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Cleaning up PCB's& Megasquirt
Blackbird Rush - 11/10/09 at 03:26 PM

Following my thread regarding the problem i had with my megasquirt...

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I now have a working fuel pump feed (swapped the transistor for a new one) running on the stimulater anyway.

Next is to work through the settings and tune it to my install, but first i wanted to clean up the flux residue on the PCB, bought a can of maplin PCB flux residue cleaner (does what is says on the tin - i think not!) which has not done a great job of cleaning up the pcb leaving a worse residue on there than before!

Whats a good product/process to clean up the PCB before i refit it back into the car?

Ash


big-vee-twin - 11/10/09 at 03:56 PM

Think you may need to trigger a relay with the transistor, to feed power to the pump not directly or it will burn out.

Flux sticks quite well so you may need to scrape it off where it crosses two tracks but otherwise wouldn't bother


02GF74 - 11/10/09 at 04:09 PM

depends on the resin - I am sure I have use paraffin (or maybe petrol) and a tooth brush to clean off resin.

I still use the lead based solder and it works for that; dunno about the new lead-free solder resin.

make sure board is dry before poweing up; in any case, the resin is just cosmetic, should not affect performance of the board.

and listen to ^^^^^ - you cannot drive the pump form that transistor - use a relay.


Blackbird Rush - 11/10/09 at 04:42 PM

Yes there is a relay, OK if removing the flux is not that important then i'll leave as is .......


mark chandler - 11/10/09 at 04:57 PM

methelated spirits and a tooth brush for me, then washed in warm soapy water.

You want to get the flux off


iank - 11/10/09 at 05:30 PM

Depending on the flux you may need to get it off as some are corrosive.

Farnell (and almost certainly RS) sell a large range of different flux cleaners, id try meths on a cotton bud first (small inconspicuous area etc.)

Once it's all working I'd consider getting a can of conformal coating to protect it against moisture.


Blackbird Rush - 11/10/09 at 06:10 PM

I'll pick up some meths tomorrow whilst i'm out & about then....

Cheers

Ash


Confused but excited. - 11/10/09 at 06:50 PM

Best thing that I have used is a glass fibre brush. It looks like a fat propelling pencil.
Bought it from RS Components years ago. As the glass wears down you just push more out.


stevebubs - 11/10/09 at 07:43 PM

pop into maplins and get some spray flux cleaner....


Brommers - 20/10/09 at 08:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
pop into maplins and get some spray flux cleaner....


OP said 'bought a can of maplin PCB flux residue cleaner (does what is says on the tin - i think not!) which has not done a great job of cleaning up the pcb'.

These days I tend to use brake cleaner solvent from a spray can for pretty much all solvent-related activity. It's effective and cheap (£1 from the local pikey shop) and hasn't dissolved any PCBs so far. However, it does dissolve powdercoating...