[Emil Sørensen]

Hey all

I honestly don't know exactly where I should pose this problem, so any suggestions for an alternate or additional venue would be appreciated.

I'm searching for a way to clean consumer electronics hardware without disconnecting their batteries, which means the cleaning solution used would have to be an electic insulator.

As such, I'm looking for some kind of chemical solution which has detergent properties - e.i. can remove common corrosion, grime, common organic compounds (sugars, food oils, etc.) *and* which works as an electric insulator (even after dissolving or suspending metallic salts).

Needless to say, the solution should not damage intact electronics.
Once the solution finished cleaning the appliance, it would be necessary to remove it through evaporation (in vacuum). High viscosity would be problematic.

Preferably, the solution in question should allow me to "calibrate" it to be stronger or milder, like one would add varying amounts of detergent to water.

I imagine there might be some kind of solvent mixture which could be used to clean electronics while working as an insulator, or some kind of chemical one could add to existing (water-based) detergent solutions to increase their electrical insolation. Or even insulating oils with a low viscosity which could be evaporated in a vacuum.

I am no chemical engineer, but I did train as a lab technician. I've never dealt with insolating fluids, though, and the only ones I've heard about were things like server coolant, which I assume have such high boiling points that I couldn't evaporate it even in vacuum.

I'm entirely prepared for the idea that what I'm looking for is entirely impossible (or at least too hard to find or too expensive to buy). But I figure I'd ask a bunch of geniuses before I give up on the idea.

Can anyone even think of an electrically insolating fluid that's capable of evaporating in vacuum near room temperatures?
Does anyone know where else I could ask this kind of question?

Honestly, I feel guilty for asking a question when I'm so... unqualified. I don't even know where I'd search for insolating fluids. I do hope you'll all forgive me if I'm wasting your time.

[billnotgatez]

I have never tried cleaning electronics while turned on but have used stuff similar to this
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MNovec/Home/Applications/AerosolCleaning/Electronics/
Nonflammable spray cleaners for electronic & electrical component cleaning

[Enthalpy]

An insulating solvent isn't very difficut... Toluene, heptane, cis-pinane and many more. They are not exactly detergents, but don't need to neither.

Problem is how quickly or slowly they will dissolve what they shouldn't. For instance acetone disolves epoxy, bad for electronics.

Nor do I see exactly how to dissolve salt without getting conductive. Looks difficult.

I too would search first through the catalogue of standard suppliers.