[Elecraft] Broke my K2 :(

[Don Wilhelm]

When I have cleaned boards with IPA or other cleaners, I apply the IPA 
only in a small spot with a q-tip and then blot it with a paper towel to 
help dry it - do not flood the board.
I generally do not recommend cleaning boards, solder flux is 
non-conductive and will normally not cause a problem.
I only clean when the solder flux residue is really nasty as might occur 
with Kester 44 solder.
Use of a solder with a mildly reactive flux (Kester 385) will reduce the 
need for cleaning the board - there is almost no residue.

If you do choose to clean the board, make sure your cleaning work is 
complete.  While solder flux is non-conductive, the flux plus the 
cleaner may be conductive leading to resistive leakage paths. If you can 
see any white stuff on the board, you have not done a complete job.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/14/2021 6:41 PM, Peter Eijlander (PA0PJE) wrote:
> Yes Jerry, isopropyl alcohol does this!
> I once cleaned a working print of a GPS receiver with isopropyl 
> alcohol and it stopped working. Letting it be and trying it again next 
> day turned out it worked perfectly again.
>
>  From then on I leave a PCB to rest after cleaning to have the IPA dry 
> out completely...
>