Phil are you looking for an aerosol method or do you desire to set up a soak
station or something similar?
Brian's remarks are spot on. I was at a facility where they use heptane in
spray cans and within 2 minutes of being in the area I was looking for the
exit.

Feel free to contact me off-list to discuss other solvent options.

Best regards,

Charlie

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phil Nutting
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 7:07 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Using heptane for cleaning

Brian, Inge and Rudy,

It was recommended by a consultant for cleaning our mineral oil dielectric
covered boards and assemblies.  I had suspected is was on the "not desirable
" list but wanted to confirm it.  We have been having trouble with  the
quality of the oil.  I strongly suspect it was the IPA used to submerge wash
parts prior to assembly with a very short period of time to flash off the
IPA.  A dielectric test of the oil with 1% IPA added as a contaminant
dropped the dielectric value by over 60%. Yikes!  We are looking at a
revision to our process.  IPA is gone.

I knew from previous posts that IPA was not the best product for cleaning.
I just couldn't convince the curmudgeons who have been using it for 30+
years that it was giving them a false sense of security.

Thanks for your wisdom.  Maybe with this info I can keep heptane out of the
process and facility better than the IPA.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brian Ellis
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 3:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Using heptane for cleaning

For cleaning WHAT? Excellent degreaser but pretty hopeless for flux 
residues. I presume you mean n-heptane (there are several isomers). 
Flash point of ~-2°C and highly volatile. It requires a concentration of 
only about 1% in air to form an explosive mixture (it is possible that 
heptane was used as part of the aerosol mixture used in the new Russian 
"father of all bombs"). It is toxic and sufficiently persistent to be 
declared dangerous for the environment, especially in aqueous media. It 
has a whole host of risk and safety phrases under EU legislation.

Not recommended.

Brian

Phil Nutting wrote:
> Is anyone using heptane for cleaning?  If so, what personal protection
> systems have you put in place?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Phil Nutting
> 
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