General PCB care and storage thread

[CIT]

Just thought this might make a good thread for a variety of topics relating to PCB care.

Here's an excellent link Stefan L posted, on how to clean PCBs:

http://uncletom.hobby-site.com/technical/pcb_care/

Washing a PCB with water and detergent definitely seems scary but I guess it really does work best.

I was too scared to do it, and painstakingly cleaned a whole PCB using Q-tips once. Took forever, and didn't even work out too well.

If anybody has any other tips or links feel free to post them.


I'll start with a question, where can you get PCB-spacers for double-decker PCBs?

[D]

Is it just me who is terrified to put pcbs under water?
jezus, I never expected this.
What kind of tip is that. How to clean a pcb. Just clean it like you would clean your plates.

[zinger]

I'm curious whether dusty / dirty PCB's degenerate or break faster than clean ones? Any practical reasons to PCB cleaning besides the fresh look?

This is how I store my games. Each PCB wrapped in one layer of bubblewrap, stacked in boxes.



I have my cabinet floor padded with bubblewrap and simply put my boards on that after unwrapping them, when in use. Should be okay I think, I simply don't have the patience to screw each board onto the cabinet wall when I wan't to play something else. Like this:

[D]

This is how I store my games. Each PCB wrapped in one layer of bubblewrap, stacked in boxes.
I have my cabinet floor padded with bubblewrap and simply put my boards on that after unwrapping them, when in use. Should be okay I think, I simply don't have the patience to screw each board onto the cabinet wall when I wan't to play something else.

I too store my pcb's that way although I store them in big plastic storage boxes with lockable lids. That bubblewrap in cabinet idea is not that bad at all.

[Stefan_L]

I'm curious whether dusty / dirty PCB's degenerate or break faster than clean ones? Any practical reasons to PCB cleaning besides the fresh look?

Judging by your pics you should be more worried about static electricity, but if your supply of antistatic bags is low please priority your Namco Na-1/NA-2 PCB's if you have any... they are supersensitive to static electricity, the following games use those PCB's:

Knuckle Heads
Nettou! Gekitou! Quiztou!! / Quiz Island
Numan Athletics
X-Day 2
Bakuretsu Quiz Ma-Q Dai Bouken
Cosmo Gang the Puzzle
Emeraldia
Exvania
F/A / Fighter & Attacker
Super World Court
Tinkle Pit

[zinger]

What's a good place to get antistatic bags? How do you store your boards? What about my 'cabinet solution'?

[Stefan_L]

I don't have enough antistatic bags or antistatic bubblewrap for my PCB's.. i use what i have for my "expensive" or "rare" games, i'm planning on getting bags for all games but i usually spend my money on getting more PCB's

Your cabinet solution looks fine, just remove the bubblewrap underneath it

[theevilfunkster]

Any good stationary store should sell anti static bags or bubble wrap, Staples in the UK sells the bubble wrap on a massive roll.

[Michaelm]

Been looking into antistatic bubblewrap too lately.
100cm wide on a roll of 100m for 55 euro shipped.
But where do I stack all the bubblewrap I don't need immediatly ?!?

[dpful]

I make shelves out of wood with lots of slats, then screw the pcbs to the slats. It freaks me out to have any movement from handling the boards, all those squeeking chips. I also keep them mounted vertically (on their sides) so the harness deosn't put stress on them when it's hanging on them.

[Brian]

I put all my PCBs into anti-static bags and then I simply put them into those USPS Priority mail boxes. Those boxes tend to be the perfect size for practically all PCBs. I then just write with a marker what the game is on the USPS box.

I am a little paranoid about them, but my buddy runs an arcade shop and he keeps his PCBs like absolute crap. He has them all over the place in a warehouse. I have never seem him take a PCB from the shelf and have it not work. So, in reality, we are all just paranoid.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Eventually, all arcade PCBs will go the way of "planned obsolesence" (as with all 'modern-day' electronics these days)...

So treat them with utmost respect and care + observe the anti-static general rule of thumb -- wear an "anti-static" wristband when handling such rare & expensive arcade Jamma PCBs (it's just plain good ol' common sense when dealing with electronics in general)..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[zakk]

You can find anti-static bags on ebay, there's usually people selling lots of multiple sizes and such for cheap. I bought a bunch a few years ago and I've still not run out.

[CIT]

Here's an excellent link Stefan L posted, on how to clean PCBs:

http://uncletom.hobby-site.com/technical/pcb_care/

Washing a PCB with water and detergent definitely seems scary but I guess it really does work best.

I was too scared to do it, and painstakingly cleaned a whole PCB using Q-tips once. Took forever, and didn't even work out too well.

I recently bought a Super Famicom game (Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventure) that was all sticky from Coke or something and unfortunately didn't work either, so I opened it and tried cleaning the PCB with the method above as a kind of test/practice.

Works absolutely terrific now! I don't think I'd be afraid to do it with an arcade PCB now anymore. ^^

[borg07of09]

ebay sells them but they dont seem to be that cheap to me.