Choosing a Replacement

For users of Ecolink 2005, Select Free and other 141B-class solvents

While there is rarely one single product that will be the “magic bullet” drop-in alternative for all cleaning challenges, the following factors should guide your selection of a 141B replacement:

Criteria:

Superior removal of oil, grease, flux and other contaminents

Non-flammable in bulk or per aersol flam-extension test

Rapid evaporative after cleaning

Absence of residue after cleaning

Low toxicity profile

Low odor

Acceptable exposure limits in typical usage environments

Free of water, therefore safe on electrical equipment

Safe on common materials of construction

Steps

The key to successful product identification begins with a precise understanding of the cleaning objectives and restrictions surrounding your cleaning application. When considering alternatives, we recommend the following steps:

  1. Identify the various applications that need to be addressed, using the chemical(s) selected.
  2. Determine the most important criteria in each of the applications.  Flammability?   Dry time?  Solvency?  Then prioritize these requirements for each application.
  3. Using the material provided by Ecolink and the support of your Ecolink representative, determine which product(s) are most likely to succeed in each of the applications.
  4. Determine what type of testing is needed in each case, by whom and how the results will be captured and analyzed.
  5. Ecolink will provide necessary samples and technical support throughout the evaluation period.

Develop a Testing Program

Based on your specific applications, a review of general characteristics, as well as specific chemical qualities, can help determine which products most closely match 141b in a specific application.

Since each of the available replacements has its own performance characteristics, it is important to test the actual replacements in the intended applications.  In some cases, it may be wise to introduce two different chemistries to replace HCFC-141b.  Given the high cost of some of the alternatives, introducing a second product may be an excellent way to insure cost-effective operations. For example – using Positron for general purpose degreasing and Ecolink 3005 for contact and critical cleaning.

It is always a good idea to run tests on all solvents that may be used on plastics or rubber to insure compatibility on your specific substrate. Ecolink maintains detailed compatibility data on many materials, which may be useful in making your final determination.

Contact Ecolink for Support

This is the time to begin evaluating HCFC-141b alternatives. Your Ecolink representative is ready to provide all of the necessary support to insure that this transition can be concluded in a timely and cost effective fashion. If you currently use Ecolink 2005 or Select Free, be sure to order sufficient supply for your transition needs. Call 800-886-8240 today.

 

Technical Specifications of Replacement Products