Possible problems of using Methylated Spirits on sensor

[Atorie]

Hey guys,

I just had a meeting with a local photog re some retouching im doing for him and we got on the subject of cleaning sensors in our DSLRs. He told me that he uses methylated spirits after I spluttered my coffee mid sip I asked him if it's done any damage to his sensor, he laughed at me and told me he does it weekly and has been for a year without a problem... I told him that I didnt think methylated spirits was a recommended cleaning product and that methyl alcohol (methanol) was the one to use. He asaid he tried for a long time to get a supplier of it but couldn't, so he just used spirits!

My question is what possible damage can methylated spirits do to the sensor so I can let him know, or is it safe?

[birddog114]

Atorie,
I heard of someone using the methylated spirits but don't know much what the outcome are.
If it's the pure methylated spirits , then maybe it can be used, the damages here are not making the CCD bad but with some type of commercial methylated spirits, if it is not pure (97% or 98%) then the streaks may left behind after you pass the Pec*Pad on it.
With pure methanol, it vaporates very quick and no residue or streaks left behind, and Eclipse Fluid is one of the original pure methanol and the manufacturer just have its name on the bottle.
The most important is the cloth as Pec*Pad won't scratch the surface of the CCD and other does.
Those are my thoughts

[MCWB]

All depends on the level of contaminants/purity of the metho really! Clearly whatever solvent you use must be as free from contaminants as possible, so that when it evaporates it doesn't leave anything behind on your sensor. Metho is mostly ethanol, around 10% methanol and a small amount of Denatonium benzoate, and I don't know about the purity of garden variety metho; the empiricist in me however says that if he can't tell the difference, it works for him.

[Atorie]

Thanks guys, he uses PEC pads and a little wooden spade type thing.. he locked his mirror up on his Canon 10D and it looked streak free to me and I've been retouching his photos for the last couple of months and haven't seen any smudging or evidence of sensor damage. He just uses the standard metho from the hardware about $9 for 1.5 litres.

[birddog114]

Atorie,
With 100ml of methol, it wil last you about 5 years,
I had a bottle of it since late 2002 once I purchased my D100 with the use of nearly every Saturday at the mini meets for members or demonstartion to members the way to do the CCD cleaning, I still have 1/2 bottle of it.

[dhess]

Methylated spirits should be ok.

If in doubt you can test a specific brand by evapourating a significant ammount i.e. 500ml or in a clean pyrex dish in a well ventilated area. If an oily residue remains don't use it. If it evapourates cleanly you are right to go.

Despite the name methylated spirits rarely contain any methanol. Its usually ethanol denatured with other less toxic, but extremely unpalatable chemicals like methyl ethyl ketone and bittering agents.

[Matt. K]

Maybe over time the fumes themselves can do some damage to the rubber mirror shocks. seals, or some of the electronic components. Let's watch his progress over time.

[dhess]

Extremely unlikely as ethanol is less destructive to most materials than methanol.

Also the quantities involved in sensor cleaning are so minute that even if the vapours were moderately corrosive it would be unlikely to result in any damage over the lifetime of the camera.