Ed,
the water should be tested every week (if it is large production).  Particles, Becteria, (I believe there is a water test spec.  in the industry) etc.  For applicaiton like the one you have, you may have to install the filter system right before the cleaning tank.  UV may kill some, make sure you have no shadows... you still need to get rid of the "dead body" bacteria, otherwise, you may end up some "flowers"...
Good luck for Gardening using PWB...
                                                                  jk
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Ed Popielarski
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 2:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Bacteria

Hi 'netters,
 
I have a client that is building extremely high impedance low voltage assemblies (counting electrons from a photomultiplier type circuit) that recently are failing test due to "leakage" They are running water soluble flux with an SMT type aqueous cleaner fed by closed loop D.I. water 1Meg/cm3 or better. Dynamic Ion testing shows very good results. They ran a culture and found very high bacteria counts, well beyond fed drinking water standards.Subsequent cleaning at the end user site (conditions unknown at this time) seems to resolve the failures. I suggested UV sterilization (not too expensive/risky) and also to verify "under soldermask" cleanliness as well as "localized" contamination sites which "average" into the overall assembly.
 
My question is if anyone has had any electrical failures due to bacteria in the rinse water and what solution(s) were successful. Any other suggestions or suspicions would be appreciated.
 
 
Regards,
 
Ed Popielarski
QTA Machine
10 Mc Laren, Ste D
Irvine, Ca. 92618
 
Phone:949-581-6601
Fax: 949-581-2448
Cel: 949-337-2578
 
WWW.QTA.NET
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