I’ve had a Branson B300 ultrasonic cleaner for quite a few years, and thought I new “all” about using it. I recently read something on line that made me wonder…
So, I would like to ask you guys about it, and see what your ideas are.
For basic cleaning, do you use soap (I use Dawn) or ???
How long do you leave an item in the bath? I usually only leave things in for 1 or 2 minutes.
Have you had luck giving mechanisms, motors and/or complete models a bath? I think I cleaned a non-working lionel steamer years ago. It still didn’t work when I was done, so… no clue here.
Have you used purpose-specific ultrasonic cleaning fuids? I think I have a bottle I bought from MicroMark years ago that I’ve never opened.
Does your ultrasonic cleaner make noise when it is on? Mine makes a fairly constant sound, not unlike high voltage arcing (if you have ever worked on an older TV you know that sound). I contacted Branson years ago about the sound, and I forget what they told me, but basically it has not been an issue.
What kind of basket(s) have you devised to hold very smay items (maybe screws or other hardware)? I bought a set of strainer-like baskets a long time ago, and they work prettywell. My only issue with them is there is no lid, so parts can fall out of the strainer.
Over all, I’ve been very happy with my Branson. Any replies are welcomed and appreciated.
I bought an Ultra Sonic Cleaner where I worked for cleaning up commercial hand held portable radios that had been accidentally submerged under water at fires by firemen. The cleaner came with several gallons of cleaner fluid and I don’t remember what is was, I also don’t remember ever having to reorder the cleaner. All the techs did was add cleaner until the fluid was pretty dirty by eye. They changed out the fluid about once a year or after about a dozen portable washes.
The Ultra Sonic Cleaner worked great for reviving a dunked radio, we never lost a portable to water damage after getting the cleaner. Considering that the cleaner cost about $1700 back then it saved at least 30 hand held portable radios that cost $1000+ each over a 15 year period.
I’ve been in HO for over 60 years and I can’t say I’ve ever had a reason to use a Ultra Sonic Cleaner for my hobby. Even though I have bought dozens of clunker locomotives off eBay for restoring I never had to resort to that depth of cleaning. Usually a brush dipped in alcohol works for me.
Also have an older Branson. I’ve tried all sorts of cleaners, but dish detergent seems to get the job done. Two major uses: getting model railroad stuff really clean for painting and cleaning my wife’s jewelry which means I get less grief about all the time and money spent on model railroad stuff.
For plastic models I have found that washing in warm water with mild dish soap is plenty for paint prep.
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For brass I use a sequence of brake fluid, vinegar, brake cleaner, and compressed air. I can see that an ultrasonic cleaner might mean fewer steps in this process.
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What kind of models are you using it for? Do you get better results?
For basic cleaning, Dawn or even Ivory is quite sufficient. Make sure the solution feels soapy.
It depends on how dirty the part is you are trying to clean and what the make-up of the “dirt” is. Is it soil? Is it grease? Is it a combination of both? There’s no harm in leaving something in an ultrasonic cleaner for longer periods - e.g. 5, 10, 15 or even 30 minutes.
Because ultrasonic cleaners use high-frequency to create microscopic bubbles that form and move along the surface of the part you are cleaning, your cleaning solution will heat up the longer you leave it going. This is not an issue unless you part(s) are heat sensitive.
That depends on what you used to clean the motor with. Personally I wouln’t submerge any motor in a solution.
You could use it but the Dawn or Ivory should do just as well. If your parts are metal and greasy then acetone would be a much better degreaser than Dawn.
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5) Does your ultrasonic cleaner make noise when it is on? Mine makes a fairly constant sound, not un
I have cleaned brass locomotive boilers and parts and the ultrasonic “scrubbing bubbles” get into details I would never be able to reach with solvents and brushes.
Every once in a while I like to give my air brush parts an ultrasonic bath, too. Dried paint can find its way into unseen areas that the ultrasonic will scrub out.
I have a variety of “tea strainers” for holding very small parts:
Hi Kevin, thanx for the reply. I guess the most useful thing I have used mine for is removing many years worth of surface dust and dirt. I have retored a lot of models that are 50 years old (one of the many things I enjoy in this hobby), and I usually disassemble them as far as I can, then give them a good bath in the US cleaner. While I have done gears & other drive parts, I have NOT done any motors. The model shells usually come remakably clean too.
Did you put the alcohol in the US tub, or did you put the alcohol inside another container in the tub? I guess it would depend on the type instrument used. Mine is a small (12" x 3" x 4") consumer model with a stainless steel tub. I guess using slcohol in it would be safe if I did it outside. I’m just gathering data right now. Thanx.
I have only used Dawn detergent, but it seems to do as good a job as I could hope to get. Yeah, I can see why it would come in handy for paint prep. I have done that also, I just haven’t painted in many years (no room for a paint booth anymore). I also have a smaller unit that is made for cleaning jewelry. I have used it for cleaning smaller parts, trucks, etc.
Yeah, after spending 50 years in electronics myself, I have an inherent belief that submerging motors in fluid is bad. That said, I have revived “drowned” circuit boards (similar to the radio tech’s comments here) by cleaning them in soapy water. Of course, you need to do that BEFORE you power them up after being wet!
Have you actually used acetone (or any organic solvent) in an ultraso
I used to work in a clean room and we used isopropyl alcohol (99.9%), acetone, and trichloroethylene in our ultrasonic cleaner to clean small metal parts. This was usually done in pyrex beakers in amounts of 20-30ml of liquid.
Trichlor is a great degreaser but it’s pretty smelly. Acetone is nearly as good but doesn’t have the health risks that triclor does. Acetone is flammable though but so is isopropyl alcohol. As long as you aren’t ultrasonically cleaning right next to an open flame, you should be fine.
The ultrasonic cleaners I’ve used have been both Branson and “little consumer unit”, as you put it. No difference. They both emit UF sound waves.
Mine is also stainless. The case is plastic and the labels for on and off etc, are laminated by a clear piece of plastic. The alcohol vapor started to attack the edge of the labels.