Ultrasonic cleaner advice - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:25:51 pm
content: Edit:Following up with pictures of the unit I received.Pics here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/ultrasonoc-cleaner-advice/msg505722/#msg505722/EditI know, I know... Another "Please help me I don't know what to buy" thread. Sorry.I've been looking at cleaners. Searching here I found two threads saying basically "get sweeping frequency," "get heating," and "second hand ones are probably almost broken."Considerations:About US$250 including freightMax power/buck.Big, but not too big. Yea I know. Vague. it'd be nice to have, say, a tank that can fit a 250*250mm pcb.Observations:No worries with second hand ones; they're all in the states.Sweeping freq. is hard to find. (Is it that important?)All of the ones in my budget are Chinese crap, so the specs are probably lies.Anyway, after a few hours hunting and compromising, I decided to buy the one below. I would appreciate constructive comments and suggestions before I go ahead though.Thanks guys,Aaron.http://www.aliexpress.com/item/110V-220V-180W-6-5L-3-pcs-Head-Shock-Ultrasonic-Transducer-Mechanical-Timer-and-Heater-Ultrasonic/1608477479.htmlhttp://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping110V-220V-JP-031-6-5L-40KHz-150W-Digital-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Stainless-Steel-Washing-Machine/614167995.html<- cheaper110V/220V 180W 6.5L 3 pcs Head Shock Ultrasonic Transducer Mechanical Timer and Heater Ultrasonic Cleaner FREE SHIPPINGfree basket, with Mechanical Timer and HeaterThe tank size : 300 x 150 x 150 mm (L x W x H)Features:1. stainless steel tank has resistance to wear and long work life.2. tank capacity:6.5L, with Mechanical timer and heater3. with Stainless steel basket4. temperature tunable from 20 to 805. Use just tab water, orindustrial alcohol and solvent cleaner for more higher cleaning requirement6. industrial control chip microcontroller.flexible circuit boards control, more secure & stableedit: add cheaper link

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:35:25 pm
content: It looks nicely made and has heat. I would go for it considering where you are located. Only time will tell unless someone who has one chimes in before you pull the trigger.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:45:34 pm
content: robrenz, you have given me good advice in the past, and your street cred around here is such that I'm tempted to go for it just on your say so.I'll wait for an hour though

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:51:56 pm
content: I would wait at least 24 hours. Someone may know its total crap

author: Co6aka
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 05:17:35 pm
content: Google:JP-031 ultrasonic cleaner

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 05:48:13 pm
content: Google? I'm not sure what sort of advice that is, but I followed it.I was expecting to find a host of problem reports in the result. No such thing. Which might be good, but is probably irrelevant: It's all over the web, so some Chinese crowd must have made a good one once and now everyone copies the branding.Googling for problems, fixes, crappiness also turned up nothing of interest. Probably a better indication.

author: Co6aka
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:00:58 pm
content: Quote from: apelly on February 13, 2014, 05:48:13 pmIt helps the NSA keep track of your interests (so they can send you directed advertizing, etc.)Anyway... I saw more or less the same, and also saw some lower advertized prices than the Ali seller you referenced. So maybe order one in, and do a teardown-video for us all!

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:26:35 pm
content: Balls!I spent ages looking for the best price and you saw one straight away!I see this one for $236 shipped:http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping110V-220V-JP-031-6-5L-40KHz-150W-Digital-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Stainless-Steel-Washing-Machine/614167995.htmlAlso, no objections to a teardown when I get one.

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:27:18 pm
content: Farnell/Newark sell the same one for $800:http://uk.farnell.com/duratool/ut8060/ultrasonic-cleaning-tank-6l-uk/dp/1748563I've only seen one returned and that was because UPS harshed it quite badly...

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:40:45 pm
content: Apelly - look at line numbered 7 from your last linkFeatures:1.Use just tab water, or industrial alcohol and solvent cleaner for more higher cleaning requirement2. mechanical timer and heating control3. temperature tunable from 20 to 804.Power supply can be either AC 100 ~ 120V or AC 220 ~ 240V5.industrial control chip micro controller.flexible circuit boards control, more secure & stable6.Water exit valve: have(from 6.5L capacity)7.Stainless steel basket is optional

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:51:02 pm
content: Now, now; that one at Farnell is the cool, expensive digital one. You get to push buttons instead of pissing about turning annoying, clumsy, frustrating knobs. FX888D anyone?Also, the cheaper one I linked above is slightly different. And it says 150w, not 180 like the first one. Yea, it's Chinese, and the specs are lies anyway I suppose. I took a quick look at transducers on ebay and there is exactly the same image for 50, 60 and 100w ones. The 100w one I looked at said "total sytem working for 5minutes, need take a rest for 5minutes." Whatever. I'm sure I can hack it to overdrive it if I want to.Also... Thanks for the heads up about the basket notsob. That would have annoyed me if I got it and only then noticed. Now that I know though I reckon I can source a pretty bloody flash basket for US$40!

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 10:40:16 pm
content: Quote from: apelly on February 13, 2014, 09:51:02 pmFirst one you posted stated "Free Basket". Maybe this would be the source of the cost differences?If you're not sure about a particular seller, you could send off an email and see what the response is before buying (suspect trying to buy the basket separately will be more expensive than if it were included in the package).

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2014, 04:57:34 pm
content: Well, the cheaper guy got back to me and said the basket was included, so I ordered it.I'll open it up and take photos when it gets here. I can't imagine it'd be too interesting though.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2014, 05:16:39 pm
content: Quote from: apelly on February 15, 2014, 04:57:34 pmBasket = interesting? I doubt it.Likely nice to have however.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2014, 06:46:46 pm
content: Ha! I could have put a bit more thought into that post hey?No, of course I mean pics of the shoddy construction, componentry and wiring

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2014, 08:59:16 pm
content: Quote from: apelly on February 15, 2014, 06:46:46 pmIf people thought that CIF FT-02 reflow oven was a bit dodgy... then welcome to a whole new world of shoddy! Does the job though and the price is right.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2014, 03:32:16 am
content: Quote from: TopLoser on February 15, 2014, 08:59:16 pmHappen to have any pics to illustrate just how bad?

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2014, 06:57:33 am
content: Harbor Freight just opened here, and I was eyeballing this $40.00 cleaner. It has some good reviews.http://www.harborfreight.com/ultrasonic-cleaner-3305.html

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2014, 03:27:55 pm
content: Did it show up yet?

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 18, 2014, 09:41:30 pm
content: Yes. Some time ago. I do have some photos of its guts but haven't been productive enough to post them yet.It is adequate, but performs no miracles. I will post some pictures at some stage.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 01, 2014, 11:19:20 pm
content: Here are the promised pictures.The cleaner works fine. The temperature control seems a bit flaky, but I've never measured it, nor done anything about it.Three inducersHeater stuck to the bath and wedged between the side and the bath

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 11:19:27 am
content: A little bit off-topic, but I bought an ultrasonic cleaner (similar to the $40 linked above) to see how it would affect PCB etching as compared to bubbles. Obviously I used a plastic tray inside the steel one for the FeCl3.I couldn't find any reference to someone else doing it so I thought the experiment would be worthwhile. The result - don't bother. It made very little difference to the etching.

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 11:36:06 am
content: Thanks apelly, it looks reasonably well made for the price.If you add ;image to the end of your "img" data it will show up.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 12:22:21 pm
content: Quote from: robrenz on September 02, 2014, 11:36:06 amInteresting. Took a while to work out what you meant. The post displayed as intended for me. Perhaps related to some sort of cache; having recently uploaded them?Modified the img tags as you suggested anyway.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 12:35:35 pm
content: Have you run the aluminum foil test on it? I have tuned and tested ultrasonic cleaners in the past by immersing a strip of aluminum foil and counting how many holes were punched through it after a set period of time.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 01:06:17 pm
content: Quote from: David Hess on September 02, 2014, 12:35:35 pmI have not. Now I guess I'll have to....How about measuring frequency and amplitude output of a submerged piezoelectric buzzer?