Steeping Times and an Ultrasonic Cleaner Part III

[hngntuf]

It is best to have the bottles up off the floor if that is where the transducer (ultrasonic energy generator) is in your unit.

Each item the ultrasonic waves (energy) interact with will cause the wave to give up some of it's energy. The water to basket interface, the basket to water interface, water to bottle interface, bottle to eliquid interface, etc... How much energy is lost at each interface is determined by the acoustic properties of each material. Materials with similar acoustic properties transmit more energy than materials with drastically different acoustic properties. This is known as acoustic impedance mismatch.

Various ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocities (given in centimeters per micro second):
Water - .145
Plastic (generic) - .16
Glass - .579
Stainless .570

As you can see water and plastic have very similar velocities, the energy that will be lost from the water to plastic interface will not be substantial. Water to glass has a larger difference but the energy is moving from a material with slower velocity to a material with a faster velocity, fairly efficient transfer of energy. Some energy is now going to be lost when the wave hits the slower water as it leaves the faster plastic. Next it leaves the slower water (as compared to glass) and enters the faster glass. This process is repeated each time energy moves from one material to another, losing some energy along the way. Now these losses are not anything to worry about as as one wave dies another is coming right behind it at rate of 42,000 per second, assuming your unit is one of the 42kHz units.

If it's really bothering you let me know and we can get deeper by calculating lambda (wavelength) for each material, lambda will tell us the wave's ability to penetrate any given material, then calculating energy transmitted vs energy incident.

My vote is stainless basket set in a manner as not to place weight on the the transducer and glass bottles. If you have plastic baskets and plastic bottles it will still work and the world will not end.

To give you one more thing to worry about; cold water is more dense than hot water therefore, cold water is a better transmitter of ultrasonic energy. Does throwing that in make me a horses ....?

I think I understand this, but it leads me to believe that free floating bottles would lose less energy because the waves would be more consistent around them in stead of bundling them together and having the waves pass through multiple media? I probably made my point as clear as mud, but maybe you catch my drift? Thanks

 

[Mowgli]

To give you one more thing to worry about; cold water is more dense than hot water therefore, cold water is a better transmitter of ultrasonic energy. Does throwing that in make me a horses ....?

Not at all. We do this for a result. Knowledge is power.
I strive for efficiency and hate waste so facts kill opinion. IMO

 

[SeniorBoy]

Ok I have a few questions.

I bought a UC of Craig's list, looks exactly like the harbor freight 03305 unit, had a start button rubs for about 3 minutes at a time. Has a little plastic basket and stainless lined tub. Water gets hot when running, but I never put a thermometer in there to read the temp, that's next I guess.

Ok: from what I'm reading I can some how rig the start button pressed on to keep it running, with a chip clip or rubber band or something. I'll test that tomorrow...if that works a timer to run 30 mins on and 30 mins off should do the trick? And looks like everyone likes 3 hours of Jacuzzi time for the kids (LOL)

Most of my bottles are plastic with inkjet printed labels (commercially bought juices like HHV, AVE, MBV)...obviously I can not put these in the water, the labels with come off or fade or ink will run, etc... can I put them in zip lock bags? Or will that defeat the purpose? And absorb all the ultrasonic waves?

Are you guys transferring the juice from plastic bottles to glass bottles? That sounds expensive....

And last, I'm unclear, do I want to put the bottles in the basket or take the basket out and place the bottles straight into the stainless lining of the tub?

1. Try scotch tape over the vendors inkjet printed labels. At the conclusion of the bath, remove the scotch tape carefully while placing a finger on the original label. Works for me

2. ALWAYS glass. Plastic as per our resident and super talented guru (@sdennislee) does not cut it not to mention leachning.

3. Actually, you will find plenty of us who give "bacco" centric juices 5 or 6 hours in our UC. Even some but not all of the deserts and bakery mixes need longer than 3 hours. Hard to quantify for me so all my juices get 5 or 6 hours. I might pull one that is new after an hour to see if it has turned a little but then back into the bath it goes. The other way I think is that if I have a bacco mix for my UC and and I have room in the tub, then why the hell not give them all 5 or 6 hours. Exceptions of course, /LOL a new mix of my own then it might be only one or two hours and then some quick tootsies to see if I'm in the ballpark. In some cases I continue to mix if I find the quick one or two hour UC way out of the ballpark which it sometimes is /cough /lol so why waste time and I start tweaking the mix that tasted like motor oil with a brand new tweak. LOL

HTH

 

[sdennislee]

I think I understand this, but it leads me to believe that free floating bottles would lose less energy because the waves would be more consistent around them in stead of bundling them together and having the waves pass through multiple media? I probably made my point as clear as mud, but maybe you catch my drift? Thanks

I think there is some merit to your idea. My only concern would be how does the eliquid move inside the floating bottle?? If it is constantly moving around to where new justice is moving to the portion of the bottle that is submerged in the water then I think life is good. If on the other hand the eliquid were to remain static, then the portion of the eliquid in the non submerged portion of the bottle would not benefit as much.

 

[Mowgli]

I think there is some merit to your idea. My only concern would be how does the eliquid move inside the floating bottle?? If it is constantly moving around to where new justice is moving to the portion of the bottle that is submerged in the water then I think life is good. If on the other hand the eliquid were to remain static, then the portion of the eliquid in the non submerged portion of the bottle would not benefit as much.

Do this test.
Do this with a bottle of juice with the level in the bottle much higher than the UC's water level.
Shake juice so a million tiny bubbles form.
Put bottle in water.
Poof! bubbles disappear

 

[debinnv]

Hi all, so I got my UC and my glass bottles. This cleaner came with a little plastic basket, I take it this will not be good to use? I have a metal small fry basket that is just about the right shape to set in the UC. Should I use that instead? The lid of the UC will not fit if I use that one as the metal basket comes up higher than the top of the UC. Hope that all makes sense. TIA

 

[Chas F.]

I'd stick with what was sent with the UC but iirc, metal will 'conduct' the ultra sonics better than plastic.

You could try a test on a juice the changes color when steeped by making 2 of them and speed steeping each in the two different baskets for the same amount of time/heat and see how they compare.

 

[bobalex]

Hi all, so I got my UC and my glass bottles. This cleaner came with a little plastic basket, I take it this will not be good to use? I have a metal small fry basket that is just about the right shape to set in the UC. Should I use that instead? The lid of the UC will not fit if I use that one as the metal basket comes up higher than the top of the UC. Hope that all makes sense. TIA

I never use the lid on my UC. I'd go with the metal basket.

 

[SeniorBoy]

Ditto 2 godfather Bob

Use the metal basket. BTW...all the high end UCs only have a metal basket for a reason.


Via my iPhone

 

[debinnv]

Thanks all, I will use the metal basket. I can even take some cutters and make it fit a little better.

Waves to SeniorBoy "howdy neighbor"

 

[debinnv]

Guess I will find out later if it is working. It's the same one that jcal got on ebay and it did perforate a piece of tin foil. and the juice is smelling good

 

[wallacecarey]

Has anyone tried a Magnetic Stirrer with Hot Plate for steeping? Seems this might work well?

Brand New Cole Parmer Magnetic Spin Master Stirrer with Hot Plate 4803 | eBay

Wallace

 

[sdennislee]

Has anyone tried a Magnetic Stirrer with Hot Plate for steeping? Seems this might work well?

Brand New Cole Parmer Magnetic Spin Master Stirrer with Hot Plate 4803 | eBay

Wallace

The use of a magnetic stirrer has been discussed in a couple posts in this thread. The general though was it might work but only for batches large enough to to accept the piece that goes in the beaker/bottle to cause the stirring action.

 

[debinnv]

Well, add me to the list of believers on using a USC! Yum.

 

[dannyv45]

The use of a magnetic stirrer has been discussed in a couple posts in this thread. The general though was it might work but only for batches large enough to to accept the piece that goes in the beaker/bottle to cause the stirring action.

That makes sense although I've never used a stirrer. Also the fluid would need to be heated to make it thinner for the stirrer to be effective. Quite a few here do use them though.

 

[JohnnyDill]

Ok I have a few questions.

I bought a UC of Craig's list, looks exactly like the harbor freight 03305 unit, had a start button rubs for about 3 minutes at a time. Has a little plastic basket and stainless lined tub. Water gets hot when running, but I never put a thermometer in there to read the temp, that's next I guess.

Ok: from what I'm reading I can some how rig the start button pressed on to keep it running, with a chip clip or rubber band or something. I'll test that tomorrow...if that works a timer to run 30 mins on and 30 mins off should do the trick? And looks like everyone likes 3 hours of Jacuzzi time for the kids (LOL)

Most of my bottles are plastic with inkjet printed labels (commercially bought juices like HHV, AVE, MBV)...obviously I can not put these in the water, the labels with come off or fade or ink will run, etc... can I put them in zip lock bags? Or will that defeat the purpose? And absorb all the ultrasonic waves?

Are you guys transferring the juice from plastic bottles to glass bottles? That sounds expensive....

And last, I'm unclear, do I want to put the bottles in the basket or take the basket out and place the bottles straight into the stainless lining of the tub?

@ Phone Guy- I have that HF #3305. Use a squeeze clamp over the "on" button to run continuously. Then it runs as long as there is power to the cord. Plug the cord into a mechanical timer. 30 minutes, 30 minutes off, etc....

I have my timer set for the entire 24 hours like this. If the water approaches 120 Fahrenheit, just drop in an ice cube. I only steep in glass bottles and I do mine with the basket in the tank. I usually do 5 to 6 hours like this. It works excellent.

 

[bobalex]

Well, add me to the list of believers on using a USC! Yum.

Happy GUCE-ing! Isn't it neat when something actually works!

 

[Ld3441]

Mine should arrive today! I am so looking forward to this. I have found I don't have the patience to wait a month for tobacco to steep. LOL A week or 2 I can do so I am excited to give this a try.

 

[Nibiru2012]

From my original post:

Just purchased this from Ebay: Solid Tech 1.3 Liter 60w Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner
Paid $64.95 w/free shipping. Timer goes to 90 minutes!

Well, first of all the unit does NOT go up to 90 minutes on the timer. The maximum time is 8 minutes (480 seconds on the timer setting) but it works very well and not too noisy either. I just have it sitting on the floor next to my computer desk and run 8 consecutive 8 minute cycles and then let it rest for about 30 minutes to cool down and then begin again. I do this while watching Netflix or Blu-Ray movies. Not that much of a hassle really. The instructions state not to let run continuously for more than an hour so that's what I do. Then the internal cooling fan is able to cool the unit down somewhat during the 30 minute rest period.

I have found other uses for it too. I found it cleans other items too very well such as my wet/dry Panasonic razor, my new arrivals of Taifun GT clone, Nemesis mechanical mod and Chi You mod (removes ALL of the residual machining residues and oils by using 2 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid) and my ProTanks and Aspire BDC clearomizers and coils too. The Taifun GT and the SS mods came out very clean and bright looking. You could even see fine particles of milling shaving in the bottom of the tank. I then gave them a one cycle rinse with fresh clean water to remove any residual detergent and residue.

The basket has fine enough holes in the center portion to even hold the tiny nuts and screws that go on my AGA T2 RBA.

Regarding steeping, it works great. Now I don't have to wait a few weeks for my Vita Bella and Wild Turkey juices to mellow out. Also helped with my Ahlusion Smooth Criminal and Smokin' Cherries juices too.

I don't regret my purchase at all and other than the minor hassle of having to press the start button 8 times to achieve an hour and 4 minutes worth of UC run time I am very pleased. Plus with the other uses I found so far it was a good buy. The unit is well built and the lid helps to mute the buzzzzzing noise it creates when it's running. I just kick up my Klipsch THX 2.1 sound system and it fades into the background. What really surprised me was how much gunk it removed from my razor's working parts even though I always use the cleaning feature on the charging cleaning base unit for the razor.

 

[debinnv]

Happy GUCE-ing! Isn't it neat when something actually works!

Let me just say again how great I think it is that all of you help us newbies to get the very best vaping experience that we can. I really love this forum and the people on it.

Thank you!!