CV64 card restoration

G'day to all of you! As promised, i have started this thread concerning the CV64/3D card i got from Chiark recently. Here's some pics for starters. It appears the readings i got with the multimeter on the traces are ok. The problem seems to lie on the alkali concentrated around most of the components of the board..

Fishin' chips? :D

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...alax54/CVA.jpg

Yet more of that..

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...alax54/CVB.jpg

Here's the trace that was suspect but continuity reads ok. Observe the chips pins underneath it. White residue everywhere..

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...alax54/CVC.jpg

Any suggestions as to which solvent is best suited for this job? I was thinking of doing a good clean, and once the card works(?) do the laquer thing.
Here's one i found earlier: http://www.surclean.co.uk/product.aspx?id=177&catid=2

Zetr0 swears by car screenwash with a toothbrush and it really gets the crud off.

I recommend that you neutralise the alkaline deposits with a weak solution of lemon juice or vinegar first though.

Thanks Merlin, will do. Luckily our lemon trees still have lemons :D

A good bath a recipient containing IPA (isoprolyc alcohol) will do, too.

That white "gunk" is battery leakage that goes up to the board as fumes. Or other kind of air pollution.

Sorry for the little hijack, but is it safe to use any product like vinager, the car window anti freeze stuff, whater with lemon acid, on working boards?? (i have a board that has realy nasty sticky dust on it..)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jvdbossc

Sorry for the little hijack, but is it safe to use any product like vinager, the car window anti freeze stuff, whater with lemon acid, on working boards?? (i have a board that has realy nasty sticky dust on it..)

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For that, I'd go with the IPA option first. I've cleaned loads of stuff with IPA and a paintbrush and been very successful :-)

Ok, here's what i did: 1st, i made a solution of 1/4 lemon juice and 3/4 distilled water. Good stir, then applied with a used toothbrush (yummy! :D )
After drying in sunlight, i applied some IPA again with the toothbrush. Most residue was removed. Second drying, then finally applied distilled water only. It looks clean... Although i let it dry again in sunlight, just to make sure i gave it a shot with a hair dryer (cool air). This is an aftershot

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...ax54/CV644.jpg

Now, for the RTG experts! Well, i really wanna know first of all, what can go wrong if i install it in the Draco. Reason i'm asking is that there's already an Altair, the Kasmin, and the CV would be third up. :)
Would it affect the system in anything? And what would the Autoconfig ID be by the way? Is it possible that i might see anything if i plug a monitor on it from the beginning, or would i still have to do the installation in order to get any picture?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jvdbossc

Sorry for the little hijack, but is it safe to use any product like vinager, the car window anti freeze stuff, whater with lemon acid, on working boards?? (i have a board that has realy nasty sticky dust on it..)

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@ Jurgen

"Science Bit" warning.....:readit:

Citric Acid (the main thing in lemon juice) is used extensively in the engineering industry as a metal brightener, particularly for aluminium alloys. I saw it being used to clean Magnox magnesium/aluminium alloy nuclear fuel cans at BNFL and they came out super shiny :cool:. It's also a weak acid, so it's highly unlikely to etch into the tracks to any degree. Acetic Acid (vinegar) is similar.

:thumbsup:

Had a go on the Draco today, it's a "no-go" still..
I even removed the Kasmin, same thing. Then, i removed the Altair and left the CV alone in there. Still nothing. I was hoping to at least have a report of the Autoconfig in the early startup menu, not necessarily getting a picture from the CV itself. I'll try to repeat the cleaning process tomorrow utilizing vinegar this time. If still nothing happens, i'll have a check on the oscillator.
But first, i'll give it a check by plugging it to the Panzer-tower A2000 :)

>i made a solution of 1/4 lemon juice and 3/4 distilled water

Why using distilled water ?