I had been using isopropyl alcohol to clean flux off circuit boards. I didn't have any left so I tried some acetone, and it just ripped right through the stuff way easier than alcohol. Is this a good substance to use for this?
fluckscapacitor said:
It's great as long as you don't mind frying some brain cells along the way. 🙂
se
fluckscapacitor said:
Acetone works fine. It is obviously quite flammable so work in a well ventilated work area and you won't have to worry about flames or fried brain cells.
SteveA
table
DO NOT GET IT ON YOUR TABLE. It eats away at the surface reaaaly fast. ruined a good table.
DO NOT GET IT ON YOUR TABLE. It eats away at the surface reaaaly fast. ruined a good table.
Depends on the table, instead of anti-static mats I just use a grounded sheet of aluminum to assemble projects on. So no problem with acetone.
Health risks aside - as others mentioned, acetone is a pretty aggressive solvent. It may remove your silk-screen markings. It also softens some kinds of epoxy, but I don't know if that includes the types used in, e.g., FR-4 or CEM-3 materials.
Dale
Dale
I've been using this stuff for a while now . . .
4140-400G MG Chemicals Soldering Tools
and I still seem to have most of my brain cells.
My only complaint is that it's in an aerosol can, so I have to spray it into a tiny cup to dip a cotton swab, or brush into it.
4140-400G MG Chemicals Soldering Tools
and I still seem to have most of my brain cells.
My only complaint is that it's in an aerosol can, so I have to spray it into a tiny cup to dip a cotton swab, or brush into it.
ketone solvents can totally destroy some plastics - look up "crazing" - they really aren't safe for finished boards with lots of different type plastics in component casing and capacitor dielectrics
ISO is the reccomended cleaner, acetone is to aggresive and can damage components, it is never used in industry to clean PCB's.
Actually acetone is much lower on the bad solvent list than several other readily available ones. OTOH I have had it dissolve PS caps from some makers and remove markings from many things.
A funny story. While a student at MIT our group bought a 17x22 printing press at auction that had been abandoned after its last job with all the ink dried on everything. We plugged the darkroom sink got some WWII gas masks and checked 20 gal of acetone out of lab supplies and cleaned the lot sending the results down the drain afterwards. Times have changed.
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I've used acetone over the years to clean several things. Just take simple precautions, particularly good ventilation and all will be well. It didn't fry any brain cells of mine. They were fried before I emerged into this world. So didn't need to worry about that. However super clever people might need to be cautious ! 🙂
TCE ( Tri chloro ethylene ) also cleans pcbs's very well. Is that why I'm already senile ?
TCE ( Tri chloro ethylene ) also cleans pcbs's very well. Is that why I'm already senile ?
Acetone on a circuit board? No way!
Definitely don't use acetone. I describe in full detail here - don't clean PCB with acetone
But basically acetone is a strong chemical that can melt some plastics. That article even has before añd after images it's crazy.
I would still to something less abrasive like rubbing alcohol or just water if it's not too bad.
Some people put it in their dishwasher put I've never done that and won't recommend it lol, but you can try it if you want.
Good luck though
Wish you the best
Anthony
Definitely don't use acetone. I describe in full detail here - don't clean PCB with acetone
But basically acetone is a strong chemical that can melt some plastics. That article even has before añd after images it's crazy.
I would still to something less abrasive like rubbing alcohol or just water if it's not too bad.
Some people put it in their dishwasher put I've never done that and won't recommend it lol, but you can try it if you want.
Good luck though
Wish you the best
Anthony
Acetone is useful for removing photo-resist from etched pcb's. Its a powerful solvent for many things, you are warned, it attacks ABS, polycarbonate and a range of other polymer combinations.