Topic: Opinions on this ultrasonic cleaner???

[rocs]

Hey guys
I've been considering getting an ultrasonic cleaner. What are your thoughts on the one below?

Kendal Commercial grade 780 watts 5.55 gallon heated ultrasonic cleaner HB821 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0092G86YK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_7sLjxbTY25JEJ

If anyone has a better regimentation that will hold a full rack please let me know. $500 is the budget or less

[Deltarider]

Ultrasonic is no guarantee.

[rocs]

anyone?

[RevDoc]

Same unit as the one we have in the shop. Does a good job. With the heat function it did  a good job of freeing a stuck carb slide on a rack I was cleaning.

BTW, I recommend using distilled water rather than tap. Less chance of mineral residue on parts and easier cleanup of the unit.

[PeWe]

I found 12 customer reviews in the link

[rocs]

I found 12 customer reviews in the link

were your 3,112 other posts on this forums as valuable as this one?

[rocs]

Same unit as the one we have in the shop. Does a good job. With the heat function it did  a good job of freeing a stuck carb slide on a rack I was cleaning.

BTW, I recommend using distilled water rather than tap. Less chance of mineral residue on parts and easier cleanup of the unit.

Sounds good thanks. I planned on distilled water and simple green as I have had the best results in the past. I just never had my own machine and don't remember the model and make of the machine.

[Deltarider]

were your 3,112 other posts on this forums as valuable as this one?

But this is the limit. You know what? I've been through half of your posts, now, Rocs. So far in none of them you're helping somebody else. It's all about buying and selling, prices (hey guys, what do you think this is worth?) Then I wondered if you was maybe the guy that years ago turned down a modest request to upload an Owner's Manual. And guess what? And yes, it was you. Rocs, why don't you - let us say- help yourself?

[zammykoo]

were your 3,112 other posts on this forums as valuable as this one?

But this is the limit. You know what? I've been through half of your posts, now, Rocs. So far in none of them you're helping somebody else. It's all about buying and selling, prices (hey guys, what do you think this is worth?) Then I wondered if you was maybe the guy that years ago turned down a modest request to upload an Owner's Manual. And guess what? And yes, it was you. Rocs, why don't you - let us say- help yourself?

I was having a rough morning at work but reading this post turned it around. 

[rocs]

were your 3,112 other posts on this forums as valuable as this one?

But this is the limit. You know what? I've been through half of your posts, now, Rocs. So far in none of them you're helping somebody else. It's all about buying and selling, prices (hey guys, what do you think this is worth?) Then I wondered if you was maybe the guy that years ago turned down a modest request to upload an Owner's Manual. And guess what? And yes, it was you. Rocs, why don't you - let us say- help yourself?

Sorry you feel this way. If I could give you the time back spending looking up my history I certainly would.

I don't keep track of my posts but I am here for information and to help others if I can. I don't have as much experience so my posts may be a little lop sided.

I also got curious and found the request from you to upload a manual I had for a bike. Sorry if I came off the wrong way. It was factory sealed from 40 years ago and I didn't want to take away from the history of the bike, nor did I want to damage it in the process. Didn't think this was worth holding a 2 year grudge over tho....

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,138933.msg1571059.html#msg1571059

[rocs]

I was having a rough morning at work but reading this post turned it around. 

Glad someone got something out of this thread 

[setdog]

This post belongs in the product review forum.

[Garage_guy_chris]

Im just getting into the whole ultrasonic cleaner thing. I also wanted to get one big enough for a whole rack of carbs i figured it would be easiest. Unfortunately I didnt have the $600 cad plus it was gonna cost to get one big enough. I ended up with a used name brand unit i found on local classifieds. it will hold one carb with space to spare. Originally i thought this would be a pain in the butt but after getting it I realized the carbs needed to be de-racked for disassembly anyways so in the end it worked out fine. And the nice thing is with the smaller unit i don't have to make so much cleaning solution.

Now I may burst your bubble a little.. When i got mine i thought i could toss the dirtiest nastiest mess of a carb in and it would come out prestine.  this is not the case... I still need to do a regular cleaning and get all the big stuff and big mess off everything i can see. Now after this is done i give it a ultrasonic bath and its surprising to see all the stuff you miss and all the gunk coming out of passages and ports you can't get at. So they are worth it but don't expect miracles. 

Also consider what your gonna use for a cleaning solution. I have just been messing around with home brew stuff and found simple green and water work pretty good for my uses but there are lots of good commercial products out there and remember big tank = lots of cleaning solution.

[Deltarider]

That's why I posted: 'Ultrasonic is no guarantee'. Clearly it was not what 'anyone' wanted to hear. In the past I've discussed 'ultrasonic' with two dealers in the Netherlands. They both were honest enough to tell me not to expect miracles and both had made it a habit to warn customers they couldn't guarantee success. One of them pointed out that my type of carbs is pretty easy to clean manually and it proved so to be. You can quite simply remove all the jets and they're the smallest bores. What I consider more as a problem is how to keep the carbs clean. Gasoline is not what it used to be and I think when you do not operate your bike regularly, you will need some kind of an additive. Not much, a little bit could be enough. Now, stuff like Forté or Tunap is bloody expensive. Maybe a combination of a little bit of diesel and naphta is just as good.

[bochnak]

I've had my eye on the Kendal 21L for some time now. I do own a sharpetek that can hold about 2 carbs. I'd really like to upgrade to a version that can hold a rack of 4. FYI, a sharpertek 21L version costs 1700.

My little unit with sharpertek 1220 solution works great for cleaning carbies.

Why don't you tell us what you are trying to clean?

[rocs]

That's why I posted: 'Ultrasonic is no guarantee'. Clearly it was not what 'anyone' wanted to hear. In the past I've discussed 'ultrasonic' with two dealers in the Netherlands. They both were honest enough to tell me not to expect miracles and both had made it a habit to warn customers they couldn't guarantee success. One of them pointed out that my type of carbs is pretty easy to clean manually and it proved so to be. You can quite simply remove all the jets and they're the smallest bores. What I consider more as a problem is how to keep the carbs clean. Gasoline is not what it used to be and I think when you do not operate your bike regularly, you will need some kind of an additive. Not much, a little bit could be enough. Now, stuff like Forté or Tunap is bloody expensive. Maybe a combination of a little bit of diesel and naphta is just as good.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification.

I searched various Ultrasonic cleaner threads and the majority stated what you mentioned above. My intentions were to use it after blasting the carbs (A process Harisuluv stated he does in a previous thread as well).

However, I have had great results using an ultrasonic cleaner in the past without blasting them before hand. I guess it just depends on how bad they are. I would say that if the floats do not move at all, Ultrasonic cleaning is definitely not a guarantee. 

[rocs]

I've had my eye on the Kendal 21L for some time now. I do own a sharpetek that can hold about 2 carbs. I'd really like to upgrade to a version that can hold a rack of 4. FYI, a sharpertek 21L version costs 1700.

My little unit with sharpertek 1220 solution works great for cleaning carbies.

Why don't you tell us what you are trying to clean?

Thanks for the info.

I am trying to clean full racks of carbs at a time. I did some spring cleaning this past weekend and managed to fin 15 sets of carbs that need to be gone through. I figured with this many, I could justify spending the money for the Ultrasonic cleaner.

[harisuluv]

If you're thinking you'll be able to just dunk assembled or mostly assembled racks in at a time and clean them, it just doesn't work that way. 

Also in a cleaner that big, if you want to use a 50/50 mix of simple green for example, you're looking at $10-15 in just cleaning solution each rack unless you plan on using dirty water repeatedly.  If you want to use something like detergent, well then you will have very immediate corrosion problems. 

For example if you used dawn and leave it in overnight it will look something like a coral reef later.  So all those places that are hard to dry out when when they are still assembled are going to be susceptible to that corrosion.

Ultrasonic cleaners have a lot of quirks to them and they can actually cause damage in some cases, so you have to know what you're doing and be careful.

[rocs]

If you're thinking you'll be able to just dunk assembled or mostly assembled racks in at a time and clean them, it just doesn't work that way. 

Also in a cleaner that big, if you want to use a 50/50 mix of simple green for example, you're looking at $10-15 in just cleaning solution each rack unless you plan on using dirty water repeatedly.  If you want to use something like detergent, well then you will have very immediate corrosion problems. 

For example if you used dawn and leave it in overnight it will look something like a coral reef later.  So all those places that are hard to dry out when when they are still assembled are going to be susceptible to that corrosion.

Ultrasonic cleaners have a lot of quirks to them and they can actually cause damage in some cases, so you have to know what you're doing and be careful.

Thanks for the info. Actually came across it on some of your past posts.

I plan on doing a simple green and distilled water mix like I have in the past. Not looking for q miracle machine.

[BomberMann650]

I saw a one gallon can of Gunk brand Carb Cleaner at Ace yesterday - i would consider putting that in an ultrasonic, maybe.  Unless someone talked me out of the idea.

[harisuluv]

Well Gunk on the can says that it's combustible.  There are certain ultrasonic cleaners designed for flammable solvents.  If it doesn't specifically say so, it's not one of those.

Also, part of the idea of using an ultrasonic cleaner is that you don't have to expose the carbs to harsh chemicals that would otherwise literally eat the carb alive if left in long enough.  The chemicals used today are a lot more mild than they used to be but they are still highly caustic. 

If you're going to use a can of "gunk" then there's really no need for the ultrasonic cleaner.  Those chemicals will take off anything the ultrasonic would and then some.

[Garage_guy_chris]

I have heard you can use combustible cleaners with an ultrasonic but not directly in the ultrasonic tank you make or buy a frame to support pyrex beakers in the tank but without touching the sides or bottom. You use just water in the tank around the beakers and put the nasty chemical of choice in the beaker. I have alternately heard glass mason jars work ok too. Biggest thing is to be careful of the temperatures and watch the heater if equipped.

[CB650CPastor]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner and it does a great job with distilled water and Simple Green HD (which is purple).

This one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Stainless-Steel-6-L-Liter-Industry-Heated-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Heater-w-Timer-/311013126895?hash=item4869d3b2ef:g:~mwAAOxyNo9Sq~MI

I've never tried putting something in it in solvent in a glass jar. Wouldn't the glass block the ultrasonic waves?

[BomberMann650]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner and it does a great job with distilled water and Simple Green HD (which is purple).

This one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Stainless-Steel-6-L-Liter-Industry-Heated-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Heater-w-Timer-/311013126895?hash=item4869d3b2ef:g:~mwAAOxyNo9Sq~MI

I've never tried putting something in it in solvent in a glass jar. Wouldn't the glass block the ultrasonic waves?

Nope, glass will transfer vibration. 

High enough vibration frequency and it will shatter though

[bochnak]

I soda blast, ultrasonic, & chem dip when cleaning the carbs. There is no one fits all cleaning method. Sometimes I hit it with soda first, then the ultrasonic. Other times ultrasonic followed by soda and back in the ultrasonic. All jets get tossed in chem dip.

And for really nasty carbs you still have to degang them if you want to get all the nooks and crannies.