The dangers of IPA

[rubber_jonnie]

The Coder is a Youtube channel I sometimes watch as there as I've managed to pick up some useful tips over the years.

One of the reasons I like the channel is because he will often admit defeat and show the repair process warts and all.

This video is a good example: Watch from 51 minutes in...

Not only does he have an IPA related incident, he also concludes the PS5 he's working on is unfixable in a reasonable timeframe.

It's always good to see failure as well as success, and it is a warning to take care in what we do, especially since we often use chemicals that whilst seemingly inert, can be dangerous to use.

My conclusion would be that the heat resistant mat he's using, whilst wiped dry, had some IPA left in the weave, plus some on the motherboard, and that was enough to be set off by a spark from his probe whilst doing voltage injection.

Stay safe out there in 2026 folks.

[HigashiJun]

:o

[exxos]

I hate IPA TBH.. been saying it for years, but it just leaves crusty solder joints that get worse over time, and your can't reflow them easily as its gone crusty. I keep having to clean up boards where people soak them in IPA to clean them, its making things all harder than it needs to be :(

Problem is, nobody believes me ! "everyone" uses IPA and "its fine" to them. For me its a total nightmare and TBH should be banned from peoples toolkits. Proper ultrasonic cleaning solutions are best.

[rubber_jonnie]

I hate IPA TBH.. been saying it for years, but it just leaves crusty solder joints that get worse over time, and your can't reflow them easily as its gone crusty. I keep having to clean up boards where people soak them in IPA to clean them, its making things all harder than it needs to be :(

Problem is, nobody believes me ! "everyone" uses IPA and "its fine" to them. For me its a total nightmare and TBH should be banned from peoples toolkits. Proper ultrasonic cleaning solutions are best.

I wouldn't use it in an ultrasonic, just general cleaning for stuff like flux etc with a brush. Works great for me in that scenario. However I work on a silicone rubber mat, so you can easily see if any IPA remains. Looks like his mat may have become a bit absorbent and acted like a wick.

I'm fairly sure that you can get good quality electronic specific ultrasonic cleaning fluid, though mine is way too small for any large boards to go in.

[peters]

I wonder if the 10A is going through the mat ?

[rubber_jonnie]

I wonder if the 10A is going through the mat ?

Makes you wonder for sure...

Earlier in the video he's injecting 1v at a much lower amperage (1A or less I think) and he got a spark out of that, which I think was foreshadowing...

Something definitely shorted in that board, my money would be on something internal.

[tOriman]

Hi all :)

Haha - what a surprise! I had a similar fire, but with a wall switch that I tried to clean with IPA. Fire on the wall. LOL.

Btw:
I highly recommend using pure white spirit (extraction gasoline) to wash PCBs. No water, no dirt, no side effects, very quick drying, light and quickly evaporating vapors. Of course you have to avoid fire and sparks. I usually clean the boards in a container using a simple brush with long hair and a 10ccm syringe, which helps to wash the flux out from under the chips with a strong stream. Try it and you will see how well it works. I don't use IPA anymore unless I really need it.

exxos hates IPAs. I don't love it too...

Cheers
tOri

[rubber_jonnie]

Hi all :)

Haha - what a surprise! I had a similar fire, but with a wall switch that I tried to clean with IPA. Fire on the wall. LOL.

Cheers
tOri

Yikes!

😮

[tOriman]

Easy...

It wasn't as bad as in this video :D

tOri

[rubber_jonnie]

Easy...

It wasn't as bad as in this video :D

tOri

Glad to hear it!!!

I did a little test in a safe environment with a metal dish and some IPA. The stuff burns really hot thats for sure.