Non-Chemical stripping base metals and depopulating boards

[Barren Realms 007]

Thanks Barrens, those are on my buy list. But it still didn't answer my question.

Add some HCl to it to adjust your PH down.

 

[rewalston]

Thanks Barrens, those are on my buy list. But it still didn't answer my question.

That's ok Rusty. I already answered it two posts up.

Thank you anachronism. I know that I need something better to test with. Need a lot of things, just a tight budget on low income. Takes time.

 

[anachronism]

Rusty if you can read the pH 7 then you're good as you are for now. Enjoy.

 

[rewalston]

Rusty if you can read the pH 7 then you're good as you are for now. Enjoy.

Thanks, I did some reading on the Dealing with Waste thread and 4Metals I think it was, said that the ph only needs to go to 2.5 after adding iron to the pot to drop copper and then raise the PH. So I guess I kind of over did it with my rinse water, cleaning it up. Still need to get something better than what I have but they will work for now.

Rusty

 

[g_axelsson]

A 100 or 200 pack of pH strips from China costs a dollar on ebay... including shipping. Haven't checked prices since two years ago when I bought a batch.

Göran

 

[upcyclist]

Aye--I have a pH meter, but generally don't use it too much in my waste stream. The strips (or tape) are handy for qualitative stuff. I use the meter when I need quantitative.

--Eric

 

[Grelko]

I then take the stripped boards and run them in some warm sodium hydroxide to remove the green mask and process them in ap also.

After the green mask and copper/traces have been removed, is the board itself just fiber glass? Could I rinse it off with water and toss it in with my regular trash, since there isn't anything left but the board?

 

[Grelko]

I then take the stripped boards and run them in some warm sodium hydroxide to remove the green mask and process them in ap also.

After the green mask and copper/traces have been removed, is the board itself just fiber glass? Could I rinse it off with water and toss it in with my regular trash, since there isn't anything left but the board?

Problem solved, it's just fiberglass. It can be recycled.

You should probably keep it separate from other recyclables and make sure it has been washed off very well, so that you don't contaminate other materials with chemical residues from refining.