cleaning up after old NiCds

From: Dwight K. Elvey <dwight.elvey_at_amd.com>
Date: Wed Jul 7 19:36:29 2004

Hi
 Beside the limeaway, also put the board in a bath of
vinegar ( white distilled ) and water ( 50-50 ) for about
20 minutes. The potassium hydroxide soaks into the fiberglass
boards and will pop out again. Vinegar is one of those
acids that forms a vapor and can get inside of things.
This is also good because it will eventually evaporate.
When mounting new NiCads, put them in a plastic bag and
run single strand insulated wires from the battery to the
board ( you noticed how it went right through multi-strand
wire ).
 We have this same problem in pinball machines. Also
replace any sockets that might be suspect and any dip
switches that are near.
Dwight



>From: "Joe R." <rigdonj_at_cfl.rr.com>
>
> It's causes by the Potassium Hydroxide electrolyte leaking out of the
>NiCads batteries. It forms a complex copper salt hence the greenish color.
>I've found that full strength Lime-Away will dissolve it. Use the liquid
>stuff, NOT THE GELL, put it on and leave it for a few minutes then brush it
>off with an old toothbrush while rinsing it under water. Dry well. Next
>time throw those old NiCads out and don't zap them to try and reuse them.
>When they start to fail it's time to get rid of them. If you don't they'll
>start leaking.
>
> Joe
>
>
>
>At 11:54 PM 7/6/04 +0100, you wrote:
>>Hiya all
>>I've a number of boards (old PC motherboards, VAXen bulkhead panels /
>>planars) where the NiCds have 'leaked', covering areas of PCB and
>>metalwork / screws with a greyish 'corrosion'. What is this, and how
>>does one clear the boards / metalwork to get rid of it and return to
>>nice & clean? On the VAX TOY batteries, the corrosion seems to have
>>followed one battery wire (black, -ve) to the molex connector,
>>corroding / coating that, and then spreading across the boards...
>>
>>ta
>>greg
>>
>>
>>
>
Received on Wed Jul 07 2004 - 19:36:29 BST