Ultrasonic Cleaners - Instructions for use

Internet Horology Club 185Ultrasonic Cleaners - Instructions for use
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Gordon CollingwoodUltrasonic Cleaners - Instructions for useHi Folks

I have just purchased an Ultrasonic Cleaner. However there are no directions for using it to clean watches. From the sketchy info I have been able to gather from local Watchmakers, they use non water cleaners. The watch is placed in a plastic container, covered with the cleaning solution and the tub is placed in water in the Ultrasonic. They obviously don't use the heater because of solvent fumes.
My questions are:
(1) Do you use plastic tubs, like dip, humus tubs? If so, what type of plastic and do you leave the lid on while cleaning takes place?
(2) Do you use warm or cold water to put the tub in?
(3) How long are your wash and rinse cycles?
(4) Do you leave the Ultrasonic stainless lid on during cleaning?
(5) How high up the side of the plastic tubs is the water?

Gordon
Jerry Michael DensonGordon, guess everybody is too busy with the Holidays to reply to your post except me. Unfortunatly I have all the questions you have with the addition of one: Isnt it possible to make an ultrasonic cleaner using a battery charger?

I remember seeing a home ultrasonic cleaner made that way but am unable to find it.

Not meening to hijack your post. Maybe we can both get the info we need.
Phillip SanchezGordon, who is the manufacturer?
Chris AbellHi Gordon,

A photograph of the machine would help a lot
Gordon CollingwoodHi Phil and Chris

Thanks for your reply.

The brand is: Eumax made in China.

The model is: DSD80A3QS

The tank is stainless steel, has a capacity of 2litres and it is 80w. It also has a heater.

I have attached a couple of pics.

Gordon
Chris AbellHi Gordon

What you have there is a good single tank with what looks like adjustable, temp and power setting, nice item, it could be used for watches by using various jars/vessels filled with clean/rinse solution using them one at a time. You would also need a drying station.
This tank will be great for cleaning cases, jewelry etc.
There are many types of multi station cleaning machines, some a series of jars with a basket set that can be lowered into the jars then rotated, typically clean , rinse, final rinse, heated dry, the popular ultrasonic watchmasters have a clean, post clean station dip, rinse, final rinse then heated dry, (See link below )
I use 3 cleaning machines, 1 large rotary type, each jar filled with about 1 quart of fluid a 4 jar system, I use two different types of cleaning chemicals 1st & 2nd stage rinse jars (L&R No3) with final heated dry. I also have two watchmaster ultrasonic machines (clean, dip, 2x rinse & dry) filled with different combinations of cleaning fluids, with these I can cover pocket watches to complicated wristwatches. Cleaning fluid is expensive typically $40 gal, a dirty watch can total the fluid in one go!, so saving particularly dirty watches to end of life of your fluids and doing a pre clean cycle sometimes works well, rinse can in most cases be cycled down, the small watchmaster machine pots hold about ½ pint and can be changed economically every watch if needed.



Cleaning machine
Ronny ManisI have the L&R SweepZone with the tank and three beakers. Is water the best fluid to use in the tank? What three fluids are recommended in each beaker and what are the recommended cycle times? In my opinion, the directions that came with the unit are worthless.
Chris AbellHi Ronny,

I would say as a rough guide use some LR112 ultra sonic watch cleaner in the first jar, and LR-121 ultrasonic rinse is the two other jars, I would also add a jar outside the machine to dip, between the cleaning solution and 1st stage rinse, to keep your rinse solution cleaner longer. I would use water in the main tank filled to same level as jars.
As a rough guide to timing 6 minutes in the cleaning solution and 3 in each of the rinses.
When you change out the fluids you can move the first rinse to the dip tank, final rinse to first and renew the final rinse with fresh, given that they are not contaminated.
Gordon CollingwoodHi Chris

Sounds like good advice to have a dip solution between the wash and rinse cycles. Between shifting the parts from wash to rinse; do you drain the excess fluid off them or do you dry them?

The dip jar contains rinse solution, I presume?

Gordon
Chris AbellHi Gordon,

A simple tilt & agitation and time to drain back into the jar as they come out will reduce contamination. The dip jar, once your have cycled your fluids a few times will if clean be from your first rinse jar when you change your solutions. Typically empty dip jar, thoroughly clean & dry pour carefully settled No 1 rinse into the dip (like wine leave the last bit in the jar!), clean No1 and dry, pour No 2 rinse into No1, clean and fill with fresh final rinse. If you are in any doubt at all about the cleanliness of the fluid discard them all. Sometimes you may see small spot of like gum on the movements or a uneven finish this is fluid contamination, discard ALL fluids, re-clean movements and consider discarding that fluid set also.
A simple tip is to have some sort of counter that you can keep track of how many time you have used the fluids, there is no definitive number but as a guide I have a simple clip that I move along each time, if I movement is dirty I will move it 2 or even 3 places. Just helps to remember how close to change you are. You could put some beads on a curved wire and use them as a counter for example. See photo of my simple method.

Gordon CollingwoodHi Chris

Thanks for the info. I will take your suggestions on-board.

Gordon
Philip Bee Hi - like Gordon, I recently purchased a small (750ml stainless tank)Ultrasonic - still 42,000 cycles on mains - Chris mentioned jars: ie does that mean put parts in small glass jars (lid off/on?) and then fill machine around jars to same level? AND anyone (in Australia) know where I can get some LR 112 & 121 fluid?? Thanks... How does this affect the balance cap jewel?
Ronny ManisChris,

Thanks for the directions. I followed them and am very pleased with the results.
Chris AbellHi Ronny & Phil,

Good the hear it worked ok, parts trays are needed to carry from jar to jar, I would leave enough water in the tank to raise to just below the level of cleaning fluid so the jars don’t float, lids on sealed at all times when machine not is use keep evaporation down and dust out etc. (off course you really need a proper cleaning machine end of day with a heater section also.

Balance cap jewels where a long subject of debate a while ago, on lightly soiled watch you can get away leaving them in place and get good results. You wont get a perfect clean things do trap and cause oil migration and contamination, it s a short cut and for a perfect job you need to split them, all of them!, afterward inspect under a 10X loupe or higher afterwards, often touch up cleaning is required with peg wood, alcohol & rodoco , as you do with all the parts.
Fabrizio Di ClaudioHi all!
I see two type of ultrasonic cleaner, 28 Khz or 42 Khz, what is good to cleaning pocket watch movement component? Thank you
Fabrizio

An ultrasonic cleaner was mentioned in one of the "Favrorite Tools" threads and it got me curious.  I've never used one before.  Considering how carburetor-heavy my fleet is, and how many cans of carburetor cleaner I go through cleaning and rebuilding them, it might be a good tool for me.  My questions:

Read more

- Which one do I buy?  Obvious question, but in it entails a lot of sub questions- things like size, power, etc.  I will definitely need something big enough to put a pair of SU carburetors into, or a 4 barrel carb.  Bigger if there's other obvious stuff I might find myself wanting to use it for.  

- What else are they good for?  If all they do is clean carbs, that's sort of worth it, but what else do you all use them for?

- What fluid do you use?  Are they just water, or some sort of solvent, Purple Power, or some other magic fluid?  How often do you have to change it?

- Do they use heat, or just ultrasonic action?

Thanks for the insight!  

Some answers to some of your questions:

Heat and ultrasonic action.

I usually use a mix of water and Simple Green (I've also used Kyzen ultrasonic fluid)

You can clean any part with ease, just make sure you adjust the water temperature accordingly.

Buy the biggest you can afford, store.

On the household ones you change the water when it gets black, meaning often or with every use. Industrial ones have a pump and filters and you can filter the water.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website RedCrown.

I have this one in my Amazon cart, but have not bought yet:

Vevor 30L ultrasonic cleaner

Mine came from a closed down dentist office. Every dentist office has one that they use to clean their tools of the trade. Dentists don't buy cheap stuff either. In my case, an outfit on eBay specializes in selling used dental equipment. I got it for about 10 percent of the new price. Mine is a big one, made in USA.

I use it for everything. Like I restored a Goldwing and I used it to clean all of the switch gear. All of the wiring harnesses. Those nappy electrical plugs on harnesses that you can never get clean, I got them spotless clean. Wheel bearings. Brake calipers. Lock cylinders. The intake manifold and valve cover on my Toyota.  The spindles on my commercial mowers. Nuts and bolts. Pistons. Greasy sockets and ratchets. Radio control car parts. The airtag holder from my dachshund's collar. The safety switch from the brake lever on my ZTR. If it fits, I uses it.

I even use it to clean my wife's engagement ring. It always hurts her feelings. She thinks she keeps it clean. Then I put it in the ultrasonic for ten minutes and she sees what clean really looks like. It's quite noticeable. 

Mostly I use Purple Power and water. Sometimes I use Simple Green and water. You got to be cool with the purple stuff though as it can get pretty aggressive even when diluted down. It will get stuff clean but it will darken the color of aluminum parts if you leave them in there too long. 

I always use the heater. When I know ahead of time, I turn it on early and get it good and hot. My cleaner is large and it takes a couple of hours to get it really hot. Stuff comes out sterling clean. Clean enough to even put in your mouth (reference to dentist office usage).

After spending an hour fastidiously cleaning the innards of a 's Jaguar power steering pump last night, and staring at the pile of SU carburetors sitting on my shelf awaiting an overhaul, I decided to go for one of the 30L Vevor units.  Should be here in a week or so.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/

Ebay was a bit cheaper than Amazon.  I have a conspiracy theory about this...one of my credit cards is doing 5% cash back on Amazon thru December 31...mysteriously, everything on Amazon seems to be a bit more expensive than elsewhere this month...

Will update when I get a chance to try this thing out.  Will be interesting to see how well a 500W heater heats 7 gallons of water in my uninsulated shop this winter.  My guess is "not well", but I can always pre-boil it if needed.  

EDIT:  Today is Mrs. VCH's birthday.  Happy birthday honey, look what I bought for me!

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