# Toy Lust: ultrasonic cleaner



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

Curious some of the folks here have, and what you do or don't like about it. Looking for info such as:

Brand, capacity (liters), features, such as heated, types of controls (ie: digital vs simple mechanical timer), etc. 

What did you pay? Best and worst aspects of this unit? If you had the opportunity it to do over again, would you buy that, or if not, what would you buy if you got a 'mulligan''?

Any tips on how you use it would be good.


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

I went with the cheapest that I could order through wally world. Pros, it was cheap for a limited use tool. Cons, it's small, and doesn't have a separate heat option. It does heat up, but due to use, and due to it's size, limited to small gas engine carburetors. 

If I remember correctly it was in the $30 range.


----------



## gsnod (Sep 2, 2013)

Harbor Freight 2 liter unit for about $69 with shipping. I use it after I've saked a carb in chem dip. It's heated, works well, digital timer in 180 second amounts. 

No complaints.


----------



## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

i have the bottom of the line harbor freight unit. worthless piece of ****


----------



## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

43128 said:


> i have the bottom of the line harbor freight unit. worthless piece of ****


Link
Cleaned at least a dozen carburetors so far. Mostly smaller mower carbs. Only complaint so far is the short amount of time from one cycle. Have to keep monitoring it so you can press the 3 minute start button several times.
I start with hot tap water and heat it some more in the microwave. Some pine-sol and and it looks great. Will get a better one when this does die. Completely sold on the concept. My next one will be more along the lines of this.
link2


----------



## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

^^^ thats what im talking about righr there? WHOAH....that might also qualify as a birthday present for the Mrs.!!!!


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Harbor Freight unit vs. Amazon*

Was looking at reviews of the smaller Harbor Freight cleaner, and they did not sound especially well built. The bigger Harbor Freight one is not really a bargain. I am also not sure about what kind of capacity I would need (let's say to clean a small engine carb. 

Right now the one that is looking good is Amazon.com - INDUSTRAL GRADE 160 WATTS 5.29PINTS DIGITAL HEATED ULTRASONIC CLEANER + FREE CLEANING CONCENTRATE POWDER & JEWELER'S SUPERMARKET POLISHING CLOTH - Jewelry Cleaning And Care Products


Heated, 2.5 liter, $71 shipped from amazon..


----------



## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

classiccat said:


> ....that might also qualify as a birthday present *for* the Mrs.!!!!


haha CC
Look honey. Got you something to make your jewelry sparkle. Perhaps if your not using it I can borrow it...


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*"But honey, you can use it, too"*



classiccat said:


> ..that might also qualify as a birthday present for the Mrs.!!!!


That line might have actually worked if she didn't know I would be cleaning a carb with it before she would get to use it..


----------



## fixer5000 (Nov 3, 2013)

i am totally spoiled. i have access to a very large branson unit that prolly holds 30 gallons of liquid, is heated and could hold a chevy v8 block inside !!


----------



## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

I have 2 that I bought on Ebay. One 1 litre and the other is a 3 litre. Both are heated units, also. Their the best thing for cleaning cabs and other small parts. Well worth the investment.


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Size matters?*



Motor City said:


> I have 2 that I bought on Ebay. One 1 litre and the other is a 3 litre. Both are heated units, also. Their the best thing for cleaning cabs and other small parts. Well worth the investment.


 Is the 1 liter big enough to be useful? Is the 3L a good size, or bigger than you really need? I would hate to buy something small and then spend the next few years wishing I didn't go too small to save a few bucks..

Also, is the heated solution really useful, or more gimmicky?


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Heat, no matter how you derive it, will always make any degreasing solution that you use more effective. I use dawn-like dishwashing liquid. 

The size of the machine depends on what you intend to use it on, and can afford.


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Quality vs price*



db9938 said:


> The size of the machine depends on what you intend to use it on, and can afford.


I am surprised that so many here have them. I am guessing that my needs are similar to you guys- lots of small engine devices (3 to 7hp) that can use carb cleanings, plus lots of misc stuff I happen to be taking apart in my various little tinkering projects. 

I am OK spending $100 (give or take), but I would be annoyed if I spent that much for something that was stereotypical Chinese Crap and failed after 1 to 2 dozen uses. Harbor Freight is ok for some things. Frankly, their quality makes me nervous when it comes to something like an ultrasonic cleaner. I see that as an investment that should yield years of service. I have found many electrical tools from HF to be a third of the price, 
but a tenth of the lifespan.


----------



## pwm (Jun 12, 2014)

I didn't even know what that was until now.


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

time2time said:


> I am surprised that so many here have them. I am guessing that my needs are similar to you guys- lots of small engine devices (3 to 7hp) that can use carb cleanings, plus lots of misc stuff I happen to be taking apart in my various little tinkering projects.
> 
> I am OK spending $100 (give or take), but I would be annoyed if I spent that much for something that was stereotypical Chinese Crap and failed after 1 to 2 dozen uses. Harbor Freight is ok for some things. Frankly, their quality makes me nervous when it comes to something like an ultrasonic cleaner. I see that as an investment that should yield years of service. I have found many electrical tools from HF to be a third of the price,
> but a tenth of the lifespan.


I agree, but I do not know if you could find one, not made in china.


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Varying quality of Chinese goods*



db9938 said:


> I agree , but I do not know if you could find one, not made in china.


Seems to me that some Chinese goods are ok, some fair, while other things can be poor to terrible. Guessing it comes down to how cheaply they are trying to make something. 

I have bought some off-brand stuff that was useless. OTOH, some name brand American companies may hold them to a higher standard (and pay a little more) when they source things from China. (Of course, that is not always the case. In the end, manufacturing cost is probably the biggest thing). If they spec it out and have it made, they may have more control than if they just buy something off the shelf and re-brand it.

With Amazon and some other sellers, I like to look at feedback. Specifically, I look at the most negative of the reviews. Not just the ratio of negatives, but also the description of what they did not like. The occasional crank reviewer is not a concern, but if many people point out a similar failure, that may be a common weakness built into the item.


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

dbert said:


> haha CC
> Look honey. Got you something to make your jewelry sparkle. Perhaps if your not using it I can borrow it...


I bought sweet Bonny a really nice Tika T3 light in .270 with a Nikon Monarch scope last summer for a "just because I love you" present. Talk about being ungrateful... She told me to keep it.


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

Coulda gone worse... she could have said "Let's go hunting.. you get to be the decoy"
(Old 'Married With Children' line)


----------



## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

time2time said:


> Is the 1 liter big enough to be useful? Is the 3L a good size, or bigger than you really need? I would hate to buy something small and then spend the next few years wishing I didn't go too small to save a few bucks..
> 
> Also, is the heated solution really useful, or more gimmicky?


I had to check the sizes i have a 2.5l & 6l. I use the 2.5l the most. Its the perfect size for small engine carbs. The bigger will fir a 4 barrel automotive carb. The heat feature definitely helps and make sure the unit comes with a basket. My bigger one has no basket and its a pain. They say not to let things sit on the bottom, as its suppose to not be good. Also, I use Simple Green , diluted in my machine, the most.


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> I bought sweet Bonny a really nice Tika T3 light in .270 with a Nikon Monarch scope last summer for a "just because I love you" present. Talk about being ungrateful... She told me to keep it.


At least she did reciprocate with this:


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Testing a used ultrasonic*

Got a used 2.5L heated Branson unit I am going to look at, but not sure what I am going to do to test it. Only test I keep seeing in searches is the 'foil test'. Not sure how well that works without the special solution that most recommend. This guy tested without the solution, and stated that it takes mebbe 10 minutes. Was not sure if there is a quick test I can start with- something like tossing in pennies and seeing if the tarnish comes off quickly. Anyone got any ideas / suggestions? Going tomorrow, so no time to order any special solution. 

Saw this on Youtube and had a laugh:





The cleaner is in a nice kitchen, and he is cleaning parts. Any bets his wife does not know? I can see keeping mine in the kitchen ("Honey, you can clean those utensils with it!"), then getting busted when she comes home early and catches me pulling a carb out..


----------



## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

That does look nice in the kitchen....go real nice next to the 6qt kitchen-aid I use for making carp bait...errrrr I mean bread dough


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

*Well, that was largely a waste of time*

Had a line on a Branson 1510 cleaner.. 2 liters, heated, and manual (not digital) controls (def preference). List is about $400, a guy in south Brooklyn was selling off a bunch of tattoo equipment, including 2 ultrasonic cleaners.

The 2 trains to him from work (lower manhattan) took longer than expected. When I got there, it was sitting by the door. I asked if I could demo it (and test with a piece of foil). He looked surprised and asked, you mean plug it in and fill it with water? (Uh, yes). 

Plugged it in, and... DOA. He spent some time looking at it, plugging it into diff outlets, and telling me it was probably just a fuse. Bottom line- Branson 1510 paperweight. He gave it to me (saves him the trouble of throwing it away). I'll tinker with it, though the chances of reviving it do not seem likely.

I did test (and take) the second one, a little sovereign 600, for $20. Dunno the capacity, but could be 600ml. Will rip open the branson this weekend, inspect, reseat connections, sniff for anything burnt, etc. We shall see..


----------



## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

It might be worth contacting Bronson, to if it can be repaired. They are expensive machines.


----------



## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

When he offered to give it to me, i figured it would be a 'no loose' option. Yes, i might be able to fix it, to have it fixed, or to sell it as non working. I could even break it up for parts, or if none of those options yield fruit, i can discard it. 

Repair by Bronson could cost as much as a working used one, and shipping could be pricey, but i figure i should see what my options actually are, rather than make a lot of (possibly incorrect) assumptions.


----------

