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Thread: Ultrasonic Cleaners - whats your experience?

  1. #1
    Billy Golightly's Avatar
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    Ultrasonic Cleaners - whats your experience?

    Looking to buy an ultrasonic cleaner. Mostly for small pieces and parts in the shop, some wheeler stuff occasionally. Few questions:

    How much heat do these things actually put off? Do I need to keep it away from stuff or is it relatively safe about anywhere?

    How often does the cleaning solution need actually dumped out and new put in? (assuming I'm not putting a total greaseball of something inside of it...)

    Is there any reason to not just buy the biggest one I can afford/reasonably use in my space? Are there any disadvantages to getting a large one?

    Are the stainless steel chicom ones on ebay any good?

  2. #2
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    Mine is an SS digital eBay unit, it cleans stuff of, but I probably need to experiment with chemicals. The results so far don’t put this thing on my “must have” tool list.

    So far all I’ve used is carb cleaner (the instructions say not to) and its loosened up some pretty nasty stuff, but I still seem to have to do some manual labor to get a few areas clean. Things like nasty carbon covered power valves seem impervious, at least to the carb cleaner.

    If you don’t want to clean it too often, try to power wash the greasy parts first. I had it on a bench, it gets warm and buzzes, but nothing too annoying. If I had a wood shop I’d probably be leery of leaving it alone for long.

    Warning! They aren’t very big. Look at the advertised dimensions closely. Mine is a 10 liter and it’s cramped.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  3. #3
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    I've been looking at possibly getting one too.

    There are some tips that sound good. One is to put just water in the cleaner and the actual parts and solution into a separate plastic container, immersed in the water. This uses less solution and keeps the tub clean. It's just sound wave doing the work, so as long as the whole thing is filled with some type of fluid, it doesn't matter if there's a separate container inside with it's own fluid, as long as it's sitting in the water in the cleaner, the waves still travel.

    Another is using Simple Green Extreme Aircraft and Precision Cleaner. https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Aircr...01VXU7OE&psc=1


    An ultrasonic cleaner is similar to other cleaners and even blasting cabinets. The more crud that is removed before putting into it, the longer the cleaning solution/media is going to last and the less cleaning, of the cleaner is required.

    That's a big pet peeve of mine when working in a shop; the people who just toss grease covered parts into the parts washer without getting the big chunks off first. Same goes for the blasting cabinets and crud covered parts, especially when there's a commercial hot water pressure washer in the same building.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

  4. #4
    Billy Golightly's Avatar
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    Do you feel like its a lack of a harsh enough solution, or not enough oomph to break up and release the grime? Perhaps I have too high of expectations of these things, but the videos I've watched and the reports from people make it sound like they literally zap the crap off of anything you throw in them which sounds completely awesome...lol

    Quote Originally Posted by El Camexican View Post
    Mine is an SS digital eBay unit, it cleans stuff of, but I probably need to experiment with chemicals. The results so far don’t put this thing on my “must have” tool list.

    So far all I’ve used is carb cleaner (the instructions say not to) and its loosened up some pretty nasty stuff, but I still seem to have to do some manual labor to get a few areas clean. Things like nasty carbon covered power valves seem impervious, at least to the carb cleaner.

    If you don’t want to clean it too often, try to power wash the greasy parts first. I had it on a bench, it gets warm and buzzes, but nothing too annoying. If I had a wood shop I’d probably be leery of leaving it alone for long.

    Warning! They aren’t very big. Look at the advertised dimensions closely. Mine is a 10 liter and it’s cramped.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  5. #5
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    Tell ya what Billy, I’m going to fire it up this week and post the process and results. I think I have some YTM carbs that have never been cleaned and probably something else that needs love we can test.

  6. #6
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    We have a small recently purchased one for carbs only. I do t want to get into the habit of putting just anything in there to clean. I think the benefits to ultra sonic is to get into the small crevices and passages. Like AtcKing said you have the ability to put smallish parts in a bag with say carb cleaner and just fill the unit with water. I used HD simple green the purple stuff and was pleasantly surprised at what it did and I was able to clean 6 carbs with the one tank of a very small dilution ratio. My next try will be a handful of slow jets in a baggie of carb cleaner and see what that does.
    I agree with AtcKing and also believe that the sonic cleaner has its place in the shop just like the parts cleaner and blasting cabinet. We bought ours for one purpose only (carbs)
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  7. #7
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    Well, I have had mine for 5-6 years and it is starting to fall apart. But it was a cheapo (under $100 Amazon unit). Still more than got my money's worth out of it. You can get a Harbor Freight on (~2.5 liters) for $80 which would last at least a few years until you learn the function and limitations of these things.

    Most will have a built in heater. Of course the UT process itself generates heat too. Mine has never been hot enough that it would burn my hand, but it would release some steam.

    I use LA's Totally Awesome in mine. I buy it at the dollar store and don't really worry about reusing it since it is literally a dollar. You can get a gallon jug for ~$4. After use, I dump the dirty Awesome, wipe it out and it is ready for next time. You could use water and some Dawn dish soap and probably do just fine too.

    A toothbrush works wonders for the really grimy stuff once the UT loosens and heats it up. For the most part, you put stuff in (carb), hit the start button and it comes out clean.

    There is a disadvantage to a very large one, and that is using more cleaner and / or making it deep enough to cover your part. Think about your small saucepan vs your large spaghetti pot in your kitchen. When you dump the water out of your half full small one to the larger pan, it barely covers the bottom and isn't deep enough.

    Honestly, I don't know how I lived without one. Started off with a very small one designed to clean jewelry.

    Ideally you could find one from an old dentist or doctors office. If you could get ahold of an old professional grade one, it would maybe outlast you.

    This one would probably suit your purpose:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-160-Wat...oAAOSwtfhYqbg4

    Don't buy the little $34 one, it is too small.

  8. #8
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    I'll check on the size of mine when I get home tonight.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scootertrash View Post
    I'll check on the size of mine when I get home tonight.
    Centimeters are always more impressive than inches

  10. #10
    Arky-X is offline Just Too Addicted Arm chair racerJust too addicted
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Camexican View Post
    Centimeters are always more impressive than inches
    I only use the metric system for two measurements;
    Gram of coke and a 9mm

  11. #11
    Billy Golightly's Avatar
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    Well I bought that one Keister. I may start with small pew pew parts and some old gunky drill bits that haven't been cleaned in a long time and work my way through some nuts and bolts and see how it goes.

    Quote Originally Posted by keister View Post
    Well, I have had mine for 5-6 years and it is starting to fall apart. But it was a cheapo (under $100 Amazon unit). Still more than got my money's worth out of it. You can get a Harbor Freight on (~2.5 liters) for $80 which would last at least a few years until you learn the function and limitations of these things.

    Most will have a built in heater. Of course the UT process itself generates heat too. Mine has never been hot enough that it would burn my hand, but it would release some steam.

    I use LA's Totally Awesome in mine. I buy it at the dollar store and don't really worry about reusing it since it is literally a dollar. You can get a gallon jug for ~$4. After use, I dump the dirty Awesome, wipe it out and it is ready for next time. You could use water and some Dawn dish soap and probably do just fine too.

    A toothbrush works wonders for the really grimy stuff once the UT loosens and heats it up. For the most part, you put stuff in (carb), hit the start button and it comes out clean.

    There is a disadvantage to a very large one, and that is using more cleaner and / or making it deep enough to cover your part. Think about your small saucepan vs your large spaghetti pot in your kitchen. When you dump the water out of your half full small one to the larger pan, it barely covers the bottom and isn't deep enough.

    Honestly, I don't know how I lived without one. Started off with a very small one designed to clean jewelry.

    Ideally you could find one from an old dentist or doctors office. If you could get ahold of an old professional grade one, it would maybe outlast you.

    This one would probably suit your purpose:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-160-Watts-2-5-Liters-Digital-Heated-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Dental-Gun-Tattoo/140333938761?hash=item20ac8df849:g:fYoAAOSwtfhYqbg 4

    Don't buy the little $34 one, it is too small.

  12. #12
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    I've got a horrible freight one, works pretty good for small carbs, that is what I bought it for. It is useless without the heating function however. I use simple green d with distilled water. Each batch lasts for a half dozen to a dozen cycles. Just depends how nasty of stuff I put in it. Its obviously a cheapo, it's got a small capacity but for now it's about all I need. If I need to do big stuff like a truck cylinder head I take it to my buddies shop and throw them in his big steam cleaner thing.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arky-X View Post
    I only use the metric system for two measurements;
    Gram of coke and a 9mm
    ORLY? Do you refer to your trike engine sizes in cubic inches? Do you have an ATC15.3R or a 21.4X?

  14. #14
    Billy Golightly's Avatar
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    Looks like mine will be here tomorrow.

    Solvents:

    Heard of things like simple green, pinesol diluted, water and dawn dish soap, ? Any reason I can't use something like mineral spirits also if I've got something really greasy or am I going to start a fire?

  15. #15
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    I have heard of people using mineral spirits. Never have myself.
    Start with Dawn and water, you may be surprised.
    I always advocate LA's Totally Awesome. I've turned so many people onto this stuff that they should send me royalty checks.

    There is one thing that ruins aluminum - makes it very dark. I think maybe Purple Power or Simple Green. Hopefully someone else chimes in on this one.

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