Even though I have a background in electronics I am still learning how to mod Xbox's.
But I see all these photos posted of people who have a ton of flux left over after soldering, using flux is a good thing but leaving it on the PCB is not.
Crosstalk is a killer on PCB's, the biggest hurdle in computer motherboard design now is crosstalk, and even if a PCB is properly designed you can cause crosstalk by poor soldering and not cleaning off flux afterwards.
I use a mixture of alcohol and pure acetone to clean off flux after soldering, a small artists paint brush with the hairs trimmed down to make it stiff is good, cotton buds not so good as they leave strands stuck to the joints.
And even if it works today if you don't clean off flux then you are running the risk in future of having corrosion caused by the acid in the flux later on.
But I see all these photos posted of people who have a ton of flux left over after soldering, using flux is a good thing but leaving it on the PCB is not.
Crosstalk is a killer on PCB's, the biggest hurdle in computer motherboard design now is crosstalk, and even if a PCB is properly designed you can cause crosstalk by poor soldering and not cleaning off flux afterwards.
I use a mixture of alcohol and pure acetone to clean off flux after soldering, a small artists paint brush with the hairs trimmed down to make it stiff is good, cotton buds not so good as they leave strands stuck to the joints.
And even if it works today if you don't clean off flux then you are running the risk in future of having corrosion caused by the acid in the flux later on.
