How To Wash a Dirty Circuit Board - Industrial Electronics Repairs

[@michaelmorrison7632]

Wash it with water and soap..(If you're doing a video you might want to find out what you're using) After you wash it blow it off with medium velocity air and THEN immerse the entire unit in IPA ..Alcohol.. The alcohol breaks down the remaining H2O's surface tension allowing to to evaporate far more readily..By the way. There will be a residue after alcohol. No worries. Inert.

[@Psychlist1972]

My left ear learned how to clean a PCB. Thanks. :) I'm surprised you were able to get all the water out afterwards, but I've also heard of people successfully cleaning their PCB in the dishwasher, so it must be possible.

[@johnthr33]

Dishwasher 😂😂😂 ya learn something new every day. To be honest I'm surprised to see him cleaning it with water!!

[@arturogoleman5221]

I'm not sure but ,if anyone else trying to find out electronic repair egypt try Saankramer Electronic Magazine System (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some incredible things about it and my neighbor got amazing results with it.

[@activemotionpictures]

@@OpenLogicEFI now I feel relieved. Let's get that one 8-bit comp in the attic now.

[@teresashinkansen9402]

There is nothing wrong with cleaning circuit boards with water as long as you are sure there aren't any water sensitive components like open MEMS and sensors, old capacitors made of cardboard and batteries or charged capacitors. Then after you wash the board dry it very well, that's it. Water damages electronics when they are powered up because it creates conductive bridges everywhere and so current can pass and mess with the components, if there is no power nothing can happen.

[@Psychlist1972]

​@@teresashinkansen9402 I understand how electricity works, thanks :) It was a comment about getting all the water out cleanly.

[@moeronin311]

Thx 4 the video, I learned more from the ads.

[@HemangJoshi]

Happy learning 😅

[@deankay4434]

I believe it's an acid, you brush it on, it foams up, then your wash it off. Got it. I saw my neighbor clean his Subaru the same way...but he kept the brush and took hours.

[@RobertWilliams-mk8pl]

Use in a well ventilated area is the key here. After my man repeated that once or twice. A red flag went up.

[@rontaylor3403]

Ok I just bought a new pressure washer and have been looking for stuff to clean with it so I think I will pull the old 65 inch tv off the wall and take it apart and hang it up on the clothes line and test this shit out.

[@valentinaselektrikas]

If board components are waterproof then this method well may be ok but not safe. This board has standard electrolytic capacitors. Capacitors have holes for legs, all covered with rubber but water potentially can creep inside cause a short circuit, even if you dry it, keep it warm, blow with air, etc. In this case, every micro hole in electronics could damage electronics. That's why you want to use cleaners that evaporate instantly for example isopropanol alcohol 99

[@timothykerchmar502]

I only have a shop vac, no air compressor. I baked the circuit board at 120F in my toaster oven until it dried. IT WORKS! I did not know before today that I could clean electronics with water.

[@Romanhossen-e5i]

how clean the circuit board water?

[@westbay5858]

What dilution rate on this Cleaner was used? Thanks

[@adrianTNT]

yes :)

[@rodrojas4236]

If you're going to use water, then you need distilled water because tap water has minerals that will eventually corrode the electronics.

[@herberar]

I think it is a big mistake to rinse with water. There are usually mechanical relays that are not water proof, for example.

[@chrislizama8396]

Same thought I had

[@senpairomeru4711]

My left ear learned to clean mother board, while my right ear listen to music

[@iamelvisman68]

Im Also a Beatles fan

[@rontaylor3403]

its 90 degrees plus outside and its already going to be on the clothes line just in case the water gets into places that are hard to dry out. this should work and its too big to put in the clothes dryer. ( Im not going to use the washing machine or the dish washer to wash it so why use the clothes dryer anyway )

[@westbay5858]

What about. 99% Isopropyl rinse instead of pure water? Then it evaporates on its own with no residue.

[@DarwinCastro-h5h]

interesting points ,if anyone else needs to find out about electronic repair shop try Saankramer Electronic Magazine System (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some great things about it and my co-worker got cool results with it.

[@MrWaalkman]

For one, it costs more than water. Two, compounds such as sugars won't dissolve in alcohol. Three, MSDS and flammability issues. Not a problem if you do it as a hobby like me, but in the workplace it's a different story. But I suspect that it's mostly #1. The way that I do it is to soak the board in vinegar - this is because almost all of the Amiga computers out there have had their Varta batteries and their caps leak. So it is important to neutralize the alkaline that's attacking the board. Both will do a number on what passes for traces on an old Commodore PCB. I follow it up with a rinse from under the tap, and then I soak them in a 91% IPA bath. The last step is to dissolve the flux left over from repairs and to "soak up" the remaining water. I use an electric toothbrush during both of the baths (yeah, living dangerously with the IPA). I'll use the IPA for about four baths before replacing it with new IPA. I've done 12 boards and all of them have come out perfect. And I didn't come up with this method, I just followed the lead of the Jamma pinball crew. Their boards suffer from the same problems as ours. Dishwashers work fine too (and the boards are washed at the factory), and I wouldn't have believed it, but WD-40 does an outstanding job on extremely corroded boards. See: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oX_Lh4SNfZhkbq8&feature=em-uploademail for reference.

[@aunabreslingaming3279]

even isopropyl alcohol isn't 100% Pure and can leave it's own slight residue... if you're worried about residue use denatured alcohol

[@tucker934]

@@aunabreslingaming3279 then you going back to a strong solvent Ethanol, that’s also mixed with Methanol.

[@ytpeep7393]

I wish you had mentioned what kind of cleaner this was and what the process was after spraying on the board

[@stephen579]

I don't think I want to try that on my vintage amp

[@roceloi]

I use wd40 contact cleaner or normal wd40 and always has work for me, one time I restore a wet pcb using wd40!

[@dogeymon83]

Thanks. I got a Sega CD console recently for free….except it smells like roaches. 🤮 I’m gonna need to clean everything

[@jimmycake7143]

you aint getting all that water out. it wicks into wires. all you prob needed was a vacuum cleaner and brush,

[@chandreshrathod6719]

Pl give us all purpose cleaner solution full name with price .In india is it available?

[@OidHunter]

Nooooo don't do this! You're just asking for trouble. Water will creep into components and stay there. The SAFEST and most professional way to clean a dirty pcb is using the following steps but avoid spraying any plastic parts: In a ventilated room, place the board in a plastic storage container (or similar) if you have one. Using a can of compressed air, blow any loose dust off, preferably outside. Spray a can of electrical contact cleaner across the board then use a clean toothbrush or soft paint brush to dislodge any dirt. Use q-tips to reach small gaps. Clean your brushes using the spray. Holding the board vertically, spray more contact cleaner to rinse the dirt off the board. Leave for an hour to dry. Use anti static foam cleaner for any plastic parts or metal parts. DO NOT USE ANY WATER. I have 20+ years of experience cleaning Computers and other electronics, these steps work well enough for me.

[@OidHunter]

Also just to add, I would be very sceptical about using an acid based product like the one used in the video. You risk damaging components on the board.

[@pythonflying]

Is DeOxit safe for a board like this? I had mice nesting and grunting up a control board.

[@enricoderojassarson5596]

I was always taught to clean electronics with grain alcohol

[@adrianTNT]

Don't some capacitors and relays have cardboard in them ? Between coils and so ?!

[@bobcatt2294]

How do you access the undercut areas?

[@nowthenad3286]

It doesn't seem like a good idea to spray acid on an electronic board. Acid is conductive.

[@mohdimrankhan1416]

Good

[@o.b.v.i.u.s]

I *_believe_* it's an acid?

[@derekpeterson1643]

Step 1: Spray with car cleaner Step 2: Rinse with water from the sink Step 3: Blast flimsy capacitors point-blank with compressed air I don't claim to know EVERYTHING... but I'd be interested to see this thing function afterwards 🤨

[@sheetboeh]

i know you dont know everything, but please elaborate on what you think should be broken here afterwards..

[@derekpeterson1643]

Las-Miranda Densiwilya they’re already broken enough

[@MacethBroa]

i d take it to turkish bath and give capacitors a good massage

[@suhayl5157]

Seriously? so what did we learn from you? I still don't know what to spray my board with.😡

[@TheDukeOfZill]

TV crt circuit board covered with greasey dust... suggestions? Lol

[@babumanikuttan2258]

Good job bro.

[@jungleviper]

I'd just use compressed air

[@paolom.6011]

As if that would remove all the dirt that was on that board.

[@paranoidgenius9164]

Using water to clean electronics is BAD practice

[@gen-x_dude]

I have been doing it for 20+ years on home AND industrial grade electronics and machinery, never had a problem, I don´t just fire them up the next day, I let them sit for quite a while. One time I was hired to clean some industrial machinery for a big move to a new site, I was cleaning some of those machines WHILE they were running, the shop foreman looked at me like, "that ain´t his first rodeo".

[@paranoidgenius9164]

@@gen-x_dude my way is, Soak the PCB into Luke warm DISTILLED water & use a soft bristle brush, IE toothbrush to clean. Take out & air off any excess water, then soak in isopropyl alcohol & use another soft bristle brush to clean. Take out & let it air off.

[@paulojbe]

But the board works after this procedure? ahahah/

[@paulojcduarte]

Not a tech guy, but if caps were depleted should be no problem watering the thing. Should be clean before turning it up so components don't shortcircuit tho.

[@booboo699254]

Of course it does.

[@devilzwishbone]

how many contacts have become corroded from rinsing it with water???

[@bobweiram6321]

It works long enough to get past the eBay.claim period.

[@kms3530]

Its not nice scaming poeple in thinking this is okey to do

[@muttongrills]

👍