Steeping Times and an Ultrasonic Cleaner Part III

[SpinDr480]

Alright, after I thought I made my last purchase yesterday for DIY gear I read this thread and broke down and picked up an UltraSonic Cleaner from Harbor Freight. I got the cheaper one, as I am going to try the rubber band trick to hold the on button so it doesn't turn off every 3 minutes.

Anyway, I was curious of your steeping process with the UltraSonic that doesn't have the heat function. I was thinking UltraSonic for like an hour, then do a hot water steep, then leave caps off overnight. Is that too much? Should I be doing it in a different order?

Thanks

 

[Mowgli]

Mine gets wicked hot within a half hour. It doesn't need a heater.
I keep replacing the hot water with cold using a turkey baster.
Warm water is probably better for the juice and motor than hot water.

I'm amazed that it's lasted for a few months with the abuse I give it.

It's the correct frequency but it's not high power.
I cycle my juices for a few hours/night for a couple of nights.
I keep the caps off the first night.

I just saw some MBV Banana Cream Pie I made a few weeks ago for someone.
I was bringing him more that I made over this past weekend.
His older juice was much darker than the fresher stuff even though they both got the same treatment.
It was good to go a couple of weeks ago but I'm sure it's even better now.

I'm not aiming for perfect steeping.
I want to knock weeks off the steep time without hurting my creations

so far so good

 

[SpinDr480]

Ok this is the computer geek in me, but a while back I was reading into something called ioBridge. It's basically a wifi device that you can hook up to any application, and then allows you to access that device remotely through an app. The platform is endless, it even allows for you to control moving parts. Anyway, nerd part done...

I just thought it would be cool to come up with a way to connect your ultrasonic cleaner to a device like this that would let you turn it on remotely. So for example, you're at work you go to your app and can hit a button to turn your UC on, then after it turns off just hit the button again. Even better, would be a way to set a timer so it would just turn it on every hour automatically for a set number of times.

Anyway, that would be a dream UC. Maybe some manufacturers will at least come out with a remote function so I could keep turning it on from my couch. Or maybe I will just have to stop being so lazy.

 

[SpinDr480]

Mine gets wicked hot within a half hour. It doesn't need a heater.
I keep replacing the hot water with cold using a turkey baster.
Warm water is probably better for the juice and motor than hot water.

I'm amazed that it's lasted for a few months with the abuse I give it.

It's the correct frequency but it's not high power.
I cycle my juices for a few hours/night for a couple of nights.
I keep the caps off the first night.

I just saw some MBV Banana Cream Pie I made a few weeks ago for someone.
I was bringing him more that I made over this past weekend.
His older juice was much darker than the fresher stuff even though they both got the same treatment.
It was good to go a couple of weeks ago but I'm sure it's even better now.

I'm not aiming for perfect steeping.
I want to knock weeks off the steep time without hurting my creations

so far so good

How long do you let the thing go for before giving it a rest. I have a big binder clip that works great at holding the button down. I'm running it for first time now, been doing 15 minute cycles with 5-10 minutes rest. I kind of think I'm going to try 30minutes this cycle now. Is that about right?

 

[Mowgli]

How long do you let the thing go for before giving it a rest. I have a big binder clip that works great at holding the button down. I'm running it for first time now, been doing 15 minute cycles with 5-10 minutes rest. I kind of think I'm going to try 30minutes this cycle now. Is that about right?

Sure.
I'm really in no hurry so I let it run for 30-60 minutes (keeping the temp warm not hot).
Then I let it sit for an hour or whatever in it's own warm bath.
When I notice it's cooled I'll start it back up. repeat.

I'm no expert and not real formal about it.
Some of my juice probably gets twice as much UC as other batches.
It works for me.

If I was selling my juice it would have paid for itself within a couple of weeks so it's all gravy for me.
When/if it breaks I'll get another one.
Next one will be the other HF unit if I'm ahead or this again one if I'm broke.

 

[SpinDr480]

Sure.
I'm really in no hurry so I let it run for 30-60 minutes (keeping the temp warm not hot).
Then I let it sit for an hour or whatever in it's own warm bath.
When I notice it's cooled I'll start it back up. repeat.

I'm no expert and not real formal about it.
Some of my juice probably gets twice as much UC as other batches.
It works for me.

If I was selling my juice it would have paid for itself within a couple of weeks so it's all gravy for me.
When/if it breaks I'll get another one.
Next one will be the other HF unit if I'm ahead or this again one if I'm broke.

Yeah, that was my plan when I got this as well. I just was curious if running it longer than 15 minutes could be done. It looks like I can increase it to 60 sometimes as well. Plus I'm under 90 day warranty so why not take this puppy for a walk the first day.

 

[Mowgli]

Yeah, that was my plan when I got this as well. I just was curious if running it longer than 15 minutes could be done. It looks like I can increase it to 60 sometimes as well. Plus I'm under 90 day warranty so why not take this puppy for a walk the first day.

I lived near Deer Valley Road for about a year in '85.
Does KUPD still rock Phoenix?
I used to go to that fountain that blasts every half hour at Salt River.
Is that still a cool thing to do on a hot day? (every day IIRC)
How high does that puppy blast?

It was fun plinking appliances in the desert with guns of dubious legality.

Crazy place. Stay safe.

 

[SpinDr480]

KUPD still rocks and the fountain in Fountain Hills still shoots, but that may be the only thing you recognize here since 85'. I've lived here 15 years now and it is completely different for me in that span. It turned from a big small town into a metropolis. It takes about an hour in a half to get from east side to west.

 

[funkyZero]

Update:

Did a 50/50 with 10% and wow it's the cigarettes I used to smoke exactly and is thick enough now that it doesn't run through the T3 flooding the battery. Can't wait for it to finish steeping in the UC. I figure 2.5 - 3 hours should do it. Can't wait to get some more tobacco to extract.

To recap

1. Put tobacco in a jar (Amount don't matter)
2. Fill with Pg until it just covers the top of the tobacco.
3. Run in the UC for an hour with heat on. (For those with no heat units poor in very hot tap water)
4. poor the entire mix (tobacco and all) into a coffee filter and let the PG drain. Do this 2 times.
or
take a 30 ml syringe pull the plunger out of the back put a piece of cotton in and put the mixture in (tobacco and all) re-insert the plunger and plunge out the juice and discard the tobacco. After this is done insert another peace of cotton into the syringe and poor in the juice and plunge again. (I did it both ways and the syringe works best)

5. Make your mix. Recommended percent is from 5 - 10% depending on the tobacco. If it's just plain cigarette tobacco try 10%. If its flavored pipe tobacco start with 5%. If it's to runny at 75/25 then mix at 50/50.

I didn't measure the tobacco I took a hand full out of the bag and poored PG over it and wound up with 2 OZ of flavor.

Just an FYI:
Coffee filters are around 20 micron. You can get cloth filter bags on Amazon (typically used to filter oils) that are in the 1-10 micron range for pretty cheap. These would be a great addition to your process I would think. I would boil them first, I don't know what the MFG process would be... they are not specifically for food processing. they can also be cleaned for re-use

5 Micron 4"x8" Singed Polyester Felt Filter Bag PESP3S size 3: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[dannyv45]

Yeah, that was my plan when I got this as well. I just was curious if running it longer than 15 minutes could be done. It looks like I can increase it to 60 sometimes as well. Plus I'm under 90 day warranty so why not take this puppy for a walk the first day.

Even the small cheap UC's can run for 30 Min at a shot. What most do is wedge the on/off button then attach it to a plug in timer.

 

[average joe]

I've been following this thread with some interest. Great work, bobalex! While trolling the web for a cheap UC, I came across a steel basket that looks like it would fit the Joy4Less and Harbor Freight 2.5 liter models that a few folks here have bought: Stainless Steel Basket for Our 2 5L Ultrasonic Cleaner 4820 | eBay

If I read this thread correctly, the plastic baskets that come with these units absorb UC waves. The steel basket doesn't, however, have a clip to hang it on the lip of the UC unit; it appears to snug into the sides of the unit. I don't know whether that will diminish the effect of the U waves. Perhaps mikepetro and funkyZero can weigh in on this point.

This looks to be a (relatively) cheap upgrade to 2.5 liter UCs.

 

[funkyZero]

I've been following this thread with some interest. Great work, bobalex! While trolling the web for a cheap UC, I came across a steel basket that looks like it would fit the Joy4Less and Harbor Freight 2.5 liter models that a few folks here have bought: Stainless Steel Basket for Our 2 5L Ultrasonic Cleaner 4820 | eBay

If I read this thread correctly, the plastic baskets that come with these units absorb UC waves. The steel basket doesn't, however, have a clip to hang it on the lip of the UC unit; it appears to snug into the sides of the unit. I don't know whether that will diminish the effect of the U waves. Perhaps mikepetro and funkyZero can weigh in on this point.

This looks to be a (relatively) cheap upgrade to 2.5 liter UCs.

Well, I have made several points and so have others, one of them being about plastics.
Don't let that lead you to believe plastic cannot be used. The differences are minor. Steel is better, but plastic works fine. I think the bigger issues comes in when using squeeze-drip plastic bottles for the juice. It's very soft plastic and can absorb some of the waves. I have no idea how much, I have no way to measure that. the only thing I can tell you is that some people claim their juices don't steep as quickly or at all in plastic bottles. Personally, I haven't noticed much of a difference, but I also mix mostly fruit flavors and sweets. I haven't tried any tobaccos yet and those are the flavors the benefit the most form US so I may be finding out real soon.
As far as the basket hanging: you are correct. I have this exact US cleaner and have been using it for several weeks. The basket setup is disappointing, it is made to sit on the bottom of the tank and I do not like that, it contributes to overloading the transducer and hampers efficiency. I made up some hangers out of wire clothes hangers so it is suspended from the sides and doesn't touch the bottom anymore.
I also bought a bunch of glass 50ml beakers and fill them with water along with the tank. I put my uncapped bottles in the beakers to keep them from falling over and humping all over around inside the basket and possibly falling over. Some people get several bottles and use a rubber band to strap them all together for the same purpose.
Just keep in mind when I was sharing some technical information, it's best to not make a HUGE deal out of it, I was just explaining some of the details. Having the basket sit on the bottom will still work. I just believe in getting the most out of my gear. Some people would rather not fool with making the hangers and simply run the juice through an extra cycle or something. I like to understand as much as I can about my tools and use them in a manner that makes them last and perform well. I'm just a little overly compulsive about it sometimes and this may be one of those instances.

 

[mikepetro]

IMHO Being snug against the side would have very little detrimental effect, far less than the plastic basket. What you want to avoid is to have it rest on the bottom as that is where the UC energy emanates. What would be best is if you suspend the basket with some sort of hook, Attach coat hanger wire to the top of the basket and have the wire hang over the outside of the unit.

But really, at $23 (with shipping) I would just put that money towards a better UC unit to begin with.

 

[mikepetro]

Well, I have made several points and so have others, one of them being about plastics.
Don't let that lead you to believe plastic cannot be used. The differences are minor. Steel is better, but plastic works fine. I think the bigger issues comes in when using squeeze-drip plastic bottles for the juice. It's very soft plastic and can absorb some of the waves. I have no idea how much, I have no way to measure that. the only thing I can tell you is that some people claim their juices don't steep as quickly or at all in plastic bottles. Personally, I haven't noticed much of a difference, but I also mix mostly fruit flavors and sweets. I haven't tried any tobaccos yet and those are the flavors the benefit the most form US so I may be finding out real soon.
As far as the basket hanging: you are correct. I have this exact US cleaner and have been using it for several weeks. The basket setup is disappointing, it is made to sit on the bottom of the tank and I do not like that, it contributes to overloading the transducer and hampers efficiency. I made up some hangers out of wire clothes hangers so it is suspended from the sides and doesn't touch the bottom anymore.
I also bought a bunch of glass 50ml beakers and fill them with water along with the tank. I put my uncapped bottles in the beakers to keep them from falling over and humping all over around inside the basket and possibly falling over. Some people get several bottles and use a rubber band to strap them all together for the same purpose.
Just keep in mind when I was sharing some technical information, it's best to not make a HUGE deal out of it, I was just explaining some of the details. Having the basket sit on the bottom will still work. I just believe in getting the most out of my gear. Some people would rather not fool with making the hangers and simply run the juice through an extra cycle or something. I like to understand as much as I can about my tools and use them in a manner that makes them last and perform well. I'm just a little overly compulsive about it sometimes and this may be one of those instances.

+1 .....
All good and valid points.

 

[funkyZero]

I've been following this thread with some interest. Great work, bobalex! While trolling the web for a cheap UC, I came across a steel basket that looks like it would fit the Joy4Less and Harbor Freight 2.5 liter models that a few folks here have bought: Stainless Steel Basket for Our 2 5L Ultrasonic Cleaner 4820 | eBay

If I read this thread correctly, the plastic baskets that come with these units absorb UC waves. The steel basket doesn't, however, have a clip to hang it on the lip of the UC unit; it appears to snug into the sides of the unit. I don't know whether that will diminish the effect of the U waves. Perhaps mikepetro and funkyZero can weigh in on this point.

This looks to be a (relatively) cheap upgrade to 2.5 liter UCs.

Sorry, I got my links mixed up.
I do NOT have that US cleaner. This is the one I purchased:

New Professional Set Digital Ultrasonic Cleaning Cleaner 2 5L 320W w Heater | eBay

 

[average joe]

Yep, I'm eyeing this one: http://www............com/item/Free-Shipping-110V-Digital-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-JP-010-2L-with-Timer-40KHz-80-W/572957652.html No heater, mechanical timer (even the Chinese can't screw that up, right?) and 80W for $99 Fedexed, but I need a basket....

 

[mikepetro]

......I think the bigger issues comes in when using squeeze-drip plastic bottles for the juice.
..............
I also bought a bunch of glass 50ml beakers and fill them with water along with the tank.

I took a slightly different approach over time. I now use an Erlenmeyer Flask and/or a Volumetric Flask (I have both) and mix my juice directly in the flask then pour it into bottles after running it through the Ultrasonic. The beauty of these two types of flasks is that they are naturally bottom heavy are not nearly as buoyant (when filled) as a straight walled flask. You can easily adjust the water level to keep a filled Flask from tipping over. I prefer the Volumetric Flask as it comes with a stopper and is quite tall, you can tip it over on its side (when doing smaller more buoyant batches) and the neck will still be outside of the US unit.

 

[R Alexander]

In the back of my mink I'm thinking that a microwave does the same thing. The only difference is the frequency of the vibrations. When you nuke your juice your just vibrating it at an incredibly high frequency at the molecular level (that's where the heat comes from). If the results aren't the same, it's because we need a less powerful microwave that can be left on longer without the heat build up. naaaaah, that can't be right. Think I'll get an ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[LongDraw]

So I think I am going to order an ultra sonic today.

This one seems to be pretty popular Joy4Less Professional Grade Ultrasonic Cleaner 4810, 30-min Timer, Plastic Basket, any suggestions outside of this one?

And a few questions:
1.) Is it suggested to use heat on every cycle, thought I read someone only using heat on the first cycle?

2.) Any rough idea on cycle time, like 1 hour equals a 1 week of regular steeping?

EDIT: Any thoughts on this one, Amazon.com: 1/2 Gallon Digital Heated UltraSonic Cleaner Stainless Steel Ultra Sonic Gal: Health & Personal Care or compared to the joy4less one Amazon.com: Joy4Less Professional Grade Ultrasonic Cleaner 4810, 30-min Timer, Plastic Basket: Health & Personal Care

I am primarily concenred with durability, and wondering if both would be of appropriate size to steep a few 30 or 60 ml bottles at a time.

 

[michaelsil1]

I think the Ultrasonic Cleaner generates enough heat on its own.