Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
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Standard cleaners
—You can use pure isopropyl alcohol, acetone, trichloroethane,
or a variety of other chemicals. Most board manufacturers and service shops are now
leaning toward alcohol, acetone, or other chemicals that do not cause ozone depletion
and comply with government regulations and environmental safety.
Recently, new biodegradable cleaners described as “citrus-based cleaners” have be-
come popular in the industry, and in many cases are more effective and more eco-
nomical for circuit board and contact cleaning. These cleaners are commonly known
as d-limonene or citrus terpenes and are derived from orange peels, which gives them
a strong (but pleasant) citric odor. Another type of terpene is called a-pinene, and is
derived from pine trees. You must exercise care when using these cleaners, however,
because they can cause swelling of some plastics, especially silicone rubber and PVC.
Caution
Youshouldmakesureyourcleaningsolutionisdesignedtocleancomputersorelectronicas-
semblies.Inmostcases,thismeansthatthesolutionshouldbechemicallypureandfreefrom
contaminants or other unwanted substances. You should not, for example, use drugstore rub-
bing alcohol for cleaning electronic parts or contacts because it is not pure and could contain
water or perfumes.
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Contactcleaner/lubricants
—Thesechemicalsaresimilartothestandardcleanersbut
includealubricatingcomponent.Thelubricanteasestheforcerequiredwhenplugging
and unplugging cables and connectors, reducing strain on the devices. The lubricant
coating also acts as a conductive protectant that insulates the contacts from corrosion.
A unique type of contact enhancer and lubricant called Stabilant 22 is currently on the
market.Thischemicalgreatlyenhancestheconnectionandlubricatesthecontactpoint
and is much more effective than conventional contact cleaners or lubricants. It is es-
pecially effective on I/O slot connectors, adapter-card edge and pin connectors, disk
drive connectors, power-supply connectors, and virtually any connector in the PC.
Note
This chemical is available in several forms. Stabilant 22is the concentrated version, whereas
Stabilant 22a is a version diluted with isopropanol in a 4:1 ratio. An even more diluted
8:1-ratio version is sold in many high-end stereo and audio shops under the name Tweek.
Just 15ml of Stabilant 22a sells for about $40; a liter of the concentrate costs about $4,000!
Although expensive, only a little is required in an application. See
www.stabilant.com
for
distributors.
