Hi folks, I got this baby AT (quite pretty I must say) that came with severe damage from a leaked battery. It came almost clean and I further cleaned it up (dessoldered din to remove left over leak residue). There is some blue ink hue, as I initially thought it was a good idea to cover the copper with a permanent marker (oops).
Is it alright to leave bare copper exposed? Should I apply some sort of conformal coating?
I use UV curable solder mask. Paint it on, then shine a UV flashlight at it for a minute or two.
wiretap wrote on 2022-01-06, 17:54:I use UV curable solder mask. Paint it on, then shine a UV flashlight at it for a minute or two.
Same. Search for “conformal coating” to purchase it 😀
Is varnish/lacquer/non-breathable paint a bad idea? I figure anything that stops oxygen getting to the copper and making it look like a copper roof. Proper solder mask probably has higher temperature stability and better flexibility to allow soldering without burning/melting or cracking.
Thank you folks! I've just purchased the UV solder mask stuff (UVH900). Once I apply it in the board (after a little more cleaning) I will post an update here.
paradigital wrote on 2022-01-06, 18:39:wiretap wrote on 2022-01-06, 17:54:I use UV curable solder mask. Paint it on, then shine a UV flashlight at it for a minute or two.
Same. Search for “conformal coating” to purchase it 😀
Solder mask and conformal coating are two different things. Conformal coating goes over the top of the solder mask and components to protect the board in harsh environments (i.e. moisture/chemicals). There are several different types of conformal coating too -- some are pretty nasty and contain carcinogens.
