Tips on Dishwashing Game Boards?

[GGKoul]

I'm read a few posts about people putting dirty game boards in the dishwasher in order to clean them. 

I'm temped to do this for a couple of dirty boards I have.  But I just wanted to read if anyone has any helpful tips on washing them. 

I mean, do I use dish soap or just let the hot water wash the boards?  And do I leave them to dry in the dishwasher?

And yes, I understand that I have to wait unit the boards are completely dry before reinserting them.

Any tips or storied you can pass one would appreciated.

Thanks!
-GG

[Wade]

This should probably be in the Regular Arcade sub-board of this forum.

I have washed approximately 30-40 boards this way, and so far I have lost 1.  It might have been because I didn't let it dry enough (I think it was just overnight), or maybe the board was on it's way out anyway (it was a relatively "fragile" VR 3D board... which die all the time).  I feel better about running the older boards through since the components are larger, more spaced out, and the boards are more repairable too.

Here's what I do.  I stick the boards in the washer, and use regular dish soap.  I tend not to use as much soap as I would if I were washing dishes.  I usually turn off the hot dry cycle, don't know if it matters though.  Often, I pull them out while still drying, and blow them off with a hair dryer or air compressor.  Then I let them dry for DAYS (since losing that one board!)  Most commonly, I just sit them out to air dry and I don't use the hair dryer or compressor.

Most boards come out looking like they are brand new.  Occasionally, the soap will react with certain metal parts, and make kind of a powdery film.  This usually happens on coin door parts though, not the PCBs.  When it happens I just take a rag with Windex or some other cleaner and wipe that part off.

Now, there is a risk, so you MIGHT lose half your boards if you do this.  Please be prepared for the worst.  But for me, it has been worth the risk.  I'm gradually getting more comfortable with it, but every time I have a 100% working game, I usually hesitate to throw the PCBs in the wash.  However, in every case, I have given in eventually, and so far that VR 3D board is my only casualty.

When I've cleaned a game top to bottom or fully restored it, often it has no smells and looks like new inside, and not washing the harnesses and boards is just not doing the game justice.

Wade

[GGKoul]

Wade, are you following me??      IE: New VR Single owner... 

[MrSaLTy]

Wow I never heard of that... ya learn something new everyday.  Do you take off all the IC's first?

[CheffoJeffo]

I was just cleaning up some boards I picked up at auction and, while blasting some dust with compressed air, blew a couple of labels off  of the chips they were stuck on.

Not the end of the world (especially since I ended up with two of the affected board, so can just put new labels on), but something to consider if you throw the board in the dishwasher.

Good score, GGK ... I went in wanting a NeoGeo, came out with a NeoGeo 2 Slot ... and  a burning desire for a good racing cab ...

Cheers.

[Wade]

No, I leave everything on the board.  Even the socketed chips.  Some people recommend taking off any socketed chips but I don't bother.  I figure I'm more likely to damage them trying to take them out.

Wade

[RayB]

Just a word of caution... see to it you dry it out ASAP. I too had read about dishwashing boards n stuff, so I figured I'd clean up my Crystal Castles speaker grills before repainting. So I put in the dishwasher, light load, no soap.

Then I promptly forgot about it.

Took it out a day later. Every little hole (this is a GRILL remember) had rust in it. 

[quarterback]

Here's what I do.  I stick the boards in the washer, and use regular dish soap.

When yo usay 'regular dish soap', do you mean liquid dish soap?  It seems to me that using dry/granulated soap like Cascade (which is 'regular dishWASHER soap') could really damage your boards, since some of it's 'cleaning power' comes from its abrasiveness.

[GGKoul]

Good score, GK ... I went in wanting a Negro, came out with a Negro 2 Slot ... and  a burning desire for a good racing cab ...

Thanks!  It's my all time favourite racing game. Next purchase will be Virtue Racing Twin. 
The fusrating part is, while the unit was at Startburst, it worked.  But when I got it home and fired it up, I got a blue screen.  Apparently this is cause when there in damage to an IO board. 

But Thanks to Wade, I maybe able to quickly fix my issue.

[Wade]

I use regular granulated dishsoap.  You are right, it's abrasiveness is what helps to make the boards look so nice.   If you were worried, you could use liquid dishsoap.

I also use the dishwasher for clear ramps on pinball machines (I'm sure some of you have heard of this, too.)  There is NO better way to make them look nice.  After the dishwasher, they look almost new.  Usually just takes a little polish to get the "ball trail marks" off of them.

As far as Rust, yeah, it can happen.  Typically when I do coin doors (including wiring, mechs, etc.) there will be one or two parts that rust.  Usually, it is some kind of tiny spring or clip.  Not anything noticable.  That speaker grill was probably all steel (prone to rust).  I have never had any part of a PCB rust, although I'm sure there are some boards which have parts which could rust.

Wade

[Rocky]

Some people "cook" them

[daywane]

never did a arcade board but I have tossed many Atari PC mother boards in the
tub. kids spill soda in them then people think the PC was toast.
I would wash them in the bath tub.
Never thought of a dish washer
I also dried them in the oven. I never turned off the oven but I had the door open about a inch.
I used to make beef jerky that way so I tried it. worked out fine

[CheffoJeffo]

I'm dying to know how this turned out ... GGK ?

[Xiaou2]

 I would suggest Radioshacks Electronic cleaner instead.  Its more expensive... but isnt a risk.

[Wade]

You guys should search RGP or RGVAC for info on this.  People have been doing this for ages.  I actually know of companies that use dishwashers to wash all of their circuit boards.

Wade

[GGKoul]

I'm dying to know how this turned out ... GGK ?

Too chicken to try it out.  As I don't want to spent big $$$ to get another Pole Position II board or boards for my Virtua Racing unit.

[Stingray]

I've heard of doing this for years, but have never been brave enough to actually try it.

-S

[Witchboard]

I did it this weekend for grins and giggles.  I have a Star Fighter board that pretty much had an animal urinate, defecate, die and rot on top of.  Obviously it wasn't in working order to start with.  I pulled all the socketed chips and ran it with a little liquid dishwashing detergent.  Came out pretty nice.  Now I can see how many sockets actually have rust/corrosion and I wasn't afraid to touch it with my bare hands.  It really did clean it up nice.  Unfortunately I didn't bother with before/after pics since it was on a whim.

[tommy]

Why would you guys take the chance in ruining a pcb, theres many ways to clean things without any danger of it being destroyed. 

[Wade]

What makes you think a dishwasher is any riskier than the other cleaning methods?

Wade

[tommy]

What makes you think a dishwasher is any riskier than the other cleaning methods?

Wade

Clean it by hand and dont pour water on electronics.

[Wade]

Like I asked, what makes you think that is safer than using a dishwasher?  Most people who dishwash boards haven't lost any.  I have lost 1 dishwashing out of 30-40, but I've also lost a half dozen just sitting on the shelf.

Wade

[Witchboard]

I'm going to do a Pole Position video board next weekend and see if it clears up some graphics glitches I've been having.  If you're overly paranoid, you could always discharge all the caps on the board.  After that, I really don't see any danger in dishwashing a board.  It's not like you're going to get water inside of a hard mounted PROM, memory chip, resistor, etc.

[GGKoul]

I'm going to do a Pole Position video board next weekend and see if it clears up some graphics glitches I've been having.

[paigeoliver]

I have never dishwashed a board (don't have a dishwasher), but I have cleaned several boards in the shower, and never had them come out anything other than cleaner.

[Wade]

Even though I'm really pushing the dishwasher technique, I want to stress that it really is at your OWN risk, and if you are hesitant to try it, then you probably shouldn't.  I started out with really inexpensive boards that I have lots of spares of, and worked up.  I still probably wouldn't try it on a really expensive or irreplaceable board.

Hoping for it to fix a glitch is being really optimistic.  I had 2 boards get "fixed" after dishwashing, but I'm sure it was a fluke.  Maybe some of the contacts were dirty or something.  Anyway, they may come out looking like new, but don't expect them to come out working like new too.

Just some reasonable advice, since I was getting kinda carried away with the "pro-dishwasher" comments.

Wade

[Witchboard]

Hoping for it to fix a glitch is being really optimistic.

[Wade]

Just didn't want you to have any unrealistic expectations based on anything I said.

Wade