of it. I would think acetone being somewhat more strong could be a risk of attacking weaker plastics, but it does absorb water like crazy and I believe it will evaporate water off in equal levels (azeotrope) as is the purpose of the bath , but I'm not sure of the alcohols.

 

[aja]

Well lesser quality alcohol is better than none!

At least there is a chance that the board will be revived!

 

[noxqzs]

That would destroy it.

untrue. in 20 years of making circuit boards, I have yet to come across one board destroyed by acetone. Things like plastics assemblies will, but the actual boards will not.

The things to watch out for, are silk screened parts, and electrolytic capacitors. Those are the two things I watch out for, but even then, the parts would need to be soaked for long periods.

 

[Diggrr]

Sockets would dissolve in acetone as well...including the fan power and drive sockets too
All the plastic jackets on mosfets and IC's might be in danger.
Most conformal coatings
Silkscreened logos and signs
Enamel insulation (like on the choke's wire coils).
Circuit boards are one thing, but motherboards hold a host of things that would not do well in Acetone. It's a very bad idea all the way around.

Stick to the proven 95%+ isopropyl alcohol.
Rubbing alcohol is hardly pure, with as little as 60% actual alcohol. The rest is oils, perfumes, water, (yes water) and other such loveliness you do not want on your mobo. Since the alcohol mixes so completely with water, the more pure it is the better it will get you to drying out your parts.

 

[Section8]

This stuff is by far the best stuff to get when cleaning your electronic components. I have been using it for years and years and it has never let me down. I have been Phase Change cooling for 5-6 years and change my CPU and MB often which requires me to clean the socket out that is packed full of Dielectric Grease. Just after cleaning it with a good amount(enough to run off the side of the MB) blow it dry with compressed air. It is available at RadioShack.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102649&cp=&parentPage=search

 

[sunrunner20]

I wonder if that is just 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and an agent to push it out of the can.

 

[voigts]

You are right sunrunner20. Isopropyl alcohol is the better choice than rubbing alcohol, although I have used 70% rubbing alcohol successfully. It does make sense however to use the purest isopropyl that you can readily get from a local drug store.

Submersion and soaking with isopropyl alcohol will not hurt a thing. Your example of direct die cooling makes no sense however as it is one thing to clean a MB that has no power in it at all vs putting fluid over a charged CPU.

 

[Diggrr]

I wonder if that is just 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and an agent to push it out of the can.

Not according to the MSDS.pdf:

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether 10 - 16
1-(2-Methoxy-Methyl-Ethoxy)-2-Propanol Acetate 5 - 10
Carbon dioxide 1 - 5
Mixed Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 70 - 80

..unless one of those ingredients are code for alcohol...

 

[NoodleGTS]

Hey guys,

Just wondering. Does anyone have the eVGA 680i and do you know what it does if you try to run it without a processor in? What do the LCDs display? When I try to boot up, there is no processor beep and the LCDs show " - - " so I'm wondering if the mobo died along with my processor.

 

[Tyranos]

Just blow everything dry with compressed air and let it sit in the sun for a while. I've washed MANY motherboards with just tap water and they came out fine for years afterwards. Keep in mind it's ok to wash with water, not soak. No alcohol needed.

 

[sunrunner20]

If you determin that your cpu is dead, can I have it?