Flux removal. What would be best?

[Bobw]

Just soldered up my twin coil immersion chiller, going to give it a good going over with wire wool before use but does anyone know what would be best to clean of any flux that might remain? It would be nice to be able to get it out from the inside as well as it seems a shame to waste all that nice hot water.

bob

 

[Eric_S]

Vinegar solution or bi-carb might work - otherwise flush very well with loads of water?

 

[Bobw]

Nice one, I did think about bicarb. I think I'll do the wire wool, then vinegar followed by bicarbonte of soda because that will neutralise the acid from the vinegar and a damn good rinse. Might boil it up for a while if I can get my boiler sorted in time. My mate is all set to do a biab brew at the weekend (Dave Lines London Pride) and a chiller is the one missing bit of kit at the moment so I have been concentrating on that. Just don't want to taint his brew with anything so I thought I would ask.

Many thanks for such a speedy response!

bob

 

[Vossy1]

I found flux removal an absolute PITA...wire wooled mine, then boiled in citric acid...still there....there must be a plumber on the forum...than again, they just leave the stuff :grin:

 

[silverbrewer]

Maplins and RS do an aerosol tin of flux remover. It is meant for removing flux from printed circuit boards but will work fine on the plumbers flux. A stiff bristle brush will be handy, and you can take a normal 1" paint brush and cut the bristles down to about 3/4 " long to get a suitable bristle length. squirt the can into the brush and apply with plenty of elbow grease. When it is all off, rinse with fresh spray on the copper to rinse off residue.

 

[tazuk]

i used non toxic flux paste did not think need to just give good wash ??????

 

[Andyhull]

Soak it in a "strong hot" solution of clothes washing "powder" and fairy liquid over night then rinse with hot water.

 

[t0m]

Maplins and RS do an aerosol tin of flux remover. It is meant for removing flux from printed circuit boards but will work fine on the plumbers flux. A stiff bristle brush will be handy, and you can take a normal 1" paint brush and cut the bristles down to about 3/4 " long to get a suitable bristle length. squirt the can into the brush and apply with plenty of elbow grease. When it is all off, rinse with fresh spray on the copper to rinse off residue.

The aerosol spray is isopropyl alcohol which is what I generally use for cleanup. This solvent is miscible with water which helps evaporate off any moisture which combined with flux residues might rust stainless. Acetone is even better because its more volatile, it dries stuff off in a jiffy. I used to get mine from a ceramics supplier, it's used for cleaning up wax.

 

[Mark1964]

we boiled it in an oxy clean solution works pretty well :thumb:

 

[cnelsonplumber]

I found flux removal an absolute PITA...wire wooled mine, then boiled in citric acid...still there....there must be a plumber on the forum...than again, they just leave the stuff :grin:

Really

 

[loady]

I found flux removal an absolute PITA...wire wooled mine, then boiled in citric acid...still there....there must be a plumber on the forum...than again, they just leave the stuff :grin:

Come on vossy, you telling me you don't have a dremmel and wire wheel ! :shock:

.....and you just put your foot in it with the resident plumber :rofl: