Homebrew PCBs

--- Ron AmAmundsonroronmamundsonohotmailom> wrote:
> Here is yet another approach. Volatile corrosion
> inhibitors. We'veveried
> them in nasty outdoor environments and they are just
> amazing. The only
> disadvantage is life span. However in extremely
> nasty environments such as
> Minnesota winters, they do really well and allow for
> extended service life.

Using a disposable brush, coat the board in 1 hour
epoxy. The coat does not have to be that thick: You
just cover the board (And the parts on the board if
you want to) in a thin coat. After it dries, it's
water proof, impervious to most chemicals including
most hydrocarbon based solvents (Including most acids,
most strong bases and gasoline) and it has a service
life somewhere between 7 to 10 years in reridiculously
harsh environments and climates (Extreme cold or
hot...). Plus epoxy is an insulator. The service life
can be extended 4 or 5 additional years if the board
is not exposed to UV light sources (Natural sun
light).

During the life span of a expoxy coated board, if the
need arises to remove part or all of the epoxy
coating, there are chemicals that you can use to do it
without a lot of fuss. 

FWIW, I've been involved in projects where we potted
*entire* electronic assemblies in epoxy and then
deployed those assemblies on the floor of the atlantic
ocean for up to a year. 

It's been my experience that epoxy is your friend
against harsh environments and climates...


Best regards


Marvin Dickens
Alpharetta, Georgia  USA


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