Ultrasonic cleaning and cracking?

[Briar]

So, I bought myself an ultrasonic cleaner, and I've been using it on my Stardusts. With vinegar. Ummm, to be very honest, I'm not really noticing the difference between doing that and simply soaking in alcohol or peroxide... But my question is this: do you think that ultrasonic cleaning may encourage the cracking of the tubes? It is shaking them up, after all...

 

[harmonic]

maybe if they are banging around in the tank and bouncing off each other?
wish i had one of those cleaners to play with lol

 

[juicejunky]

Using vinegar in my ultrasonic cleaner put a cracking pattern in the plastic cover of the cleaner itself. PGA never did that.

I think it is the vinegar doing the cracking.

 

[Briar]

Using vinegar in my ultrasonic cleaner put a cracking pattern in the plastic cover of the cleaner itself. PGA never did that.

I think it is the vinegar doing the cracking.

Hm. Interesting. I actually only got one little crack out of two batches of five I did so far, but it was on the second batch that I got the crack, and that was the vinegar batch, the first one was just water. So that could be...

Um - what's PGA?

 

[Briar]

maybe if they are banging around in the tank and bouncing off each other?
wish i had one of those cleaners to play with lol

I was thinking that, or just the fact that the whole thing is based on ultrasonic vibration, which could - maybe, possibly, theoretically - cause/increase cracks in the hard tubes. Like I meanioned, I only got one crack on my colored Stardusts (had plenty of them on the older-batch plain ones), and that was after the cleaning.

BTW - those cleaners are pretty cheap. I think I got mine for 20 bucks at Amazon.

 

[harmonic]

Pure Grain Alcohol

 

[harmonic]

I was thinking that, or just the fact that the whole thing is based on ultrasonic vibration, which could - maybe, possibly, theoretically - cause/increase cracks in the hard tubes. Like I meanioned, I only got one crack on my colored Stardusts (had plenty of them on the older-batch plain ones), and that was after the cleaning.

BTW - those cleaners are pretty cheap. I think I got mine for 20 bucks at Amazon.

i have used them before. my grandpa had some for jewelry cleaning. i had no idea they were that inexpensive lol
i dont think it would cause a crack but if there is a crack already started i think the ultrasound could perhaps cause it to grow...
but i have no idea about the vinegar. i only recently found out about adding it to juice...

 

[Briar]

Pure Grain Alcohol

Thanks. Ok, I feel like a doink, but that's not an uncommon occurrence.

i have used them before. my grandpa had some for jewelry cleaning. i had no idea they were that inexpensive lol
i dont think it would cause a crack but if there is a crack already started i think the ultrasound could perhaps cause it to grow...
but i have no idea about the vinegar. i only recently found out about adding it to juice...

Yeah... If there is, say, a microscopic crack that won't cause a leak for a long time yet, maybe even for the coil life of the carto, it might make it widen and cause a problem, then... It makes logical sense - I'm just wondering if folks who use these all the time have experience something like this.

Wait - adding vinegar to juice? What's that about?

 

[harmonic]

Wait - adding vinegar to juice? What's that about?

its a diy thing. something about it makes the stuff blend together better or something. there is a thread i was supposed to read about juice mixing but i haven't gotten around to it yet lol
only tried it once so far and not sure what difference it made...

 

[harleydiva]

I have been using a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and filtered water in my ultrasonic cleaner. Run that for a few cycles, then rinse and run another 2-3 cycles with just water. Haven't noticed any cracking so far. I do have a few Stardusts that are developing the little cracks, but they are ones that I have been using for a while....like at least 6 weeks. Overall, I find these things incredibly durable, and the newer versions should be even better for cracking. I did notice someone mention not overtightening them...I might have introduced cracking on a couple doing that.

 

[YoMa!]

If you search for vinegar you will find the DIY thread. There is a lot of talk about ph in juices in there. I know putting apple cider vinegar in my tobacco juice is awesome. Adding lemon juice or the tart and sour stuff to the fruit ones pops the flavor too. I did notice my tongue stopped bothering me after that, but it could have been a coincidence.

This is a reply to Briar, I think I accidentally replied to harleydiva.

 

[scalewiz]

I'd beware of the ultra cheap 'ultrasonic' cleaners. I was in a store a while back and asked for an ultrasonic cleaner; the clerk pulled out a box, only 20 dollars, which said 'sonic jewelry cleaner'. For 20 bucks, how could I go wrong? Took it home and used it, and discovered all the thing did was vibrate and rattle around. I saw right away that this was not an 'ultrasonic' cleaner. A true ultrasonic cleaner cannot be had for such a ridiculously low price; decent ones can be had for around a hundred dollars, but I have never found them for much less. Even with a good one, be careful since the tiny bubbles created can get quite powerful on some objects such as your glass wicks and the coils. I think they typically operate somewhere in the 40+ khz frequency range; they do not simply sit and shake things around.

 

[Briar]

One thing I wanted to add: whether we use this contraption or not, it's not a substitute for an alcohol bath - for disinfecting purposes. I do think that disinfecting cartos is important...

 

[burns_erin]

Can't believe I missed this. I use a sonic cleaner all the time, and that wasnt a problem and still isn't with my first batch of stardusts. The second batch (technically gv 3rd batch) seemed to have micro fractures made worse by the sonic cleaner (mines a super duty bransonic for medical purposes). So I've switched to my old stand by of water pik agitation.

But I still don't skimp on my peroxide soaks (over night in a dark sealed container) for disinfecting. Wish the sterilant we use at work in the sonic cleaner was more vapor friendly, but it's not. Might try finding something that will serve my purposes as well as work purposes.