LogFAQs > #973454374

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


To double up, I'm an electrical engineer. I went to school for this. I do failure analysis with circuit boards that have water on them.
It's fine.

Yellow posted...

Or maybe, and hear me out, I googled it, multiple sources are telling me that you have to use 90% or higher for obvious reasons, and now you're just being annoying so I'm going to keep rubbing it in your face because it's fun.

https://ecolink.com/info/isopropyl-alcohol-as-an-electronics-cleaner/#:~:text=I PA%2099%25%20is%20safe%20and,use%20the%20purest%20IPA%20available.

https://www.ifixit.com/News/36877/ask-ifixit-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-isopropyl- alcohol#:~:text=Can%20I%20Use%20It%20to,it%20onto%20circuits%20or%20wires.

You thinking that your personally using it and nothing bad happening means it's fine is like me mixing 10% dirt into my cooking and thinking it's fine because nothing bad happened.

You are free to use isopropyl, it will not hurt it, so long as you don't turn it on while the liquid is on the circuit. Because it will corrode. Like water.

It may be even better in professional settings where you're being super careful and wanting 99.99% accuracy and repeatablity. But this isn't a professional setting, you don't need to hold yourself to professional standards if you're just doing it once to one thing at home.

Additionally. Do not automatically trust a source saying you need their product. Those first two links you gave, are selling isopropyl. Of course they're saying you need their product.

The iFixit article, right after the bit you googled:

Theres enough water in that lower-grade stuff that it will take longer to evaporate, and may leave behind trace impurities from the water when youre finished.

That doesn't mean shit.

If you want counter-articles:
https://act-repair.com/can-i-wash-an-unplugged-circuit-board-in-soap-and-water-to-clean-it/

Many components on a circuit board are sealed, so would be ok for a quick wash. But some components are very sensitive to moisture, and washing those could lead to a catastrophic failure. Such as a relay, switch, or transformer; these generally are not sealed or are sealed poorly. Water in them could spell disaster not only for that component, but for the entire board.

(Note, this doesn't have any of those)

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/141296

It's fine.