Best way to clean a freshly built board

[Steve Barker]

I tend to over use on the solder paste (flux)  but i get good joints.  What I'm wondering is, what is the best way to clean the board when done?  Obviously rubbing it with a cloth makes a mess due to the cloth getting hung on the prongs.  I was thinking de-natured alcohol and a toothbrush.  Any input on this, or suggestions?

 

thanks

 

steve barker

[SoCalJimH]

You will find a spray cleaner made for just that at an electronic supply store.   Just make sure that is labeled safe for PCB boards.  Use it OUTSIDE and I have used it along with a stiff (not wire) brush.  
Suggest you use on back/bottom of board only.

 

FYI- I have NOT seen any at Radio Shack.

[Max-Paul]

I tend to over use on the solder paste (flux)  but i get good joints.  What I'm wondering is, what is the best way to clean the board when done?  Obviously rubbing it with a cloth makes a mess due to the cloth getting hung on the prongs.  I was thinking de-natured alcohol and a toothbrush.  Any input on this, or suggestions?

 

thanks

 

steve barker

 

I tend to over use on the solder paste (flux)  but i get good joints.  What I'm wondering is, what is the best way to clean the board when done?  Obviously rubbing it with a cloth makes a mess due to the cloth getting hung on the prongs.  I was thinking de-natured alcohol and a toothbrush.  Any input on this, or suggestions?

 

thanks

 

steve barker

Thats the way I learned how to do it. Though I would use a very small paint brush that was cut down so the bristles where only about 3/8" long to make them stiffer. Though your toothbrush should do the trick also. Tilt the board at about 45 degrees. Work an area up near the top, only about a 2" square area. Then pour some Al across it. Work across the top and then down a level. I have found that it takes some work to get all of the dissolved resin off of the board.

[Ken Benedict]

I tend to over use on the solder paste (flux)  but i get good joints.  What I'm wondering is, what is the best way to clean the board when done?  Obviously rubbing it with a cloth makes a mess due to the cloth getting hung on the prongs.  I was thinking de-natured alcohol and a toothbrush.  Any input on this, or suggestions?

 

thanks

 

steve barker

 

See: http://vimeo.com/45482040

[Max-Paul]

Ken,

 

The only thing about Q-tips is that they will catch on the little wires and tear up the Q-tips. Also leaving behind cotton threads. Hence the reason I recommend a brush cut down to stiffen the bristles. Or as mentioned above, a old Tooth Brush will do the trick. Best suggestion is the good flushing with the Alcohol. Dang stuff seems to dry and make everything sticky. Not just the solder joint.

[adamj12b]

If you are using water soluble flux, you can simply wash the board under running warm water in the sink. Get the water to a temperature you are comfortable with, the put the board under. Use a soft but slightly stiff paint brush to get the flux off under the water. You can shake them off and pat dry with a couple paper towels. After washing, You can blow the boards off with compressed air to remove the excess water, then if you want to fire them up right away, reheat the boards with a heat gun or blow dryer to remove any more water and humidity, otherwise, you can just wait 12-15 hours before powering it up.

 

Here is a video of one of my boards I built and how I clean them. http://youtu.be/515_1g9G7Mw?t=7m51s

 

Hope this helps somebody.

 

-Adam

[Jon Clark]

Buy some cheap acid brushes and use them with alcahol, place a thick pad of paper towels on your work surface, place the PCB at about a 45 degree angle on the paper towel so the excess alcahol will be caght by the towel starting from the top of the PCB brush the flux covered solder connection until the flux has disolved use plenty of alcahol so it runs down and is caught buy the paper towel. I hope the flux you are using is not the type you would use for plumbing. Never use pumbing flux on electronics it is to agressive and will eventually destroy the copper circuit tracesThere are some fluxes that are no clean they would elimenate having to clean the PCB completely the spool of solder will have the flux type printed on it.