I worked in microwave R&D from 1997 to 2003 when I retired.from industry.
Never saw water flux at any of those companies.
I still have a little plastic bottle with a hollow SS tip that holds the
liquid flux. I use it to this day and wouldnt have any need to change what
works just fine. A spray bottle of rapid dry flux remover and a bit of
compressed air does a perfect cleanup, even at 75 Ghz.
I shudder to just think of using water wash on anything were it could get
into circuitry and be unable to wash it out. For a similar reason acid or
very aggressive alkaline dipping of antique car bodies is shunned by
knowledagble restorers. It is impossible to thoroughly clean and neutralize
the acid/alkaline.
Carl
KM1H
----- Original Message -----
From: "STEVEN & NANCY FRAASCH" <sjfraasch@embarqmail.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 12:18 PM
Subject: [Amps] Fwd: Weighing In On Solder Water Wash Flux
> Bill:
>
> You are using minute amounts of water-wash flux (it is quite benign).
> Rosin does not work nearly as well, and no assembler uses it. All
> industry has gone water-wash flush, whether the work is lead or lead-free.
>
> Try it and you'll see the difference immediately.
>
> There is no issue with "leaving flux." That is why it is washed or wiped.
> None whatsoever.
>
> Steve
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill Fuqua" <wlfuqu00@uky.edu>
> To: "STEVEN & NANCY FRAASCH" <sjfraasch@embarqmail.com>,
> amps@contesting.com
> Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:57:54 AM (GMT-0600) America/Chicago
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Weighing In On Solder Water Wash Flux
>
> Water soluble fluxes are acid. They have come about due to the industry
> wanting to clean circuit boards with water and not organic solvents.
> Disposing of large quantities of organic solvents is a real problem. Along
> with that is the fact that once you start using water you want send it
> down
> the drain. Now, it is not good to flush acid and lead oxides down the
> drain
> so they have to use lead-free solders and balance the pH of the water.
> For
> non-production work it is much easier to use a rosin flux which mostly
> vaporizes during the soldering process and can easily be cleaned using a
> household solvent if needed. Leaving even a small amount of acid flux on
> an
> connection can come back and haunt you later.
>
> 73
> Bill wa4lav
>
>
>
> At 09:53 AM 7/11/2007 -0400, STEVEN & NANCY FRAASCH wrote:
>>Perhaps I became too boisterous about water-wash flux, but let's face it,
>>not too many of us are passionate about good soldering.Ã I do a lot of
>>it, and I have found the water-wash flux to give the best results.Ã I use
>>it on everything (see warning below).Ã I am obviosly passionate about it
>>!Ã It has a HUGE advantage in allowing the user to apply minimum
>>temperature and dwell, because it does a beautiful job removing dirt and
>>oxide.Ã For example, if you solder outside in the winter like I do, you
>>will do beautifully well with a 45 watt pencil in 0 deg F weather, whereas
>>you might be inclined to take a propane torch.Ã The water wash flux will
>>make that much difference. You do need to wash, or wipe with a wet cloth;
>>otherwise, corrosion will start (like on car battery terminals).Ã As long
>>as you wash, there is no issue.Ã I wash whole boards at home under
>>running water.Ã I did this with W9RE's, W0NCL's and my IC-781
>>boards.Ã Just blow dry them off. Water-wash flux is aggressive, hence the
>>need to wash.Ã I would advise against water-wash flux on objects that
>>could trap flux.Ã For example, I would not water-wash flux RG8 braid
>>going into a PL259 (I never solder braid on PL259s; never had a
>>problem).Ã I do however, water-wash flux the center terminal. I guarantee
>>that using the water-wash flux will make a tremendous difference in your
>>soldering results. 73, Steve, K0SF
>>_______________________________________________ Amps mailing list
>>Amps@contesting.com http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>
>
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