Help with ultrasonic cleaner

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

I was given this ultrasonic cleaner. I don't know if it even works. I don't recognize the type of electric plug. If anyone is familiar with any of this please get me started hooking it up!

Thank you



[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Hi Todd, welcome to the forum.

I can't help with any info on the cleaner but the mains plug (the round one) is a standard 230 volt single phase ac plug as used in continental Europe – well certainly in Spain anyway. The live and neutral go to the round pins and the earth to the side contact. In Spain the plug will go into the wall socket either way up so it's pot luck as to whether the on/off switch on the unit winds up switching the live or neutral. If you are changing the plug try and find out which of the wires from the plug goes to the switch and make that the live connection. You may find that both wires go to the switch which would then be a double pole device switching both live and neutral, and then you'd have no worries which side you connected to live.

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

Whenever I get passed a piece of electrical equipment of unknown parentage it is wise to initially power it up via an isolating transformer and wind the voltage up with a variac if they are available. Less likelihood of a jolt or letting out the magic smoke if things are not as should be.

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Posted by Brian Oldford on 13/03/2017 17:05:00:

power it up via an isolating transformer and wind the voltage up with a variac if they are available.

Sound advice there Brian…..and given the current draw of the unit, I'd be inclined to reduce the fuse rating to 3 amps…( assuming you are using a British 3 pin plug…)…..

You wouldn't believe the number of items that come my way with a 13amp fuse fitted in the plug!

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

Thank you for the help!

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Even worse – that type of european plug doesn't have provision for a fuse. The cleaner will be relying on a unit mounted mains input fuse if it's got one, but being of German manufacture I'd be very surprised if it didn't have one.

[malcolm wright 1Participant @malcolmwright1]

Did a search and found the operating instructions here.

**LINK**

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by malcolm wright 1 on 13/03/2017 17:31:47:

Did a search and found the operating instructions here.

**LINK**

.

Can't ask for better than that

MichaelG.

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

Nope. That's perfect!

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

To test an ultrasonic cleaner you generally use the foil test. This involves suspending strips of aluminium foil at various points in the bath and switching on. After 10 / 20 seconds you should see pin holes in the foil. In an ideal world all the strips should show the same damage.

Regards.

David.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Welcome to the forum Todd, ultrasonic units are great.

My stepson has recently had an interview with a specialist marine maintenance firm, and he said they showed him an ultrasonic tank. I said "I've got one of those", he said "they used to put thing in this one with a fork lift, but it was too small so they fitted a crane in the roof".

Neil

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

Thank you for the welcome. I found the forum by tracking down Harold Hall! I'm mostly a lurker but since I have no experience with European electronics I thought this would be a good place to ask.

Thank you for the foil test that will be the first thing I try

[Todd BarrettParticipant @toddbarrett81899]

Double post

 

Edited By Todd Barrett on 14/03/2017 00:34:39

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I'v got a couple of small domestic ultrasonic cleaners, they make a buzzing noise (50Hz), I have not used them yet, is this a usual sound from these little units, they hold 400 ml each.

Ian S C

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Ian – re. the buzzing noise – yes, at least mine does. One thing I also discovered when mine stopped buzzing – there is an INTERNAL fuse!!

rgds

Bill.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Posted by David Colwill on 13/03/2017 18:18:25:

To test an ultrasonic cleaner you generally use the foil test. This involves suspending strips of aluminium foil at various points in the bath and switching on. After 10 / 20 seconds you should see pin holes in the foil. In an ideal world all the strips should show the same damage.

Regards.

David.

Neil many years ago when I worked at British Silverware we had a small shop with a bank of 6 in there as I remember they were filled with 'Tric' they were around 3ft x 3ft and around 4ft deep, in later years I moved on and part of the equipment I had to maintain was a large ultrasonic the inside was 12' 6" by 4' and 6' deep filled with methyl chloride and electrically heated. Changing an heater or transducer was a challenge one lay on your back working at arms length in a 12" space under the machine boy was I glad to see it go however the aqueous wash that replaced it was never as good and used around three times more energy.

H

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Type F Schuco plug. you can get adaptors to 13A 3 pin (Maplin)

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I tried it with some aluminium foil this evening, pin holes! no more like lace curtains, so I suppose it works.

Ian S C

[MeunierParticipant @meunier]

"we had a small shop with a bank of 6 in there as I remember they were filled with 'Tric' they were around 3ft x 3ft and around 4ft deep,"

My first job after school was as Trainee Instrument maker, the plating shop had a degreasing tank 4x3ft x 3ft deep that wasn't ultrasonic but 'Tric' vapourised by heating coils. It was run by Charlie, a wizened chap in black waistcoat, flat cap and a lit roll-up always hanging from the corner of his mouth. He would stick his hands and head, roll-up, cap and all, in the tank to hang/remove the wire baskets of components. Tried it myself once and skin on hands came out with a chalky white appearance after not long in the vapour. Looking back now I reckon 'old Charlie' was probably only about 40yrs old….but his flat cap was always immaculate.

DaveD

[Antony PowellParticipant @antonypowell28169]

Hi

Nobody's mentioned it so I thought I'd chip in….

Don't run it without fluid in – It can badly damage it (vibrates itself apart)

Or so I was told when I bought mine.

Tony

[Author]

Posts