Our DIY Ultrasonic Record Cleaner

[bob_m_54]

15 hours ago, andyr said:

 

Very few owners of us cleaning tanks use them for cleaning LPs - the most common use is cleaning jewellery.

 

I could understand that air in the cleaning solution might oxidise silver, say - so it would be preferable to have it removed.  But for LPs - it's of no benefit - and, anyway, it's a good idea to switch on the us vibrations for 10 minutes, before starting to clean LPs

 

40kHz is the lowest frequency you want to use for LPs.  I suspect the budget cleaners you are looking at are 40kHz (rather than 60kHz) - IMO, you certainly don't want this frequency to sweep lower than 40kHz (higher is fine - IMO 60kHz is a good frequency for LP cleaning).  So, again - for LPs, it's of no benefit.

 

 

It seems to me you are between a rock and a hard place! 

 

If you buy another $150 one from a different eBay seller ... how do you know it's not in fact from the same factory in China - so you will have the same problem?

 

And if it's a different Chinese factory ... are you safe?

 

 

The $4000 us cleaners are the ones from AudioDesk, for instance.  Certainly, you don't have to fork out that much - if you are in any way DIY-oriented.  And the AudioDesk only cleans 1 LP at a time - whereas my US-made, wide-tank (10l) Sonix IV allows me to clean 6 LPs simultaneously ... and that's with 1" between each LP (and the sides of the tank).  But I had to do some 'systems integration', to get it to perform - it wasn't just plug'n'play, like the AudioDesk.

 

Andy

Just curious, but why do you specify a minimum frequency of 40KHz

 

Edit: Never mind, I just did what I should have done first and used Google :-)

Choosing the best Ultrasonic frequency.

Edited October 17, 2017 by bob_m_54
More info

[bob_m_54]

Also, according to this site, degassing helps to make the cleaning process more effective as the ultrasonic waves travel better through a liquid without tiny air bubbles in it.

How to degas your Ultrasonic Cleaner

 

As an aside, someone mentioned earlier about the cost of machines being much cheaper these days. We used to use them to clean aircraft radar mechanical parts back in the late 70's. The price back then was up around $1,000. And we used liquid freon in them.

[Sceeta]

Also, according to this site, degassing helps to make the cleaning process more effective as the ultrasonic waves travel better through a liquid without tiny air bubbles in it.
How to degas your Ultrasonic Cleaner
 
As an aside, someone mentioned earlier about the cost of machines being much cheaper these days. We used to use them to clean aircraft radar mechanical parts back in the late 70's. The price back then was up around $1,000. And we used liquid freon in them.

Liquid Freon, that's interesting. I assume it was R11 (trichlorofluromethane)?

[bob_m_54]

9 minutes ago, Sceeta said:

20 minutes ago, bob_m_54 said:

Also, according to this site, degassing helps to make the cleaning process more effective as the ultrasonic waves travel better through a liquid without tiny air bubbles in it.
How to degas your Ultrasonic Cleaner
 
As an aside, someone mentioned earlier about the cost of machines being much cheaper these days. We used to use them to clean aircraft radar mechanical parts back in the late 70's. The price back then was up around $1,000. And we used liquid freon in them.

Read more  

Liquid Freon, that's interesting. I assume it was R11 (trichlorofluromethane)?

Not 100% sure, but I think it was trichlorotrifluoroethane Freon 113. We use to use gallons of the stuff, literally. We also used it to flush the PCB contaminated cooling oil out of Radar transmitter modules. :-(

[Sceeta]

Not 100% sure, but I think it was trichlorotrifluoroethane Freon 113. We use to use gallons of the stuff, literally. We also used it to flush the PCB contaminated cooling oil out of Radar transmitter modules. :-(

Ok higher boiling point than R11. So it wasn't just us Fridgies who destroyed the ozone layer then. Sorry to get off topic.

[Owen Y]

12 hours ago, Leinster Lad said:

Thinking about filtering my cleaning solution....

[snipped]

 

Thoughts ??

I have trialled one of these aquarium pumps, they work reasonably well, rapidly & inexpensive....

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

[Owen Y]

[Oops duplicate post sorry.]

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

Edited October 18, 2017 by Owen Y

[EV Cali]

1 hour ago, Owen Y said:

I have trialled one of these aquarium pumps, they work reasonably well, rapidly & inexpensive....

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

I have purchased the same one but have not yet been motivated enough to set it up yet.

[Happy]

It’s already too much work I don’t know how you guys can be so hard working lol

[Owen Y]

Haha, I looked at mine too, for a couple of wks, before hooking it all up.

 

@Happy - I agree, if it's too hard work, it's no fun.

That's how I used to feel about my old Nitty Gritty - I'd rather be listening than cleaning  

However, the US-cleaned vinyl sounds so much better - more resolution, more dynamic range, tonal range, more everything 

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

Edited October 18, 2017 by Owen Y

[Happy]

Just now, Owen Y said:

Haha, i looked at mine too, for a couple of wks, before hooking it all up.

 

@Happy - I agree, if it's too hard work, it's no fun.

That's how I used to feel about my old Nitty Gritty - I'd rather be listening than cleaning  

However, the US-cleaned vinyl sounds so much better - more resolution, more dynamic range, tonal range, more everything 

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

can relate to that. when i only had VAC type RCM (KAB, Okkis) I ended up not bothering much probably because the result wasn't spectacular. not so with US + VAC cleaning.

[Ugly]

Ok higher boiling point than R11. So it wasn't just us Fridgies who destroyed the ozone layer then. Sorry to get off topic.

What ever happened to the ozone hole? You never hear about it anymore.

[Happy]

4 minutes ago, Ugly said:

7 hours ago, Sceeta said:

Ok higher boiling point than R11. So it wasn't just us Fridgies who destroyed the ozone layer then. Sorry to get off topic.

What ever happened to the ozone hole? You never hear about it anymore.

The smokes they closed them off

[Leinster Lad]

8 minutes ago, Ugly said:

7 hours ago, Sceeta said:

Ok higher boiling point than R11. So it wasn't just us Fridgies who destroyed the ozone layer then. Sorry to get off topic.

What ever happened to the ozone hole? You never hear about it anymore.

Plenty of info around.

A 2 second google search revealed there is still trouble.....

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2989382/uea_study_reveals_new_ozone_layer_threat.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

Pleanty of other references to it as well.

[Sceeta]

Getting a lot off topic now but heavy industry would be the main contributor. So yep still a problem.

[ochremoon]

We know all about the ozone hole down in Tassie. 10 mins in the sun and you're burnt.

 

[Citroen]

Adding a pump just seems like a chore - another bit of kit to add to the mix...:(

 

But after seeing this in the bottom of my tank I might just have to get me one of those pumps.

 

Whatever this flocculus is it can't be good!

 

[dwbasement]

Adding a pump just seems like a chore - another bit of kit to add to the mix...
 
But after seeing this in the bottom of my tank I might just have to get me one of those pumps.
 
Whatever this flocculus is it can't be good!

 

I have the same marks but not that much only a few dots here and there. I found it was the triton sitting in the tank for a few days, the marks started to appear. Now I only leave it for the weekend max and clean the tank, problem disappear now.

[Qwertyqaz]

On 18/10/2017 at 2:12 PM, Owen Y said:

Haha, I looked at mine too, for a couple of wks, before hooking it all up.

 

@Happy - I agree, if it's too hard work, it's no fun.

That's how I used to feel about my old Nitty Gritty - I'd rather be listening than cleaning  

However, the US-cleaned vinyl sounds so much better - more resolution, more dynamic range, tonal range, more everything 

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

I wouldn’t know as I don’t play used Records unless I clean them.

And once I play them they all sound phenomenal and no dirt picked up by stylus so must be clean.

[scuzzii]

Adding a pump just seems like a chore - another bit of kit to add to the mix...
 
But after seeing this in the bottom of my tank I might just have to get me one of those pumps.
 
Whatever this flocculus is it can't be good!

 

How long has the water and triton been in the tank? I've had water with triton in the tank for a week but never had what you've got.

I never leave a solution in the tank for more than a week. I see some "floaties" when draining the tank. A quick wash around with fresh water and another drain has mine pretty clean.

[EV Cali]

After I have cleaned about thirty old records ,after the tank has stood over night, there is a thin layer of brown slime on the bottom of the tank.

This is what pushed me to get a filter, as before the dirt has settled it is still suspended in the solution and may end up on the surface of the records when removed from the tank.

Having said that , a minuet amount of dirt sitting on the surface is a lot better than a lot of dirt, glued to the bottom of the grooves.

 

Or as I use tap water I could just change the water more often with out real any cost issues.

 

And before any one starts , I do not think this is a significant enough issue to start worrying about how many microns the filter is.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2017 by EV Cali

[Owen Y]

This is the above basic aquarium filter piping hooked onto the edge of the tank - it does not impede a 3-record stack.

 

The filter is not the 1-micron filtering like the carbon drinking-tap water filter from which I source my tank water, but removes more obvious floating detritus. The resulting water is not crystal clear, slightly murky still (after many cleans), but I should be able to continue cleaning until the detergent is depleted.

 

The main downside is that the tank lid is no longer able to sit tightly & evaporation is significantly increased.

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

[Happy]

seems to me the downside is not worth the trouble.

 

btw, @Owen Y when you empty the tank do you remove the kit? 

[Owen Y]

Hi @Happy

The kit attachment should easily slide off/on.

Last time, I used the tank tap, but I haven't had to replenish the fluid again yet.

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/

22 minutes ago, Happy said:

 

btw, @Owen Y when you empty the tank do you remove the kit? 

 

[Owen Y]

Of course, another small downside of filtering, is that the filtering system (filter, piping, etc) contains an additional qty of fluid - maybe 0.75-1litre?

 

The filter has 400L/hr spec, so I think it only takes a burst now & then to adequately filter a tankful.

 

Cheers, Owen

http://darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/