Ultrasonic cleaner - > is it worth it?

[tchavei]

Hi all.

I clean my attys and my mods maybe twice a week. No big cleaning just a strip down, rinse through water and occasionally some hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol and that's it. Sometimes when I want to really have everything pristine, I strip down the attys fully, boil the parts for 5 minutes and clean them dry. It has been working fine although I sometimes feel it's troublesome.

I've been reading much about ultrasonic cleaners lately and I would like to know how effective they really are. Can I just through the parts to be cleaned inside, run the program and have really clean pristine parts or is it kinda like rinsing them in water alone? I've read mixed reports. Some say it's the next best thing since sliced bread and others say it doesn't clean that well at all.

Can somebody who maybe owns one give his opinion of pro and cons?

Thank you


Regards
Tony

Sent from my GT-I9195 through Tapatalk

 

[crxess]

People that say they do not work either have crappy UC's or are not understanding how to properly use one.

New from manufacturer:
I completely strip the Mod or Atty/Tank/etc.
Drop all the parts into the UC in the Basket - always use the basket to keep parts off the metal bottom.
I warm 2 cups of water and add 2-4oz Orange cleaner
Run for about 15 minutes

Parts come out very clean, rinse under hot water, Dry and assemble.
Parts cleaner solution looks Nasty and is proof we should always clean before use.

I use the same cleaner with warm water to to pre-steep all my DIY e-liquids. Saves a lot of time on the steeping process.

 

[Susan~S]

People that say they do not work either have crappy UC's or are not understanding how to properly use one.

Can you recommend a good one?

 

[Rat2chat2]

I have never seen a need to have one and just soak and rinse my rebuildables in Everclear or Vodka and have been pleased. Good question and I look forward to reading the replies so we both can learn.

 

[crxess]

Best recommendation would be read through the UC threads in the E-liquids/DIY section. Lots of good information and several good units recommended.
I had to work withing a tight budget but found a decent 30 minute cycle unit off Ebay...........After getting the information needed to make a reasonable choice.

Edit: This is what I settled on -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-LARGE-D...593?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58b534d919

 

[irwink]

I bought one back when I was cleaning and reusing protank heads. It worked quite a bit better than just soaking. Today all I use it for is forced steeping of diy juice. It seems to work pretty well for that purpose as well. Next best thing since sliced bread? That might be a bit of stretch.

 

[Avid]

I've been reading much about ultrasonic cleaners lately and I would like to know how effective they really are. Can I just through the parts to be cleaned inside, run the program and have really clean pristine parts or is it kinda like rinsing them in water alone? I've read mixed reports. Some say it's the next best thing since sliced bread and others say it doesn't clean that well at all.

Can somebody who maybe owns one give his opinion of pro and cons?

I have this one: Amazon.com: BlackHillsGoldSource Model 890 Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner - 30 Minute Timer - Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner, Eyeglass Cleaner, Dentures Cleaner and Other Household Sonic Cleaning - 600ml, 50 Watt, 42khz - Digital Timer with 18 Cycles to

I like using the UC with my Aspire BDC coils because it just seems to do a better job getting previous flavors out of them better than just running water through. They do come out very clean and 'pristine' after a 30 minute cycle. I also use it for helping to steep some of the eliquids I get from vendors who don't pre-steep. I wouldn't say it's the next best thing to sliced bread, but I do like having one.

That being said, I'm not sure it's worth the price if you're *only* going to use it for occasionally cleaning coils... but if you DIY your juice and clean your coils frequently, I'd say it's a useful piece of equipment to have around.

Oh, and it will also clean your jewelry!

 

[M3CH M0D M4DN355]

I have a little ultrasonic cleaner and it I think it works well and it was soooooo cheap.
The proper ones must be amazing!

 

[KODIAK (TM)]

Some of you guys just work too hard at this.

My tanks will get dissembled maybe once a month when I recoil and a rinsing under warm tap water. I just feel all that handling isn't good on o-rings.

 

[K31Scout]

They work very well for cleaning carboned up gun parts and spent brass for me (with vinegar and dish soap/water) and I've used mine to steep my DIY juice in glass bottles.

I just rinse my tanks in hot water as they don't get gunked up but if I did use the UC I'd use vinegar and water at a 50/50 mix, then a few cycles of water/baking soda and then a straight distilled water rinse cycle.

You can clean eye glasses and jewelry in them to help justify the cost.

 

[bluecat]

Tried it once with the wife's jewelry cleaner. I didn't see a difference. Hit water works good for me or I put them in the dishwasher when I have 10 or so to clean. I always rinse them after so it kinda defeats the lazy purpose. Mainly it is a hot rinse and blow dry.

 

[danny4x4]

Some of you guys just work too hard at this.

My tanks will get dissembled maybe once a month when I recoil and a rinsing under warm tap water. I just feel all that handling isn't good on o-rings.

You're still trying too hard.
I just unscrew the base and recoil + rewick. I don't even disassemble or rinse the tank. I'm not kidding.

 

[nukleusx]

You're still trying too hard.
I just unscrew the base and recoil + rewick. I don't even disassemble or rinse the tank. I'm not kidding.

Most of the time I only recoil if coil is so far gone it just doesn't produce a desirable vapor anymore. Rewick happens whenever they get too gunked up or I do an extreme flavor change (fruit to custardy OK/no change; but not vice versa).

Where this ties in for cleaning with me: I use a q-tip with rubbing alcohol to clean whenever I change cotton, or recoil. To date, I have never washed any of my atomizers under warm/hot water as I did with tanks (protank, nautilus, etc). Typically I clean new atomizers as well as threaded portions of mods with the alcohol/q-tip method before use. Usually with cleaning coils, intended for re-use, I burn off any alcohol before rewick. If this has anyone paranoid for any reason you can go over it with a q-tip end that has some water on it though I have found this unnecessary really. This has been what multiple B&M shops and employees have told me and what I have witnessed some of them do.

As far as an ultrasonic cleaner, I can think of better things to spend $ on. Q-tips are $5 tops for 750, 32oz bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol is $5 or less; and those two combined should last a long time.

I did however cruise around some of the posted links to the cleaners and contemplated pulling the trigger on one for work related parts cleaning but figured maybe I'll run it by the boss first. Could be convenient.

 

[tchavei]

Thanks for all the links and good advice. I will try to hold off for now but I just love shiny clean bits... After 10 days, although my coil was still OK, I was in need of changing the rayon. Upon disassembly of my kfl, it wasn't dirty... Just a little sticky and dull... Bah, threw the parts in boiling water for a couple of minutes and it's clean and shiny again... Made a new coil just for fun and put a new wick...
It maybe isn't worth it right now investing in a ultrasonic cleaner. But I still would like to have one lol.

I did learn a few new things reading your replies and I'm thankful


Regards
Tony

Sent from my GT-I9195 through Tapatalk

 

[crxess]

One should always consider expense vs use. Many will never have a need.

For me, I average 100Ml + every other week in various size bottles. The Ultrasonic is cycled every 30 minutes for up to 16hrs.
That is getting some use
This does not include some random Mixing Quest(new flavor chases) and the cleaning chores.

Many have a few tanks/heads to clean I have over 100 heads, dozens of tanks and 20+ Mods so maintaining could get to be a hand full.

Suffers from Shinyitus

 

[holimakaru]

Best recommendation would be read through the UC threads in the E-liquids/DIY section. Lots of good information and several good units recommended.
I had to work withing a tight budget but found a decent 30 minute cycle unit off Ebay...........After getting the information needed to make a reasonable choice.

Edit: This is what I settled on -
New Large Digital 60W 1 4 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner Jewelry JW3 | eBay

I have the same cleaner. Working well for me. Use it almost every day...steeping or cleaning.

 

[The Torch]

One should always consider expense vs use. Many will never have a need.

For me, I average 100Ml + every other week in various size bottles. The Ultrasonic is cycled every 30 minutes for up to 16hrs.
That is getting some use
This does not include some random Mixing Quest(new flavor chases) and the cleaning chores.

Many have a few tanks/heads to clean I have over 100 heads, dozens of tanks and 20+ Mods so maintaining could get to be a hand full.

Suffers from Shinyitus

With all that hardware to maintain and fresh juices, an ultrasonic cleaner is not an expense, it is a money-saving tool!