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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] What's left Behind?-Was-Radio Shack Solder Paste-Re: Plumber's Paste

From: "Stefan Trethan" <stefan_trethan@...>
Date: 2006-05-18

On Thu, 18 May 2006 01:18:49 +0200, kilocycles <kilocycles@...>
wrote:

>
> I guess my question is, what's left behind after isopropanol cleanup
> in the use of these pastes (Radio Shack or Oatey plumbing paste), and
> is it mixed in with the solder layer such that corrosion will occur
> after soldering the components with 63-37 tin-lead rosin-based solder?
> Regards,
> Ted


If you wash the board well it will be fine.
These plumbing fluxes are usually all water-soluble so they are washed
away quickly inside the pipes, and are easy to clean outside the pipes
with a moist rag.
I would wash the board in the sink with water and detergent rather than
IPA, ought to be more effective.

Since the metallic tinning should not contain any gaps or pockets where
flux may remain there should be no flux that is trapped, and it isn't
mixed in with the solder either.


ST