How to wash an amplifier board?

[Ssmokeyy]

i just got a used anthem mca 30 and its dirty. I would love to clean it before i use it. What can i use to clean the circuit boards that won't hurt any f the parts? The first thing that popped up is crc qd cleaner not sure if that safe.

 

[staticV3]

Isopropyl alcohol

 

[Hatto]

Isopropyl alcohol

At least 90%

Or you can use a can of contact cleaner as a more efficient option.

Use an ultra soft toothbrush and dry for at least 24 hours before putting it back in place.

 

[Dunring]

I use 91 percent alcohol and foam swabs used for camera cleaning. Something lint free that won't leave any dust behind while picking up the dirt. Amazon has a lot of camera cleaning supplies.

 

[Ssmokeyy]

Is this what your thinking is safe https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRC-Contac...O0yEnQbxKU75vZZVMdhoCBRUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
or This

Robot or human?

 

[sergeauckland]

Extraordinary now to think that when I worked for an electronics manufacturer in the early 1970s, we used to clean all our boards in an ultrasonic Arklone bath, open to the air! But that was before we knew anything about the Ozone layer, and how effective that CFC was in destroying it. Nevertheless, as a cleaner it was effective!

S.

 

[Ssmokeyy]

I was on the phone with wd and they said there contact cleaner is save for what i want to do but give it 12 hours to be safe that its not wet anywhere.

 

[sq225917]

Deionized water and a toothbrush. Dry with compressed air. Leave for 24 hrs

 

[Blumlein 88]

Yes, that CRC will be fine for what you want. Working with an instrumentation crew once, a building was flooded. It has lots of instrumentation gear in the basement. It took many hours, but we cleaned everything with the CRC QD, and when done it all worked. The WD is likely the same cleaner.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Deionized water and a toothbrush. Dry with compressed air. Leave for 24 hrs

I've done this too, but have to say the CRC cleans better.

 

[JayGilb]

Is this what your thinking is safe https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRC-Contac...O0yEnQbxKU75vZZVMdhoCBRUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
or This

Robot or human?

Make sure it is safe on all plastic. The WD40 mentions to test it on plastics, so do not use it.

 

[OldHvyMec]

Compressed air is king, BUT to keep from blowing crap all over my work area I "VENT" vacuum first
and use the two to keep from breathing the dust. If the equipment is in for repair and oily I still use a shop vac and a
spray bottle of 90%. I had a few with blow caps. I didn't want to breath that $hit.

You never know what kind of oil they might have used in the older caps either.
It's one thing to handle PCB oils, it's another thing to inhale the hot vapors. I don't think suspending it in alcohol is much better
if you're cleaning and using compressed air to dry and clean. Vacuum is QUEEN, ay? I just got a NEW quiet(er) shop vac too. I'm
not convinced it's better though. I'll run a vacuum test after it is broken in, TOO! It just sucks to be in a vacuum!

Regards

 

[Ssmokeyy]

OLDHVYMEC Do u work on amps? If so when i open this up could i send u pictures of the main rail caps and let me know what u think of them and if i should upgrade them to something newer maybe little bigger? Also if its a job for a pro or if is beginner status?

 

[Doodski]

Deionized water and a toothbrush. Dry with compressed air. Leave for 24 hrs

OOoo compressed air can lift flatpacks right of a PCB and send them flying across the shop. Be very careful with that.

 

[Doodski]

I still use a shop vac

Danger zone for ESD sensitive stuff. The vacuum wand has tens of thousands of volts at the tip and it zaps the stuff it comes in contact with. Use a ESD safe vacuum or make sure the stuff is not ESD sensitive.

 

[Doodski]

I for many years used a long soft paintbrush and a toothbrush with isopropyl and then rinse with methyl hydrate if I want a real nice shine on everything. Let sit for a couple of days while working on other stuff and then go back to work repairing or assembling. If coke and orange juice spills that requires warm water.

 

[Ssmokeyy]

I'm not going to use vacuum. I have picked up wd-40 contact cleaner, also picking up qd contact cleaner and couple cans of compressed air. start with blowing it of than open up blow off again than take the boards out and clean. I have waited for years to be able to build my theater room. Dreamed of the day i could use a integra avr, I sell and install anthem gear so i get to play with it but that doesn't mean i have the money to buy it for my self so picking up this mca 30 amp im over the moon. It should pair nice with the drx 8.4.

 

[SIY]

I can personally attest to this stuff (since this came out of my product development group).

 

[Doodski]

I'm not going to use vacuum. I have picked up wd-40 contact cleaner, also picking up qd contact cleaner and couple cans of compressed air. start with blowing it of than open up blow off again than take the boards out and clean. I have waited for years to be able to build my theater room. Dreamed of the day i could use a integra avr, I sell and install anthem gear so i get to play with it but that doesn't mean i have the money to buy it for my self so picking up this mca 30 amp im over the moon. It should pair nice with the drx 8.4.

What is the WD40 for?

 

[Ssmokeyy]

its wd-40 contact cleaner wd is just the brand