Any chemistry majors here?

[Steve Jelf]

In ignorance I used zinc ammonium chloride as a flux when soldering mag coils. Subsequently I learned that it will corrode copper, so I need to get rid of any that may still be present (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18295). I've been searching the internet to find what will neutralize the stuff, and not having much luck. It doesn't help that I never even took high school chemistry. I wonder if anybody here can recommend something to remove it, preferably something readily available.

[Henry K. Lee]

Denatured alcohol or water about two times using paper towels and gloves, use another paper towel before the second wipe/rinse. Do not burn the towels!

Hope this Helps,

Hank

[jiminbartow]

I’m not a chemistry major but I have removed the zinc coating from 1943 steel pennies with muriatic acid. Maybe Muriatic Acid will remove do what you need. If you try it, be sure to neutralized with a solution of baking soda in water. Jim Patrick

[AndreFordT]

Steve,
By heating the solder butter you already get a binding between the two surfaces you are soldering at the same time the "bad" stuff evaporate. Adding the lead will stop the corrosion.

my opinion

Andre
Belgium

[jab35]

Oh Steve, I'm so sorry, with Ron the Coilman, John Regan and so many others here over the years imploring us to never use acid products on electrical work, I assumed we were all inoculated against this practice years ago.

First of all, do NOT attempt to 'remove' acid with muriatic or by the addition of any other acid!. Diluting it with alcohol, etc and wiping up after is helpful but unfortunately some corrosive material will remain there especially if the assembly is wound and taped up like a mummy. Heat wont completely evaporate the stuff away either.

If it were me the first thing I would try (after a wipe up with alcohol) is some of the battery terminal neutralizer spray with the pH indicator that turns red or pink upon contact with acid. A little of that on a q-tip swab will indicate presence of acid and if acid is there, a little more will help neutralize. I'm sure you know this stuff and can get it, there's both a cleaner and a 'sealer/protector' a timed release formulation that absorbs leftover acid for use on batteries, terminals, and cables, etc so it should be good for your application. Spend an extra couple bucks and get a can of each.

I'm sure you are not the first, nor will you be the last of us to use the wrong material/procedures in a Model T repair. I suspect your model t will try to be as forgiving as model t's inherently were/are, but I know every time you drive that car cross country you will probably think about the mag ring. Good luck, jb