Almost fried my Xbox board using isopropyl that wasn't high enough proof

I was cleaning thermal paste off an old Xbox One and grabbed 70% isopropyl by mistake. Learned the hard way it leaves residue that can short your board - found a thread on console repair forums saying you need 91% or higher to evaporate clean. Anyone else run into this?

2 comments

2 Comments

karenw231d ago

You sure 70% is the problem, not just not letting it dry long enough? I use 70% all the time on electronics and just give it 10-15 minutes to air out before powering on.

the_sage1d ago

70% has water in it, water leaves gunk behind when it dries. It's like using dish soap to wash your car in direct sun, sure it works but you end up with streaks everywhere. I've seen this same thing happen with people cleaning their phone ports or switch cartridges, they grab the wrong bottle and wonder why it's sticky later. The difference between 70% and 91% is just enough water to leave residue that conducts electricity. It's like paying attention to the small details in other stuff too, like making sure your hands are dry before touching bread dough or using the right drill bit for drywall.