Subject: board washing
To: None <port-sparc@netbsd.org>
From: Aaron J. Grier <agrier@poofygoof.com>
List: port-sparc
Date: 09/06/2002 10:34:37
On Mon, Sep 02, 2002 at 10:25:21AM +0200, der Mouse wrote:

> Well, I'd fear that because (a) if the water is more than very fine
> droplets, it will likely be moving at high speed, high enough to crack
> delicate things if it hits wrong,

we wash both surface mount and through-hole boards at work.  any
delicate parts (or parts that can't go through the wash) are hand-added
and after the wash.

> and (b) the water will probably be carrying contaminants, quite
> possibly contaminants sufficiently conductive to disturb the
> electronics.

you definitely need clean water or other solvent.

> Most of the inputs on a modern computer are very high-impedance, and
> while the drivers are usually low-impedance, I don't trust them to be
> all that robust.  Of course, if you avoid bulk water, and wash it all
> off with _clean_ water afterwards....

right.  while it's fine to wash boards by machine in production, but I
don't know if I'd do it to a finished board.  hand-scrubbing for me.  :)

-- 
  Aaron J. Grier | "Not your ordinary poofy goof." | agrier@poofygoof.com
    "i'm convinced that the cray cabinet has an outlet for plugging in
    welding attachments."  --  Skeezics Boondoggle, on the cray CS6400