I hope I am putting this post in the correct place. I want to share a bit of information I have learned.
I do repairs to most all electronics and have found that water and current-carrying parts do not mix well. (DUH) If you have ever accidentally gotten some of your electronics wet, then you know what I am talking about. Water is nature's way of taking it back. Anything that gets wet has a good chance of being destroyed or rotting away. Corrosion is the problem! Corrosion will stop current in its tracks resulting in the loss of signal or power by creating a dirty resistance and then you get to watch your 1500 dollar UAV drop from the sky. The good news is water may not be as devastating to electronics as it once was.
The answer is simply to remove the corrosion but how does one do this without ruining CPUs, ram, and other chips that process information. Are you ready for it? **Ultrasonic cleaners** and **Baking Soda**
Ultrasonic cleaners are used mostly in dentist's offices to clean the tools they use in your mouth. They sterilize and clean very well. Now I know you are saying 'but you just told us that water will ruin my electronics'. Yes, water will ruin electronics if it is left on them for long periods of time without cleaning them thoroughly and ultimately resulting in corrosion. Ultrasonic cleaners use high-frequencies to cause cavitation; the violent implosion of billions of minute bubbles in the cleaning solution contained in an ultrasonic cleaner tank. The bubbles are created by transducers bonded to the bottom of the tank and excited to ultrasonic frequencies by generators. The implosion of these bubbles blasts away contaminants on the surface of parts being cleaned.
I had a friend who sunk his 3DR SOLO drone then left it sitting for over a year before asking me to fix it. I removed the main control board and ran it through my ultrasonic cleaner. I then air-dried it with low-pressure air. I reinstalled the board and he now uses his SOLO again. I have repaired many electronics that owners thought would never work again, just by cleaning the boards through my cleaner.
A couple of tips for you, if you choose to buy an ultrasonic cleaner. Buy one with a tub large enough to put a 5 inch by 10 inch PCB into. You have to cover it with a lid for it to work properly. Before you stick your board in the cleaner, use baking soda and a soft-bristle toothbrush and lightly scrub both sides of the board paying close attention to all soldering points. *DO NOT scrub too hard* You can break loose any weakened solder. I make a paste from the baking soda and use it to clean with. You should rinse off the baking soda solution before putting the board into your cleaner.
If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.
I do repairs to most all electronics and have found that water and current-carrying parts do not mix well. (DUH) If you have ever accidentally gotten some of your electronics wet, then you know what I am talking about. Water is nature's way of taking it back. Anything that gets wet has a good chance of being destroyed or rotting away. Corrosion is the problem! Corrosion will stop current in its tracks resulting in the loss of signal or power by creating a dirty resistance and then you get to watch your 1500 dollar UAV drop from the sky. The good news is water may not be as devastating to electronics as it once was.
The answer is simply to remove the corrosion but how does one do this without ruining CPUs, ram, and other chips that process information. Are you ready for it? **Ultrasonic cleaners** and **Baking Soda**
Ultrasonic cleaners are used mostly in dentist's offices to clean the tools they use in your mouth. They sterilize and clean very well. Now I know you are saying 'but you just told us that water will ruin my electronics'. Yes, water will ruin electronics if it is left on them for long periods of time without cleaning them thoroughly and ultimately resulting in corrosion. Ultrasonic cleaners use high-frequencies to cause cavitation; the violent implosion of billions of minute bubbles in the cleaning solution contained in an ultrasonic cleaner tank. The bubbles are created by transducers bonded to the bottom of the tank and excited to ultrasonic frequencies by generators. The implosion of these bubbles blasts away contaminants on the surface of parts being cleaned.
I had a friend who sunk his 3DR SOLO drone then left it sitting for over a year before asking me to fix it. I removed the main control board and ran it through my ultrasonic cleaner. I then air-dried it with low-pressure air. I reinstalled the board and he now uses his SOLO again. I have repaired many electronics that owners thought would never work again, just by cleaning the boards through my cleaner.
A couple of tips for you, if you choose to buy an ultrasonic cleaner. Buy one with a tub large enough to put a 5 inch by 10 inch PCB into. You have to cover it with a lid for it to work properly. Before you stick your board in the cleaner, use baking soda and a soft-bristle toothbrush and lightly scrub both sides of the board paying close attention to all soldering points. *DO NOT scrub too hard* You can break loose any weakened solder. I make a paste from the baking soda and use it to clean with. You should rinse off the baking soda solution before putting the board into your cleaner.
If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.
