Name: Larry Smith Date: November 3, 2004 at 23:37:20 Pacific Subject: Cleaning A Motherboard OS: 98Se CPU/Ram: 512
Comment:
Can you suggest a better way?
This is how I clean a motherboard. I take the motherboard out of the computer case, disconnect all wires. I then inspect the motherboard for any parts that might be affected by water or a heat gun. I remove all memory, CPU and any fans. If the parts appear to be water resistant I then take the battery out, this assures me there is no current on the board. The next step is to take the board, hold it over the wash tub and with a cool water gentle spray, I spray off the crud. This only takes about 30 seconds. Then I take Scrubbing Bubbles(tm) and spray the board on both sides. I wait about 30 seconds to a minute, hold the board over the wash tub and give it a warm water gentle spray rinse. Next I take the board and hold it securely and fling the heavy droplets off. I then go to my workbench and with a hair dryer on high procede to dry the board, I keep the hair dryer moving and watch the water evaporate. I then give the board another gravity fling to dislodge any remaining droplets that are stuck in the memory, CPU socket and ISA slots. One more time I take the hair dryer to it. When it appears dry I set it to the side for several days. When I feel that all water is evaporated. I then assemble the board and I am good to go. Can you come up with a better way?
Now that's quite original !!!, if I was you I'd patent that routine, but on the contrary I take that back, no one is even going to try to steal it.
The farthest I think I'll go is maybe blast it with a powerful leaf blower, no way am I going to get moisture near any of my computer components..."knock on wood"
Leave everything in place. Take a camel hair brush and brush out the crap. Far less chance of damaging anything.
Anything else is overkill and completely unnecessary. Unless you used distilled water, you run that chance of leaving impurities behind from the water when it dries, thus causing short circuits.
Besides, who wants to have their computer out of commission for several days while it dries out.
"Unless you used distilled water, you run that chance of leaving impurities behind from the water when it dries, thus causing short circuits." Heed those words very closely Larry. You are doing more possible damage than good. Follow sabertooth's and stuart's advice.
You can also use compressed air to blow off the water then do the hair dryer. Or you can place the motherboard in an oven for drying. 20 minutes at 120 degrees.
I don't know why you would want to do this, but if you must, Use only DI or distilled water. I would use compressed air instead of shaking board. Also a cheap convection oven set at 120F works well for drying.
I don't know about putting a motherboard in an oven at 120F. Although the CPU can withstand those kind of temperatures, I'm not so sure about other components like capacitors and resistors.
Some time ago I had a computer, a 386, that ran almost continuously for around six years and a less than perfect environment.
After six years it was taken out of commission. On dissembling it, most of the chips on the motherboard were covered in dust to the extent that the pins where completely hidden - yet the computer still worked perfectly.
Taking a motherboard out and washing it is not only pointless, it can damage it.
This is the method that I use. Blowing around contaminated dust with compressed air is not safe to your health considering the dusty and sometimes sticky crud that is found on motherboards, fan units and heatsinks
If you don't feel safe drying the unit at 120 degrees in a gas oven (never use a microwave) lower the temperature and time, 110 degrees for 10 minutes.
As for distilled water--not necessary-- even if you suck well. water from the ground.
"Blowing around contaminated dust with compressed air is not safe to your health considering the dusty and sometimes sticky crud that is found on motherboards, fan units and heatsinks"
Well, if that dust is contaminated, you wouldn't want to add it to the water table either. Carry the rig outside, put a dust mask on and blow away. While you're outside, look up at the air you breathe every day...not very healthy either.
Hey Larry, I was not serious about the microwave. BTW the dust you are blowing out is coming from the very air that you breathe (just a collection of it). AS FOR "As for distilled water--not necessary-- even if you suck well. water from the ground" then I ask you why do all the electronic manufacturers use DI water for cleansing? Oh I know because it's more costly to de-ionize water right? As for you if you want to keep doing what you are, just get a dehumidifyer. It's better than tap water. Far be it from us to tell you what to do with your equipment, but you did ask.
I use a standard floor vacume with a series of shrinking hoses and finaly a straw and a hand full of cutips. I do this once a month on 3 computers the oldest is 9 years old. I had never seen the inside of a computer before when I had to replace a modem in a 3 year old comp. Boy was it filthy. It's been clean since!
if you must go the liquid method maybe you should try 99% rubbing alcohol instead of water it is a lot more pure and it evaporates literally in seconds literally you can watch it evaporate before your eyes i use it to clean the gunk off processors, heatsinks, mouse/keyboard and the dust off of the pcb of my vid card
I used to do that using video clean (spray) it is safe & work fine for elctonic ciruit ,and get dray quick,its used in repiar shops, iam wonder why no one talk about, watting your comment
for heaven's sake this Larry Smith is not serious. Or is he????
seems like this dude will be laughing his ALL off reading the responses. I dont think ANYBODY would do THAT??
Wash a motherboard?? what the ****? Request the mods not to remove this thread...am going to bookmark this and show this to my grand children... ps: am only 21 and not married yet.
I think he is Kailas. I would really like to know what he hopes to achieve by it.
I can understand anyone washing their car, there is a purpose behind that. But washing a motherboard! Its not going to make it work better, its not going to make it go faster or last longer. In fact the only thing that its likely to achieve is to shorten its life - but at least it will be a shiny one.
Take note (Larry) that wizard Fred's first link is to remove contaminants caused during the initial build.
A quote from second link "Cleaning is an enabling process step in several electronic assembly production processes. Circuit assembly cleaning removes contaminants generated during the finishing process and aids assembly production by increasing yields."
Use air and a breathing mask as previously mentioned by someone.
