PCB has strong chemical smell

#1

Why is the smell of the PCB so strong? When it heats up the smell radiates everywhere. My customers are questioning it.

What kind of chemicals are you guys using? And what can I use clean off what that is?

#2

I have a really very fine nose, but I didn’t notice a strong smell. I only noticed a very slight smell when unpacking, which I would describe as typical for new circuit boards. I got my board in mid-January, did the production process change?

#3

Hi,

My customers are questioning it.

Your customers? Are you reselling ROCK Pi 4 or integrating ROCK Pi 4 in your project?

There is no special chemicals in the manufacturing. Just rosin and soldering tin.

#4

I feel like this is what computer boards do when they get hot. They make an odor. I put the big heat sink on the bottom of my Rock Pi 4, and even when gaming, the odor isn’t that strong unless you sniff the board.

#5

It’s the rosin in the solder that you smell when that happens, it’s got a pine-like odor. It’s a normal thing. If you smell a strong metallic burning smell however, that’s a problem for sure!

2 Likes
#6

Got 2 so far, no strong smells. Just smells like when you heat up flux, very light smell. You could use like 99% isopropyl alcohol to wipe it down some.