Can a hair dryer destroy electronic parts?

Started by yeeshkul, May 22, 2020, 10:05:59 AM

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yeeshkul

I used a hair dryer to dry up a protective lacquer on the trace side of a populated PCB. Like 3 minutes procedure.
Could i have damaged the elyte caps and semiconductors (transistors and 7815)?
Thanks ... i know i can try and see, but i am a bit afraid something could have got just semi-burned and so it would fail later ... i am just curious if i can damage a circut by exposing it to hair dryer hot air for a couple of minutes.

duck_arse

most electros are rated to operate at 90 degrees or more, so, no, don't worry about it. what temp is your soldering iron?
don't make me draw another line.

antonis

Quote from: yeeshkul on May 22, 2020, 10:05:59 AM
i am just curious if i can damage stuff by exposing it to 60-120° Celsius for a couple of minutes.

We are just curious for particular stuff.. :icon_wink:

In general, no..
(but tell us about specific items..)
"I'm getting older while being taught all the time" Solon the Athenian..
"I don't mind  being taught all the time but I do mind a lot getting old" Antonis the Thessalonian..

yeeshkul

#3
My soldering iron is set for 325° C.
The only semiconductors on the board were transistors, common diodes and 7815 stabiliser.
I just don't have a temperature probe for my DMM, so i can't tell how hot the stuff gets at about 7 cm from the blower - it is the 1800W type. If you guys have this at home you could possibly measure it ... :)

vigilante397

Was the circuit operating at the time? Components generally have two temperature ratings, storage and operation. They can take a lot more heat when they're not operating, and as long as they are allowed to cool down before you power them on, I wouldn't worry about it.
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yeeshkul

No it wasn't even connected to DC or signal.

Kevin Mitchell

If a hair dryer could destroy parts imagine what it would do to your hair  :o

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bushidov

If I used the hair dryer as a hammer, I bet I can destroy electronic parts with it.  :icon_lol:
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tonyharker

If they were germanium transistors then yes they could have been destroyed or changed.

patrick398

Blow drying circuits shouldn't damage them, but it will make everything sound like an 80s hair metal band

duck_arse

QuoteMy soldering iron is set for 325° C.

yer iron applies that heat to the pins, which is conducted quite nicely into the internals of the component (and away, through the copper tracks) in question. your component is expected to withstand this treatment, without blinking. your hairdryer, on the other hand [in the other hand = multitasking], applies heat on the external, needs to be there a quite long time to soak the heat thru, and to what temp? certainly not 300 C.

Quote from: Kevin Mitchell on May 22, 2020, 11:55:05 AM
If a hair dryer could destroy parts imagine what it would do to your hair  :o

unfortunately, my hair no longer presents an impediment to hairdryers.
don't make me draw another line.