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From:
Robert Kondner <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:04:24 -0400
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Ethyl  Alcohol =  Ethanol   ???

Bob K.

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Goodyear, Patrick
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 12:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes

Denatured will leave behind a residue, we use punctilious 200 proof Ethyl
(not ethanol) no residue whatsoever and will evaporate in seconds.   The
spray de-fluxers draw moisture when they condense on the boards, the 200
proof absorbs moisture.   Our environment is at 70-80% humidity so it helps
to keep the boards dry.   
I learned this trick in uncle sam's yacht and canoe club 30+ years ago, it
was the only alcohol allowed on submarines, the doc kept it under lock and
key.  

Pat  

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karen Tellefsen
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 9:26 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes

Food grade is 190 proof (95%) as it has to be distilled with water.  99%
ethanol must be distilled with another, less savory solvent, like benzene.
Why is food grade better than than denatured ethanol as a cleaner?  Some of
the denaturants are fairly harmless, like IPA.

Karen Tellefsen - Electrical Testing
[log in to unmask]
908-791-3069



                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
   Re: [TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes                                   
                                                                            
                                                                            
   Goodyear, Patrick                                                        
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                                                        10/31/2011 10:44 AM 
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
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          TechNet <[log in to unmask]>                                         
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I use alcohol on a regular basis to clean fluxes, but it is NOT IPA, I use
only pure Ethyl "grain" alcohol undenatured 200 proof (this stuff is food
grade) It can be a little expensive and you have to pay the state and
federal taxes on it, but as a cleaner it is fantastic.   There a very few
problems with it, it will craze some polycarbonates but one just has to be
careful.   The other drawback is you have to use it in a VERY WELL
VENTILATED room as you will not be able to drive after you use it in an
enclosed area for a prolonged period, you may not even be able to walk.

pat

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ioan Tempea
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2011 9:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes

Technos,



Once again, thanks for the inputs. The funny part is, it seems that RMAs are
still in demand in my corner of the planet, which is, guess what, the home
of the Montreal protocol.



BTW, the alcohol cleaning of the RMA is something that was humming around my
brain, as I was sure having heard somewhere that this is the solvent for RMA
residues. Good thing I've asked.

While you folks were considering my question, I've looked up RMA in Wassink
and B. N. Ellis and MacLeod Ross' books, with not much success in finding
specific cleaning methods, so it became kinda clear for me that this type of
flux is not different from the rest, cleaning wise.



Anyways, I shalt get ready for the challenge.



Best regards,



Ioan Tempea, ing.
Ingénieur Principal de Fabrication / Senior Manufacturing Engineer T |
450.967.7100 ext.244 E | [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> W |
www.digico.cc <http://www.digico.cc/>


 N'imprimer que si nécessaire - Print only if you must



De : [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Envoyé : October-28-11 12:28 PM
À : TechNet E-Mail Forum; Ioan Tempea
Objet : Re: [TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes




Ioan,
You have gotten a lot of good answers to the question so far and I will chip
in my two cents worth.

Technically, there is no such thing as an RMA flux anymore, though the term
continues in use.  RMA, Rosin Mildly Activated, was a flux terminology from
the good old days of MIL-F-14256, the military flux specification.  It was
cancelled in 1995 and directed people to J-STD-004, the current predominant
flux specification in the industry.  The older rosin flux formulations that
were termed RMAs, translated into ROL0, ROL1, or ROM0, depending on the flux
and who you ask.  RMA fluxes are still available, though as the market
shrinks for these, they are becoming more expensive, which encourages users
to transition to something more modern.

Most people still using "RMA" flux are using the 15% solids, which is still
pretty high, compared to low residue fluxes or water soluble fluxes.  Which
means there is a significant amount of flux to clean off compared to other
fluxes.

Isopropyl alcohol sucks as a cleaner, at least in my opinion.  People want
to use it because it is cheap, available almost everywhere, does not impact
industrial emissions much depending on where you are in the world, and is
not  a health hazard, if you don't get too wrapped around the axle over
flammability.  No way, no how would I ever want to clean an RMA flux with
alcohol alone.  Does not work reliably.

In my experience, high solids rosin fluxes tend to be OK if you leave them
alone, or if you totally remove them.  If you "kind of" remove them, you
have a great deal of problems.  You remove the encapsulating effect of the
rosin (which you want), but you free up the activators to cause havoc (which
you don't want).  In my view, you want a really effective heated saponifier
in an in-line aqueous cleaner, with a thorough heated deionized water rinse.

Doug Pauls



Ioan Tempea <[log in to unmask]>
Sent by: TechNet <[log in to unmask]>

10/28/2011 08:07 AM

Please respond to
TechNet E-Mail Forum <[log in to unmask]>; Please respond to
Ioan Tempea        <[log in to unmask]>

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Subject

[TN] Rookie question on RMA fluxes








Dear Technos,



Although I've been around in this trade of ours for quite a while now, I
have never had the occasion to work with RMA fluxes. I need to know how this
functions. How can RMA be cleaned, I've heard about alcohol...? Is regular
aqueous wash enough? If alcohol only, do we need a special equipment?
Anything else to know?

And, anyways, are RMA fluxes still available?



Also, I imagine most of you at ease with RMA have tried to talk your
customers into converting to water soluble flux chemistries. How hard was
that? Is it possible?



Thanks,



Ioan Tempea, ing.
Ingénieur Principal de Fabrication / Senior Manufacturing Engineer T |
450.967.7100 ext.244 E | [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> W |
www.digico.cc <http://www.digico.cc/>


N'imprimer que si nécessaire - Print only if you must


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