[Elecraft] kx1 - flux cleaner

Wed Apr 14 23:27:01 2004

I worked for a few years with a guy who was in the Navy for 20 years.
He was a Master Chief and he worked on radar and IFF systems.  The Navy
did a lot of tests and would only use Anhydrous Isopropyl Alcohol for
removing flux from PCBs, just as John mentions.

But the key is, as he also mentions, not to get the stuff into any
components that might be affected by it.  If you're going to use it, you
might want to use an acid brush with short, stiff bristles and work in
very small areas. Q-tips sometimes leave those little cottony pulls that
are a pain in the butt to remove.

73 de Larry W2LJ - Vivat Morse! � �

[email protected]
http://www.qsl.net/w2lj

ARRL Lifemember  QRP ARCI #4488     NJQRP #47
FISTS #1469  QRP-L #778   FP #612  QRPp-I #759
ARS #1528,  AmQRP, CQC #746

K1 #1647  -  K2 #4090  for QRP
Icom IC-751A for QRO
Butternut HF9V and G5RV antennas

----- Original Message -----
From: "John, KI6WX" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 10:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] kx1 - flux cleaner

> Bill;
> This subject comes up on the reflector every few months, and sometimes
> sparks a good debate.  There are two good choices:
>
> A commercial rosin flux cleaner designed for use on electronic circuit
> boards.
>
> Anhydrous Isopropyl Alcohol (at least 99.9% pure).  This does not
contain
> any additives that might leave a residue on your board that might be
harmful
> in the future.  Drugstore alcohol and that sold at home centers is
rarely
> about 70% purity.
>
> If you do this procedure, use Q-tips or equivalent to clean off a
small area
> of board at one time.  Do not pour the alcohol on the board or you
risk
> carrying the flux into mechanical components that can't tolerate it.
Don't
> tell Elecraft, but I do clean my boards.
>
> -John
>  KI6WX
>